History Seeker Monterey State Historic Park is quite possibly the most under-the-radar CA State Park in existence; located directly adjacent to Monterey's Old Fisherman's Wharf, it's literally been under our noses this entire time. Admittedly, it's not the sexiest State Park in existence, as it's mostly compromised of historic buildings and museums, and that's not to mention it's not what most would imagine when you say the words "State Park." But that's what makes this place even more interesting, in my opinion. The Good: *It's free! My favorite price. :D *The Pacific House and Custom House are full of fantastic relics and information about this area, and you'll soon quickly realize why this place is a State park. *Free tours are given (Thu-Sun 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.) *Lots of historical "secret" gardens to explore, including the Memory Garden, Custom House Davis Garden and many more! Check out this link for more info: https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=952 *Located adjacent to the Old Fisherman's Wharf, so no need to pack a lunch. :) *One can also access the Monterey Bay Coastal Trail from here, as well. The Meh: *Semi Dog-friendly (allowed outside but not in the buildings) The Ugly: *Parking can be a bit of a hassle, as the adjacent paid City of Monterey Lot fills up quickly on weekends, and the street parking is limited to two hours (read the signs carefully). TLDR: Great place to visit, especially if you're already in the area. It's definitely a must-see for all fans of history, and especially CA history. read more

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Nice little bit of history here. Very nice volunteers and knowledgeable. There's a store where you'll find gifts, books and trinkets. read more

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I finally had an opportunity to walk through these museums. As a local, I just don't do it enough. But, the historical significance of Monterey is important and everyone should come visit and support these local landmarks. The Docents are very knowledgeable and friendly. I recommend going on a guided tour around the facility. read more

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Did you know the first capital of California was Monterey, beginning in 1846? I learned that from this "park," Monterey State Historic Park. I put the word "park" in quotes because this isn't a traditional park with a big greenspace, benches, picnic tables, trails, etc. Instead, it's a walking trail of historic buildings through downtown Monterey. This is an official California State Park. It's definitely worth checking out if you're into history and/or want to get out and explore Monterey on foot. There are both one-hour guided ($10 per adult, kids free) and self-guided tours. Check out the following page on the park's website for more info, including a link to a brochure you can download with a map for the self-guided tour: https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=951. I believe the address for this park is the Pacific House Museum adjacent to Old Fisherman's Wharf. This is where the Custom House Plaza is, a big open public space. The Custom House is the oldest government building in California. By the way, Old Fisherman's Wharf is also worth checking out: https://www.yelp.com/biz/old-fishermans-wharf-monterey. The historic buildings, old architecture, beautiful gardens, and nice greenspace (Friendly Plaza) combined with Monterey's comfortable Mediterranean-style climate make the park walk a very enjoyable stroll. It's great for families and even a fun date activity. Downtown Monterey is very walkable, picturesque, clean, and safe. Buildings on the park trail include California's first brick house, California's first theater, and the building where the California constitution was drafted in 1849 (Colton Hall), to name a few. I don't think there's an "official" starting point for the park. My wife and I happened to be staying at the Colton Inn on the south end of the park and we unknowingly walked most of the park during our walks to and from the Monterey Conference Center and Old Fisherman's Wharf. Before California became a US state, Monterey also served as the capital of Alta California under Spanish and Mexican rule in the early-to-mid 1800s. read more

There is no better place for a relaxing picnic after you've ordered your sandwich from Troias across the street. Enjoy a leisure walk in the front with its beautiful gardens! read more

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I was recently in Monterey and visited the the Monterey State Historic Park. If you are curious about knowing more and experiencing early California history, this is a must visit historical site. This is the site of California's earliest capital and the state's first constitutional convention. The recent history here goes back to 1542 and 1602 when Rodriquez Cabrillo and Sebastian Vizcaino sailed here. The first settlers of Monterey were the Rumsien Indians, who lived here for thousands of years before Cabrillo. The Rumsien Indians were skilled artisans known for their woven blankets. Pretty cool stuff. There are many historical buildings and sites to discover here. I really enjoyed the Path of History markers that form a walking trail of the area. FIVE stars for the rich history and the important historical buildings and sites. read more

Historic interest point and free museum, nicely curated. All that in front of the mega famous Fishermen's wharf in Monterey, so what else to ask for a perfect date? To be honest, I had visited Monterey many times and never realized this was the main State Historic Park in California, as per what I read. I looked 'mission style' to me but was always focused in the seaside restaurants and old Americana look candy stores and promenades than realizing that across the street was a real historic park! I left the place more educated...well at least now I know Monterey used to be the capital of Alta California and what were the most important things imported and exported during Mexican domination, as you can learn all those things at the Custom House. Very nice educative experience. read more

