They have moved their office closer towards Downtown. Jennifer was amazing and set me up for interesting places to explore in the surrounding area. I definitely recommend stopping by to get the vast amount of brochures available. read more

Monterey Visitors Center - New location - Travel Services Near Me - Monterey, California

Having been born and raised in the area, it really wasn't necessary for us to stop here but it was a nice rest stop to determine what we were going to do for the remainder of the day in Monterey. The lake nearby is called Lake El Estero, and is surrounded by El Estero Park. Located within the park is the famous Dennis the Menace park. El Estero Boating is located on the shore of the lake opposite Dennis the Menace Park and is where you can rent a paddle boat. What's nice is from the visitors center you can see both the paddle boat area and the Dennis the Menace Park so you can easily map out, and plan your day. With so much to see and do in Monterey I can see why at times it could be overwhelming to a person visiting the area. So this place is designed for a visitor who just doesn't know where to start. We did not go inside the building but I enjoyed the scenery behind the building. The Monterey County Visitors Bureau provides you with all the information you need about visiting the Monterey Peninsula. They have information on individual attractions, hotels, and restaurants. I heard they sometimes have coupons available too. The staff is there to provide guidance and give directions to locations throughout Monterey County. They are open daily from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. They are closed on major Holidays such as Thanksgiving, December 25, January 1 and Easter Sunday. I can see how a family can easily spend a pleasant day at the park surrounding Lake El Estero. There were plenty of geese, seagulls, and ducks swimming around in harmony. We were only there a short while but there is a walking path that goes entirely around the lake. Along the walking path there is a unique exercise course with equipment and instructions. Plenty of benches and grass to have a little picnic. Just be aware that the birds can be a bit aggressive and I believe you are not permitted to feed them by law. There is a dog park and I believe there is also a skate park for skateboarders. Dennis the Menace park has always been a favorite with the kids with their one-of-a-kind fun playground equipment. Admission is free however the paddle boating rentals do have a fee. The last time I checked you can rent a paddle boat for a half an hour or an hour. In conclusion, if you are a visitor of the Monterey Peninsula, and are not sure where to go, this is the perfect place for you! read more

See all

If you never visited Monterey, I would advise a day trip anytime.....follow the signs for the Visitor Center cause by the time you get there, a bathroom break is needed....... Patti and Richard helped us with the Trolley route, a free Trolly that rides throughout the Monterey Pier, on and off anytime til 8pm......didn't know this prior to coming...... We got our map and decided to park on Cannery Row, where all the little shops and restaurants are......parking meters til 8pm.......so get your quarters ready......1.50 per hour.....now that is cheap..... So when you are there at the Visitor Center, you will see a packet of surverys and a pencil, just fill it out, I did, and to my surprise she brought out a weaved basket with tons of items, such as golf ball lip balms, postcards and lint cloth for glasses.......she offered each of us to choose one.......thanks again for all your help..... Our friends from NY had a wonderful time and so did us San Franciscans..... read more

This is a really good visitor center with lots of great information. They only lost one star because some of the places they're telling you you should go to are really far away. For instance they have brochures for San Francisco which is a 3 1/2 hour drive. However the staff is nice and you can get lots of information on things to do while in the Monterey bay area. Definitely stop here. read more

The Golden state is said to always be full of sunshine. The place everyone wants to visit. Well, until you actually visit it. No joke, it never got above 55 degrees. Let's talk about the many destinations to stop at along the coast. Flying into LA wasn't that bad, but waiting for a rental car was a whole different story. We flew in at 12:30 in the morning, but didn't get our car until 3:30 that morning. Talk about jet lag. We ended up with a nice car, but opening the door you got a big whiff of weed. Next we have Hollywood and Beverly Hills. Not bad, but I would never want to live there. There are a large number of designer stores that I would not want to shop in. Gucci, sorry but those clothes have the most horrendous patterns anyone could possibly think of. Okay and the Hollywood walk of fame is nothing like people make it out to be. All it is is cracked stars from 20 years ago lining the streets. On to Malibu. Driving through the town was kinda cute, but we must have hit the wrong part of town because it wasn't really that nice. We got out at one point and walked what was said to be a beautiful path to the beach. Was it beautiful? No, not at all. Overgrown plants and the muddiest path possible. Getting down to the beach was no better, there was trash everywhere. The next day we went to Pismo beach. The views were gorgeous and you had the option to pay $5 to drive on the beach. So, we drove on the beach. You had to cross a creek in your car, and drive through lots of soft sand. Don't get me wrong, it was very fun. But, after a while my dad went to turn around and got the car stuck in the sand. It took like 20 minutes to get out of the sand. Eventually someone had to come help us. Later, We headed to Monterey. We had a hotel with a beautiful view of the ocean, and sitting on the balcony you could see otters swimming right below you. The hotel was super nice, but on our last night the power went out around 9 PM and still wasn't on by the time we left the next morning. Not to mention, we had to move rooms at midnight that night because my sister got sick and they couldn't clean it up in the dark. My family decided to rent electric bikes that day and it started pouring down rain. My sister got run off the road by a volkswagen van. Lastly, we went to San Francisco. Alcatraz was super cool, and the view from our hotel room again was amazing. Also the seals on pier 39 were adorable. But San Francisco was not my favorite. The boat ride to Alcatraz was super windy, cold, and choppy. The crime rate is just outrageous. On our way back to the car we witnessed someone trying to break into our car. SO all that to say, I won't be going back anytime soon. read more

