Monterey County is a county on the Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California, its northwestern section forming the southern half of Monterey Bay. As of 2000, the population was 401,762. The coastline includes Big Sur, State Route 1, and the 17 Mile Drive on the Monterey Peninsula. The city of Monterey was the capital of California under Spanish and Mexican rule. The economy is primarily based upon tourism in the coastal regions, and agriculture in the Salinas Valley. Monterey County was home to writer and Nobel prize laureate John Steinbeck, writer Robert Louis Stevenson, and California poet Robinson Jeffers.
Monterey County attractions
Museums
Monterey Bay Aquarium - world-renowned aquarium
Monterey County Youth Museum
Monterey Museum of Art
National Steinbeck Center
Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History
Cultural facilities
Golden State Theatre – 1200-seat auditorium presenting world class performers year-round.
Sunset Center - 700+ seat auditorium featuring professional trouping companies and productions, world-renowned artists and host to the Carmel Bach Festival and the Monterey County Symphony and the Monterey Symphony.
Golden Bough Playhouse – home of Pacific Repertory Theatre, the only professional theatre company in Monterey County. A two-theatre facility housing the 300-seat Golden Bough Theatre and the 120-seat Circle Theatre. 10–12 major productions annually.
Forest Theater - one of the oldest outdoor public theatres west of the rockies. City-owned facility with two resident companies: Pacific Repertory Theatre and Forest Theater Guild.
Historic sites
Colton Hall - location where the California Constitution was designed and signed
Larkin House - historic California adobe
Monterey State Historic Park - includes historic locations such as the Custom House, which is the first government building in California
Historic missions from the Mexican period, including
Mission Nuestra Señora de la Soledad
Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo - Founded by Father Junípero Serra, who is buried there.
Mission San Antonio de Padua
Literary sites
Tor House and Hawk Tower - Robinson Jeffers' home, hand-built by him
Tourist centers, including
Carmel-by-the-Sea - thriving artist's colony, restaurants, shops, theatres, galleries.
Fisherman's Wharf - restaurants, shops, marine activities
Cannery Row - restaurants, shops, marine activities
Scenic drives
17-mile scenic drive - scenic route takes drivers through the Pebble Beach Resort with restaurants, shops and boutiques.
Highway 1 and Big Sur - scenic route takes drivers through a number of small towns and parks, including Big Sur.
Golf areas
Pebble Beach – a small coastal resort destination, home to the golf course Pebble Beach Golf Links and host to the annual AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am (formerly known as the Crosby Clambake), which is held there every February. Also the site of the annual Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance auto show, which has been held in Pebble Beach since 1950.
Bayonet and Black Horse Golf Courses
Pacific Grove Municipal Golf Links, the back nine of which was designed by Jack Neville, who also designed Pebble Beach
Other
California Rodeo Salinas
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca auto and motorcycle racing venue
Monterey Bay Botanical Garden A botanical garden currently under development
Popular hiking and outdoor activity locations
Pinnacles National Park
Big Sur
Salinas River
Los Padres National Forest
Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park
Andrew Molera State Park
Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park
Marina State Beach
Fort Ord Dunes State Park
Elkhorn Slough
Lake El Estero
