🇺🇸 Monterey Must-Visit Spots – Ultimate Guide

#FirstFallPhoto Hi everyone! I’ve been to Monterey many times and always discover something new. Here’s my roundup of top attractions: 1️⃣ Monterey Bay Aquarium 🐠 📍 866 Cannery Row, Monterey 🅿️ Paid garages or street parking 🎫 Adults $60, Kids $45 ✨ Highlights: Sea otters, penguin exhibit, jellyfish gallery, kelp forest, and a huge tank with hammerhead sharks and green sea turtles! 2️⃣ Butterfly House 🦋 📍 309 9th St, Pacific Grove An Instagram famous spot — just 3 mins drive from the aquarium. 3️⃣ Dennis the Menace Playground 🧗 🅿️ Free parking A giant playground with suspension bridges, maze, roller slide, rock tunnel, zip line, pirate ship, spinner, swings, and climbing structures! 4️⃣ Flower Field 🌸 📍 Perkins Park, 948 Ocean View Blvd, Pacific Grove Every April, pink-purple ice plant flowers bloom along the coast — gorgeous succulent carpets! 5️⃣ Monarch Grove Sanctuary 🦋 🎫 Free 📍 250 Ridge Rd, Pacific Grove 📅 Oct–Feb (peak Nov–Dec) The California coast is a major migration route for monarch butterflies wintering from Canada to Mexico. 6️⃣ Lover’s Point Beach 💑 🅿️ Free but limited lot parking / street parking Calm waters, gentle slope, long shallow area — perfect for young kids to play safely. 7️⃣ Asilomar State Beach 🏖️ 🅿️ Street parking Beautiful white sand beach with rocky areas. Visit at low tide to explore tidal pools! 8️⃣ 17-Mile Drive 🚗 🎫 $11.25 per vehicle A scenic coastal drive with multiple viewpoints. ➡️ Enter from Pacific Grove Gate (north), exit from Carmel Gate (south) — leads right to Carmel village. 📍 Must-stops: The Lone Cypress, Bird Rock 9️⃣ Carmel-By-The-Sea 🏡 A charming artsy town home to many writers and artists — fairytale-like cottages everywhere! #Monterey #BayArea #BayAreaLife #WeekendGetaway #FamilyTravel #CaliforniaTravel #BayAreaKids