I'm not a frequenter of visitor centers, but I'm so glad I popped in here. It's on my MUST STOP list now for anyone visiting Monetery / Carmel. The ladies at the desk were really helpful. - gave us maps for our drive into big sur and highlighted the "must-see" attractions. Gave us the rundown of the mile markers so we know where we were in big sur since CELL SERVICE DOESN'T WORK there (we didn't know that either, so really helpful)! We also got some postcards and lip balm too. I love that they were really helpful, but also love getting free things! It's also right next to the dennis the menace park, so it's really a no brainer to stop in. read more

For the newbees this can be a very helpful stop. To chat with a friendly local who knows the area and if you give them a bit of information they can direct you to what suits your taste. From museums, to aquarium, two shops, to parks, to beaches, to cooking classes, to tour buses, to historical walks, and much more, these people can help you out. For everybody else you just might find something new, you're really like available restrooms, and meet a friendly local, and swap a few stories. Thank you Monterey. read more

We recently visited Monterey County from Canada; Cathy & Pam were extremely helpful and friendly, providing us maps and recommended places to eat and shop; They went out of their way and not only suggested accommodation options, but went above and beyond and contacted the hotel to ensure there were rooms available. We hope to visit again... Monterey is worth another visit. Thank you again, Cathy & Pam! read more

There's not really anything to do here, but it was a great place to get information about Monterey and Carmel! The people working there were very helpful and kind :) read more

We have used the Pacific Grove Visitors Center as a regular stop during visits, but had not stopped at the Monterey location previously. The two helpers were exceptional in providing information about destinations throughout Monterey County. They offered guidance about when and where to go, and introduced us to several interesting destinations we'd never previously visited. While a focus of the facility is to connect visitors with accommodations, we had already made those arrangements. We are looking forward to learning more about the area and its history based on the excellent advice we received. read more

We were vacationing in California and spent a few days at Monterey. We stopped in at the visitor center to ask some questions and spoke with Richard who was very nice and informative. He gave us great advice regarding Point Lobos and other places. I asked where to mail postcards to grandkids and he sold me postcard stamps and offered to mail them for me. He was 5 star!! Then the next day we stopped in again to check about Hwy 1 north of Monterey and to get more stamps. The couple that was working that day weren't too interested in selling stamps but finally did and I was told I could mail a block and a half away and didn't get any info about things on Hwy 1. Was more interested in reading morning paper. I would rate the 2 star. Richard went the extra mile! read more

We were in need of a few new ideas for another Monterey getaway and the staff at the Visitors Center did not disappoint. Pam and Kathleen guided us to some excellent experiences and restaurants and we'll be sure and stop in again on our next visit, too. Both first-timers and regular visitors to the area can benefit from a check-in for friendly help on current and upcoming events, maps, things to do/activities, tours, restaurants, and much more. read more

Very nice and kind people who give great information about things to do in Monterey and the surrounding area. Worth a stop if you don't know where to explore around Monterey. read more

This visitor's center at 401 Camino El Estero, Monterey is the best you will ever experience! The location alone is worth the visit. It's adjacent​ to a lake, with ducks, beautiful trees, wonderful landscape with picnic tables. The staff was so endearing and helpful. We stayed and talked with them after we got our maps, etc. What a joyful experience! read more

Excellent service and information given by Pam. Very helpfull getting a room and getting information on restaurants, shops, local transportation and maps. If visiting the area you must stop in. Thank you for all your help. read more

Dealt with Pam last week. She was pushy, rude, and extremely unproffessional. Such a shame since its such a lovely town and facility

Just stopped in to ask what we could do to replace our canceled horseback ride, and was pleasantly surprised by the amount of pamphlets, maps, coupons and tips the 2 people on duty had to offer. Local specific tips and they had plenty of suggestions for us- even with the dogs! Walked out with tons of ideas and a coupon for dinner!! read more

Excellent Customer Service, Full of Information and all the stuff is friendly and helpfull, Pam and everyone are wonderful people, it dosnt matter how long it takes they are willing to go out of their way to help you out. read more