π A Day by the Sea in Monterey on Highway 1
Spent the first day of the long weekend driving up US-1 for a day trip to Monterey! The last day of August was beautiful β clear skies and perfect for a breezy seaside escape βοΈπ Monterey is about a 2-hour drive from the South Bay (without traffic π ) and makes a perfect day trip destination. Itβs a small town, but thereβs plenty to do! 1οΈβ£ Monterey Bay Aquarium π Adults: $65 per person. Lines for on-site tickets are long β highly recommend buying online in advance! Parking was a struggle π β street parking is very limited, especially on holidays. The aquarium was crowded β many exhibits were packed, making it hard to get close to the glass. The famous jellyfish hall was beautiful but super crowded! It takes about 2 hours to explore the whole aquarium. While Iβve been to larger aquariums, Monterey still has some special touches that make it worth it: β€οΈ A small theater near the first-floor exit shows a film about deep-sea exploration and marine research. β€οΈ Many touch pools where kids (and adults!) can interact with sea creatures. β€οΈ The sea otters β absolutely adorable! 𦦠Fun fact: Monterey Bay Aquarium holds the world record for keeping a great white shark in captivity for 198 days! π¦ 2οΈβ£ 17-Mile Drive ππ¨ $12 per vehicle. Youβll get a map at the entrance, but the signs are clear enough. This is actually a private community with stunning mansions along the route π‘. Not every viewpoint is worth stopping at β here are the ones I recommend: β€οΈ Point Joe: Ocean views + golf course + rocky coast ποΈπ β€οΈ Bird Rock: Tons of birds gathered on a rock β impressive but smelly! π¦π© β€οΈ Lone Cypress: The iconic tree featured in most promotional photos β including my cover shot! A must-see π²πΈ Due to holiday traffic, we headed back to the Bay after these two spots ππ¨β¦ but Monterey is also great for kayaking! πΆ Lots of people were out on the water β looked so fun! I also saw paragliders soaring above the coast πͺ. Definitely trying water activities next time! #CaliforniaTravel #Highway1 #US1RoadTrip #OceanVibes #BayAreaLife #WeekendGetaway #BigSur #Monterey #MontereyBay
