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Rugged terrain and vicious Pacific currents made much of the California coast virtually unexplorable to European ships. After a disastrous attempt to explore this... Read more
Rugged terrain and vicious Pacific currents made much of the California coast virtually unexplorable to European ships. After a disastrous attempt to explore this new territory by sea, Spanish missionaries in Mexico launched a series of overland expeditions from San Diego. Monterey was established in 1770 by Father Junipero Serra and soon became a Spanish military base with a small fort or "presidio" located near a calm harbor that could provide shelter to supply ships. The military presence eventually gave way to a thriving commercial trade that brought in many enterprising foreign merchants.
Once Mexico gained its independence from Spain, Monterey became the capital of Alta California under Mexican rule. From this era come many classic stories of flirtation, fashion, and politics in the Mexican colonial era. Lands once owned by the government began to come into private hands, and local families began to consolidate their property and power into business enterprises based on the ranches or "ranchos," where they raised cattle or invented the famous Monterey Jack cheese.
Monterey soon fell under American power in the Mexican-American War and remained the capital of the territory. A delegation of writers drafted the constitution which marked the entrance of the State of California into the United States of America. This era saw the mass northward migration of ambitious people in search of gold, which led to a near desertion of the town. Monterey soon recovered, however, and today is known for its magnificent natural beauty, world famous Aquarium, and temperate year-round climate.
The Monterey Peninsula has the largest population of sea otters on the California coast. The abundance of marine wildlife visible from the shoreline is one of the primary attractions of the region. Seals, sea lions, and sea otters are visible year-round, and migrating whales are commonly seen in the fall and spring months.
Alvarado Street serves as downtown Monterey's "main drag." It has superb restaurants, a selection of bars, and unique shops.
Monterey-Salinas Transit provides convenient public bus service to the nearby towns of Carmel and Pacific Grove, as well as to historical Salinas and breathtaking Big Sur. MST runs a free trolley through Monterey's downtown during the summer months, especially busy weekends.
For car drivers, garage parking is available, and street parking is often free for periods of two hours on weekends and after 6 PM. The Cannery Row area (where the Aquarium is located) has an aggressive, expensive parking ticket policy.
The local specialties are artichokes and sanddabs. Artichokes can be found at nearly every restaurant - fried, grilled, broiled, boiled, in soup, on pizza and almost any other way you can imagine. The nearby town of Castroville is "the artichoke center of the world," and the local source for the wealth of artichokes. Sanddabs are a local seafood, often served fried. Clam Chowder in sourdough bread can be found at Fisherman´s Wharf. Abalone is available, too, but expensive. The area is notable for other seafood delicacies, including calamari and Dungeness crab.
The Monterey Bay Aquarium runs a "Seafood Watch" program and keeps a list of which sea life is overfished and which are safe, and environmentally friendly, to eat. Pick a copy of the list up at the Aquarium, or around town. Many local restaurants have signed on to the Seafood Watch program.
Monterey's status as a tourist destination has provided it with a wealth of restaurants beyond what might be expected in a community this size. Almost every cuisine, from oriental to occidental, may be found represented - and usually represented well - in the local area, including the neighboring communities of Pacific Grove, Seaside, and Carmel-by-the-Sea and the Carmel Valley.
Monterey has many superb vineyards located near the town. There are a number of tasting rooms located on Cannery Row, all within an easy walk. Some, such as Scheid Vineyards, Bargetto Winery, Baywood Cellars, and Silver Mountain Vineyards provide wines from only one winery. A Taste of Monterey allows visitors to try wines from throughout Monterey County while taking in a spectacular panoramic view of Monterey Bay through their windows.
Monterey-Salinas Transit's bus route Number 24, also called "The Grapevine Express", leaves from downtown Monterey and stops at all the wineries in nearby Carmel Valley. A daypass, which allows riders to hop on and off at will, is $4.50 as of December 2008. Maps and schedules, which detail the wineries that the route stops at, are available at Monterey County Visitors Centers.
Alvarado Street has the densest collection of bars and pubs in the area. The Mucky Duck is famous for its weekly trivia nights, while Lallapalooza has the widest selection of martinis.
LOCAL TIME
3:51 am
April 11, 2021
America/Los_Angeles
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