# Things to see in Monterey, California (United States): 27 places and when to go

> Monterey, California is a city in United States with around 124,000 inhabitants, and this site lists 27 places in and around it, mainly Nature (10), Wildlife (9), Museums and art (6). The best known are Monterey Bay Aquarium, Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo and Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. The best time to come is March to October; also possible: November to February. In June there are 14 h 29 of daylight, and in December, 9 h 31. Here is what there is, when to go, how to get there and what else is nearby.

- Address: https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/monterrey/
- Reviewed on: 2026-10-08
- Language: en

## In a nutshell

- **Where:** United States · 36.6003, -121.8936
- **Population:** About 124,000
- **Places:** 27 places on this site, in the town and around it.
- **What people come for:** [Nature](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/naturaleza/) (10) · [Wildlife](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/fauna/) (9) · [Museums and art](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/museos/) (6) · [History](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/historia/) (5) · [Food and drink](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/gastronomia/) (5) · [Diving](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/submarinismo/) (2)
- **Best time:** March to October.
- **Also possible:** November to February.
- **Nearest airport:** SFO San Francisco, 121 km as the crow flies

## What to see in Monterey, California

The places in and around Monterey, California, best known first, each with its own page: what it is, when to go and what is next to it. Distances are from the centre, as the crow flies.

- [Monterey Bay Aquarium](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/monterey-bay-aquarium/): Nonprofit public aquarium in Monterey, California · 2.1 km
- [Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/mission-san-carlos-borromeo-de-carmelo-museum/): Spanish mission in Carmel Valley, California · 6.8 km
- [Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/monterey-bay-national-marine-sanctuary/): Marine protected area in California, USA · 23 km
- [Point Pinos Lighthouse](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/point-pinos-lighthouse/): Lighthouse in California, United States · 5.1 km
- [Fort Ord Dunes State Park](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/fort-ord-dunes-state-park/): State park in California, United States · 8.7 km
- [Asilomar Conference Grounds](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/asilomar-conference-grounds/): Conference center at "Asilomar State Beach and Conference Grounds" · 4.4 km
- [Garrapata State Park](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/garrapata-state-park/): State park of California, United States · 16 km
- [Old Custom House](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/old-custom-house/): Custom house in Monterey, United States of America · 328 m
- [Point Lobos State Natural Reserve](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/point-lobos-state-natural-reserve/): Protected area in California · 10 km
- [Asilomar State Beach](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/asilomar-state-beach/): State park in Monterey County, California, USA · 4.9 km
- [Carmel Bay](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/carmel-bay/): Bay · 8.4 km
- [Colton Hall](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/colton-hall-museum/): First seat of government of California · 453 m
- [Fort Ord National Monument](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/fort-ord-national-monument/): National monument in Monterey County, California, United States · 12 km
- [Monterey Museum of Art](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/monterey-museum-of-art/): Art museum in Monterey, California · 413 m
- [Monterey State Beach](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/monterey-state-beach/): State park in California, United States · 824 m
- [Monterey State Historic Park](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/monterey-state-historic-park/): State park in California, United States · 233 m
- [Carmel River Bird Sanctuary](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/carmel-river-bird-sanctuary/): Park in Monterey County, California, United States of America · 7.6 km
- [Monterey History and Art Museum](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/museum-of-monterey/): History and art museum in Monterey, California · 234 m
- [Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/pacific-grove-museum-of-natural-history/): Natural history museum in Pacific Grove, California · 3.2 km
- [Aquarius Dive Shop](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/aquarius-dive-shop/): Dive site · 2.4 km
- [Bette M. and William R. Weaver Student Observatory](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/bette-m-and-william-r-weaver-student-observatory/): Observatory · 10 km
- [De Tierra Vineyards](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/de-tierra-vineyards/): Winery · 5.4 km
- [Enterprise Cannery](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/enterprise-cannery/): Dive site · 1.2 km
- [Galante Winery](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/galante-winery/): Winery · 26 km

And the other 3, by what you come to do:

- **Food and drink**: [Joyce Wine Company](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/joyce-wine-company/), [Nicolas Cocina de Herencia](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/nicolas-cocina-de-herencia/), [Pacific Grove CiderWorks](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/pacific-grove-ciderworks/)

## When to go to Monterey, California

The best time to visit Monterey, California is **March to October**; also possible: November to February. This comes from its own places: a month counts as the town's best time when it is the best time for half of what there is to see.

| Mes | Época | Hours of daylight |
| --- | --- | --- |
| January | Possible | 9 h 46 |
| February | Possible | 10 h 39 |
| March | Best time | 11 h 43 |
| April | Best time | 12 h 57 |
| May | Best time | 13 h 57 |
| June | Best time | 14 h 29 |
| July | Best time | 14 h 16 |
| August | Best time | 13 h 24 |
| September | Best time | 12 h 13 |
| October | Best time | 11 h 02 |
| November | Possible | 10 h 01 |
| December | Possible | 9 h 31 |

In June there are 14 h 29 of daylight, and in December, 9 h 31. In June, 26 of the 27 places are at their best.

When to go to United States in general, with its festivals and peak seasons, is in [its country guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/#cuando-ir).

## Getting to Monterey, California

The nearest main airport is San Francisco International Airport (SFO, San Francisco), 121 km as the crow flies. How to get around United States (train, car, bus) is in [its country guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/#moverse), and what to sort out before you leave is in [its checklist](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/#antes-de-salir).

- [Where it is](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=36.6003%2C-121.8936)
- [Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=36.6003%2C-121.8936)

## Other towns nearby

- [Salinas, California](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/salinas/): 10 places · 24 km
- [Santa Cruz, California](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/santa-cruz/): 38 places · 43 km
- [Gilroy](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/gilroy/): 34 places · 55 km
- [pescadero](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/pescadero/): 7 places · 77 km
- [San Jose, California](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/san-jose/): 61 places · 78 km
- [Mountain View](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/mountain-view/): 25 places · 92 km

And all of United States, in [its country guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/).

## Frequently asked questions

### What is there to see in Monterey, California?

The best known: [Monterey Bay Aquarium](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/monterey-bay-aquarium/), [Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/mission-san-carlos-borromeo-de-carmelo-museum/), [Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/monterey-bay-national-marine-sanctuary/), [Point Pinos Lighthouse](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/point-pinos-lighthouse/), [Fort Ord Dunes State Park](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/estados-unidos/fort-ord-dunes-state-park/). In all, 27 places in the town and around it, all on your trip map from day one.

### When is the best time to visit Monterey, California?

March to October; also possible: November to February. In June there are 14 h 29 of daylight, and in December, 9 h 31.

### How do you get to Monterey, California?

The nearest main airport is San Francisco International Airport (SFO), 121 km away. From there, [directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=36.6003%2C-121.8936) opens the route on the map.

### How do I add it to my trip?

Create a trip with Monterey, California as the destination and these 27 places are on your map, each with its category. The ones you like go into a day's plan with one tap, and Kokai reminds you when you pass nearby.

Data from [OpenStreetMap](https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright), licensed under the ODbL, from [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/), CC0, cities from [Natural Earth](https://www.naturalearthdata.com/) and airports from [OurAirports](https://ourairports.com/data/). Daylight hours are calculated from the latitude. More in [credits](https://kokai.app/en/aviso/#creditos).