Maps, Weather, and General Information
The Monterey Peninsula

Jutting like a fist into Monterey Bay, the Monterey Peninsula has miles of shoreline as well as adjoining rural locations. There are several small cities here, all distinctly different in looks, all within minutes of each other.

Towns like Seaside, Marina, Sand City and Del Rey Oaks offer a combination of residential, small business and industrial sites.

Monterey is the largest city on the peninsula. In addition to its historic 19th Century buildings and restored Spanish adobes, Monterey's attractions include Fisherman's Wharf, Cannery Row, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, restaurants and nightlife, and accommodations from bed and breakfasts to full-service hotels.

>Pacific Grove offers special charm with its quaint downtown shops, Victorian homes and ocean-view inns. Its scenic drive follows along a rocky shoreline with tidepools. Pacific Grove is proud to be called "America's Last Hometown."

Carmel-by-the-Sea is a one-square-mile fairy-tale of a village. Charming cottages abound, and numerous celebrities call this town home. Shopping is popular at boutiques and more than 70 art galleries, and so is dining in the many restaurants. The sands at Carmel's beach are sugar-white.

World-famous Pebble Beach is a privately-owned section of land that includes the dramatic 17-Mile Drive, a scenic route which winds through the Del Monte Forest and along a magnificent coastline between Carmel, Pacific Grove and Monterey. Within the 236 acres of Pebble Beach are luxurious resorts and championship golf courses.

Carmel Valley has been called the "sunbelt of the Monterey Peninsula." It lies east of Carmel-by-the-Sea and averages 283 days of sun a year. On a two-way road through the valley you'll find rolling ranch land, fields of spring wildflowers, beautiful golf courses, and the little Carmel Valley Village.

Fort Ord, once the home of the Army's first light infantry division, was closed in 1993. Portions of the base are retained by the military, but other sections are now privately owned. There are classic World War II barracks, acres of open land, and vista views of Monterey Bay. The towns of Seaside and Marina adjoin the former base.