Local Points of Interest

Venture off-grounds and discover how the attractions of the Monterey Peninsula complement your stay at Asilomar.

Take a stroll in the seaside village of Pacific Grove where quaint shops and art galleries abound. Visit Monterey, first settled by the Spaniards in 1770 where the past mixes with the present with culture, fun, superb dining and shopping.

Pebble Beach wanders beside the water and through the 5,000 acre Del Monte Forest. Take a photo at the Lone Cypress or visit Pebble Beach Golf Links, site of five U.S. Open Golf Championships.

Just a few miles from Asilomar is Carmel-by-the-Sea: Famous for its movie stars, shopping and art, Carmel-by-the-Sea is also a gorgeous place to spend a day. Further inland is Carmel Valley, an enchanting combination of sunshine, countryside and the agricultural charms of rustic barns, fresh produce fields, vineyards and grazing animals.

Leafy Sea Dragon Photo credit: Monterey Bay Aquarium/Randy Wilder

The Monterey Bay Aquarium is located on the site of a former sardine cannery on Cannery Row. Boasting an annual attendance of nearly two million visitors, the aquarium holds 35,000 plants and animals representing over 600 species. The aquarium benefits from a high circulation of fresh ocean water which is pumped in continuously from Monterey Bay. The aquarium is a must-see when visiting the Monterey area.

Located between Lighthouse and Asilomar Avenues, in Pacific Grove, the Point Pinos Lighthouse beacon has flashed nightly as a guide and warning to captains off the rocky California coast since February 1, 1855 - making it the oldest continuously-operating lighthouse on the west coast.

Trolley on Cannery Row

A waterfront street in Monterey, Cannery Row is the site of former sardine canning factories converted into shops and restaurants. The street was officially named Cannery Row in 1958 to honor John Steinbeck and his famous novel, Cannery Row.

A visit to Monterey Peninsula isn't complete without including Fisherman's Wharf on your agenda. The wharf offers a variety of restaurants, shops, whale watching tours, fishing excursions, bay cruises and theatre.

Photo credit: Monterey County Convention and Visitors Bureau

The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary is a federally protected marine area offshore of California's central coast. The sanctuary encompasses a shoreline length of 276 miles and 6,094 square miles of ocean and supports one of the world's most diverse marine ecosystems.

Deriving its name from the offshore rocks at Punta de los Lobos Marinos, Point of the Sea Wolves, where the sound of the sea lions carries inland, the Point Lobos State Natural Reserve has often been called "the crown jewel" of the California State Park System.

Bixby Bridge from Hurricane Point Photo credit: Monterey County Convention and Visitors Bureau

Big Sur is a sparsely populated region of the central California coast where the Santa Lucia Mountains rise abruptly from the Pacific Ocean. The name "Big Sur" is derived from the original Spanish-language "el sur grande," meaning "the big south", referring to its location south of the Monterey Peninsula. The terrain offers stunning views, making Big Sur Coastline a popular tourist destination.

At Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, turquoise water, sandy beach and rocky outcroppings give just a glimpse of Big Sur's appeal.

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