This an very much the understated museum/historical complex, which is difficult to fully review as parts of it extend throughout downtown monterey. Lots of people will not be aware of just how mush this park is. Parking is wherever you'd normally park for downtown and/or fisherman's wharf. There is street parking downtown, massive surface lots along the water front and garages scattered here and there. It is within walking distance of both downtown and fisherman's wharf both of which have a free tourist trolley in the summer. While some of the park complex is better reviewed elsewhere, i do note that the grounds include several public gardens, the museum of monterery, the dali museum, a large public space, and the custom house amongst other things. The gardens are awesome-they exhibit pretty mush every plant that grows in the state, with the exception of some of the trees and the historical walk is fascinating. Not least because the walk takes you pretty much all through downtown, can be done at your own pace, and passes several of the better pubs. I mean just case you are interested in a pint or two or some snackables along the way. I should also mention that the free museum is one of the best curated in the area. It details the early history of the area lushly. It's interactive and they have guided tours twice a day. The two story exhibit is very manageable-can be done in an hour or less for the non history obsessed, a bit more then double that for those that are super interested. I regret to report that the native american wing-the upstairs second story section-of the museum is kinda sorta being worked on and thus won't be able to tell you too much about the exhibits. Still pretty awesome to visit however as the art is exquisite. Even with that small flaw this is simply and amazing place to learn about the days of yore. Even if you are not a museum person there is more then enough here to interest anyone. The walk is light, fun and offers scope for exploring, the gardens/open areas offer great picture/selfie opportunities and the museum itself is the best of it's kind in the area. Totally free and totally fun. read more

Fun to do a quick stop. + by fisherman wharf + informative - Monterey used to be capital of Alta California! + free read more

We went on the Historic Walking Tour. Very affordable ($10 per person) and EASY walking. Big thanks to our tour guide, Stuart! His tour was interesting, highly informative, and thoroughly enjoyable! If you'd love to know more about the history of Monterey, (from the Spanish period to the Mexican period to the American period), with many of its colorful sites and buildings and gardens, as well the early history of our fantastic state of California.... you NEED to take the Monterey State Historic Park walking tour! read more

Where do I start? Well someone needs to warn my future husband that we are getting married here. In August I saw a wedding at the main house and wow. It is stunning here and I love coming here when I am in town. The buildings are well preserved and the staff I encountered were wonderful. Come here for the rich history, they have relics from early California. Really most of all, I love the way this park is preserved- it is absolutely beautiful and peaceful. read more

A wonderful collection of historic buildings and gardens in Monterey, including the Custom House (from back when Monterey was the commercial and cultural capital of Mexican Califoria), the house where Robert Louis Stevenson lived, the Sherman quarters (who knew Sherman made himself unpleasant out west, too?), California's first theater, and a bunch of other beautifully preserved adobe houses (and the first brick house, quite a big deal at the time!). Unfortunately, my mom and I didn't get our acts together until our last day in Monterey, but the houses we visited were wonderful. The Cooper-Molera adobe house (home of the Cooper Museum Store) is a grandiose Victorian adobe, with amazing original wallpaper and meticulously reproduced carpets. You'd never guess the building was adobe except for the extremely deep window wells and the thick walls between rooms, carefully paneled with wood to disguise their origins. The gardens out back are in pretty good shape, complete with two sheep in the animal shed, and a gorgeous orchard. My favorite building was Casa Soberanes, which is an older and more spartan building (it's subsequent owners were devoted to keeping its original character intact), and the whitewashed adobe walls and wonderful mix of early new england, imported chinese, and mexican folk pieces make the early 19th century cultural mix extremely vivid. The garden borders are made from buried bottles and whale bone, and the bright blue garden door was apparently a signal to suitors that there was a marriageable daughter in the house. The tour guides are totally passionate about the history and families of the houses (perhaps bordering on psychosis, but whatever, it makes for an interesting tour). Check for tour times, because there is usually only one tour a day, and the houses are closed the rest of the time (although the gardens are open). Tours are free, but consider donating some money anyway because the park is clearly an act of love. read more

If you're a history buff and have nothing else to do. You can always take a stroll through this historical park. You can do a Monterey Walking Path Tour, that guides you through some of the well preserved historical homes, buildings, and gardens. Just follow the markers on the ground, and you might also notice some actual whale bones used for sidewalks. From the Custom House (recognized oldest government building in California) to the Old Whaling Station, you can definitely just sit and relax here. read more

Monterey is fantastic, and well worth the trip here if you like heritage architecture. The path of history walking tour can also be self guided - it is marked by arrows in the sidewalk. Plaques on the ground go through the local hispanic/American history of California. read more

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We stopped here on the self-guided Paths of History. As Monterey is historically significant in Californian History, there was a lot to see at this park which is conveniently located steps from Fisherman's Wharf. The Custom House has a recreation of the goods imported and exported during the Mexican Era, as well as a wonderful gift shop. The Pacific House has a lot more to see as far as artifacts and signage goes. Upstairs is the Museum of the American Indian, which was nice but I wish there were signs/tags that explained where the artifacts originated from. California's First Theatre is across the street and worth a look at, the Ranger says it is due to open to the public soon! read more

I love it... I am a sucker for history... and relaxing places. You won't go wrong. Relax, enjoy, have a BEAUTIFUL day... and enjoy this place!!!!! read more

Forget history -- this is the story of California. Rascals and exploiters, church and state, world trade and ecology, this place has it all. We went on the very inexpensive walking tour with a park ranger guide and had a great time. We were the only 2 on the tour, so Lynn, the guide, was very conversational and engaged with all our many questions. Skip the tacky shops and treat yourself to a complex and entertaining story of the origins of the 5th largest economy in the world. read more

Well kept historic buildings.. A great place to grab some lunch and eat and enjoy the scenery....

They have guided walking tours 3 times a day. We did a midday one ans ended up with a private tour for $10! Our guide was super friendly and we were shocked no one else knew bout these tours. A must do in Monterey to get a lay of the land and a great start to all the history here. read more