Maps, Weather, and General Information

Few locations in the world can match the natural beauty and diversity of Monterey County.

Within its lands are such spectacular sites as Big Sur, a 90-mile stretch of rugged coastline with dramatic cliffs some 1,000 feet above the crashing surf. Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton were swept away by it all in "The Sandpiper."

Then inland there's open ranchland and the vast agricultural fields of the Salinas Valley, described by John Steinbeck in his novels. On the big screen, "East of Eden" dramatized these settings while James Dean kicked up both dust and trouble.

Monterey County's looks are matchless, but because of its range of landscapes and rich cultural diversity it can also double for many other places. Locations here have matched Kansas, New Mexico, Louisiana, Ireland, Spain and Africa, to name a few.

Among the main filming areas are:

The Monterey Peninsula
Salinas Valley

More About the Area...

Getting to Monterey...and getting around
Maps of Monterey County
Weather Report: Great Climate