Monterey, Calif., offers spectacular coastal scenery, a rich history and one of the world’s most celebrated aquariums. Indigenous communities lived here long before the Spanish established a mission and presidio in 1770. Today, that history is visible in centuries-old adobe buildings and the city’s waterfront. Visitors can follow the two-mile Path of History, which connects 55 historic sites around town. Here are four places where I explored Monterey’s past outdoors.
Cooper-Molera Adobe
Cooper-Molera Adobe feels like an unexpected oasis in downtown Monterey. Tucked behind a high adobe wall off a bustling street, the 2.5-acre historic property includes two adobe homes, a store, a barn and gardens. The original adobe house dates to 1832, when John Cooper acquired the property. There’s plenty to explore outdoors, including an orchard with 12 varieties of fruit and nut trees, such as walnut, fig and apple. Scented geraniums and edible flowers also grow in the gardens, with some flowers used to decorate treats at the on-site bakery.
Del Monte Golf Course
Golf fans can tee off on a piece of history at Del Monte Golf Course, which opened in 1897 and is the oldest continuously operating golf course west of the Mississippi River. Part of Pebble Beach Resorts, Del Monte also helped popularize golf on the West Coast. If you’d rather admire the course than play a round, head to the Bar at Sea Root at the Hyatt Regency Monterey, where you can enjoy views of the greens and outdoor fire pits.
Casa Munras and Estéban Restaurant
Spanish diplomat Don Estéban Munras established Casa Munras as a private hacienda in 1824. The hotel has retained plenty of old-world charm, from rose bushes by the pool to bougainvillea-covered walls. You don’t have to stay at the hotel to enjoy its atmosphere. Book a table at Estéban Restaurant for Spanish-inspired dishes in its outdoor garden courtyard, complete with fireplaces.
Cannery Row
Cannery Row was once a center of California’s sardine-canning industry and inspired John Steinbeck’s novel of the same name. Stop at the Cannery Row Monument in Steinbeck Plaza, which honors Steinbeck, marine biologist Ed Ricketts and others who shaped the neighborhood’s history, including fishing industry workers.
Today, the waterfront is home to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, along with shops and restaurants, some housed in former cannery buildings. Walk or bike along the Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail, or take a guided kayak tour with Adventures by the Sea to see the waterfront from the water.