🌊 What to Do in Monterey in ONE DAY

Due to roadwork on parts of Highway 1 🔧🚧, especially around Big Sur, we couldn’t drive straight through from north to south and had to detour back to Monterey before continuing south via the I-5. That turned Monterey from a quick stop into a full-day destination! Here are the three main spots we explored: 📷 Monterey Old Fisherman‘s Wharf If you’ve been to Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco or similar piers elsewhere, it’s pretty much the same vibe 😉. Worth a quick visit for photos, but no need to spend too much time here. ✅ Quick photo stop recommended! 📷 Monterey Bay Aquarium Many travel guides rave about this place — some even call it the best aquarium in the U.S. 🎟️ $65 per person. You can buy tickets online the day before or queue up on the day itself. 🅿️ Paid parking nearby — $20 flat rate for daytime, single entry. My take? It’s a bit overrated. 🫣 Most of the experience revolves around feeding shows — not many interactive activities with the animals. Honestly, it doesn’t compare to many aquariums in Australia 🐠🐧. You’ll mostly see local marine life like sea lions 🦭, sardine schools, some tropical fish, and jellyfish 🪼. Not a huge variety of species. Might be fun if you’re traveling with kids 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦, but otherwise… maybe skip. 📷 Whale Watching Tour 🐳 We skipped it this time since we’ve done whale watching before. Prices range from $65–75 per person. You can compare different local tour operators on Google by searching “Monterey Whale Watching Tour.” 🐋🌊 #Monterey #Highway1 #MontereyBayAquarium #MontereyWharf