Monterey, California, is a cute little town on the coast south of San Francisco at the northern end of California’s Central Coast. The area has miles of beaches and a variety of hiking and cycling trails. Spending one day in Monterey is the perfect addition to a Central Coast road trip and a good gateway to Big Sur and Highway 1.
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a commission at no cost to you!
Table of Contents
History of Monterey, California
The original inhabitants of the Monterey area were the Ohlone. They established themselves in the area and spent a lot of time fishing. Later, the Spanish came and conquered the area and built up the mission system.
In 1821, the area gained independence from Spain and became part of Mexico. The area continued to grow and contained a lot of “firsts” in California. Monterey was home to the first theater, public school, library, and printing press.
1849, saw Monterey as the host of California’s first constitutional convention. Throughout the 1900s, it continued to grow and became home to many famous artists and writers. Present-day, it is a nice escape along the coast.
When to Spend One Day in Monterey, California
Spring is the best time to visit Monterey as the weather is super nice and it will be less crowded than the summertime. Fall and winter tend to be very chilly, so keep that in mind if you visit during those times.
How to Get to Monterey, California
The closest airport to Monterey is in San Jose, California. It takes about an hour and 15 minutes to drive from there to Monterey. You could also opt to fly into San Francisco if you want to spend some time in that area as well.
To get to Monterey from San Jose, follow the 101 south for 53 miles. Then get on the 156 west and take it to the 1 south.
Transportation in Monterey, California
Although you could take a bus or a train from San Jose to Monterey, it is much easier if you have a car. I recommend renting a car through Autoslash as that is where I always find the best deals. Having a car will give you more flexibility and enable you to visit more areas.
Where to Stay in Monterey, California
TripAdvisor is a great place to start your hotel search. Search for the best Monterey hotels here!
Hotels in Monterey can be very pricey. If you want to stay in Monterey, some good hotel options include the Holiday Inn Express Monterey, the Hyatt Regency Monterey, and the Hampton Inn Monterey.
To save some money, you can opt to stay in Salinas. Salinas is about a 15-20 minute drive from Monterey. I recommend staying at the Hampton Inn Salinas. You can always try searching Priceline Express Deals for a better price.
What to do During One Day in Monterey, California
You can easily spend an entire weekend exploring all of the sites in the Monterey area. However, if you only have one day in Monterey, I recommend following this itinerary.
Point Lobos State Natural Reserve
Cost: $10/car
Hours: 8am-7pm
Start your one day in Monterey by exploring Point Lobos State Natural Reserve. Point Lobos is a popular stop for hiking and for its gorgeous viewpoints. It is one of the most popular of California’s state parks. A lot of people like to scuba dive in this area as well and also has a few small beaches. Plan to spend the morning exploring what the area has to offer.
Alternatively, you can book a guided 2-hour to learn and discover more about this place.
Lunch at Sarita’s the Original
Cost: $$
Hours: 10:30am-6:30pm
Stop for lunch at one of the best Mexican food places around. Sarita’s the Original has your typical Mexican fare and everything we tried was delicious. You can opt to eat it there or grab takeout to bring with you.
Wine Tasting
The Monterey area actually has a ton of wineries in the region. Thus, after lunch opt to stop at one of the winery tasting rooms. I highly recommend either Hahn Estate or Taste Morgan. Make sure to make reservations online ahead of time, because the tasting rooms tend to fill up. Wine tasting is the perfect thing to do during one day in Monterey.
At Hahn Estate, it is open 11am-5pm, Thursday to Monday. It costs $20 for a 45-minute tasting of 5 wines. They also have some more intimate tasting options as well. I really like their SLH Chardonnay.
Taste Morgan is open Monday to Saturday from 11am to 6pm. A tasting consists of 4 wines for $20, but when we went, they gave us two bonus pours. I liked pretty much all of their wines.
Alternatively, you could book this Carmel Wine Tour.
Monterey Bay Aquarium
Cost: $50
Hours: 10am-5pm
After wine tasting, visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium. This aquarium is one of the most famous aquariums and is a huge complex. Although it is insanely expensive, it is fun to visit at least once. The aquarium is non-profit so a lot of the money goes towards conservation efforts.
Make sure not to miss the Open Sea exhibit, which is the 1.2 million gallon tank you may have seen pictures of. Another popular exhibit is the Sea Otters. Plan to spend 3-4 hours wandering through the aquarium exhibits.
Cannery Row and Old Fisherman’s Wharf
Cost: Free
Hours: Varies by Store
After visiting the aquarium, opt to spend some time walking down Cannery Row and exploring the Old Fisherman’s Wharf. This area has a ton of shops and restaurants, so you can find a ton of options for dinner.
Cannery Row was once the area where the street was lined with sardine canneries. You may have heard about it from John Steinbeck’s novel “Cannery Row.” The Old Fisherman’s Wharf is a fish market that now has a ton of restaurants and bars. It is the perfect area to end one day in Monterey.
More Than One Day in Monterey?
Monterey State Historic Park
Cost: Free
Hours: Varies by Building
The Monterey State Historic Park incorporates 17 historical buildings in Old Town Monterey. It is home to California’s first theater and also the site of where the first American flag was raised in California. You can easily spend a couple of hours exploring the buildings and sites in this state park.
The 17-Mile Drive
Cost: $11.25/car
The 17-mile drive is a very popular drive along the Monterey Peninsula. It passes along the infamous Pebble Beach golf course, mansions, scenic stops, and has amazing views of the coastline. If you have time, add it to your one day in Monterey itinerary. However, I have heard it gets very crowded and many of the stops are overrated as you can get them for free elsewhere. You can also do this 17-Mile Drive Self-Guided Audio Tour or opt to do this 17-Mile Drive Guided EBike Tour.
Pebble Beach
Cost: $$$
For golf lovers, you will want to book a tee time at Pebble Beach. This is one of the most popular golf courses in the world and is rated the number one golf course in the country. It is a very scenic course and should be on any golfer’s list.
Day trip to Pinnacles National Park
Cost: $30 or free with the America the Beautiful Pass
Pinnacles National Park is located a little over an hour away from Monterey and makes for a fantastic day trip. It is a small park, but still has over 30 miles of hiking trails. Many of the trails connect together, so you have the option of taking shorter or longer loops. I recommend the Mosses Spring Trail to the Bear Gulch Trail to the Rim Trail. During certain times of the year, that trail passes through a cave with bats in it!
Final Tips for One Day in Monterey
Other fun things to do include Whale Watching, a Food Tour, or this Ghost Tour. Monterey makes for a fun day trip from San Francisco and should be part of any Highway 1 road trip. You can easily spend more than one day in Monterey and also spend time exploring more of Carmel. If you have more time, opt to head out on a Central California road trip.
