Monterey has the wharf and cannery row so no shortage of food and sight seeing. My wife and I love Pacific Grove which is between Monterey and Carmel, plenty of restaurants and small hotels to stay at. Plenty of stuff to do for a non diver.
Two days in Monterey with a non-diver
- Thread starter Guille G
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
markcic
Registered
Eric Sedletzky
Contributor
Park at the breakwater parking lot and get an all day ticket. From there you can walk the water front path all the way to fisherman’s wharf then back and the other way to Cannery Row, which is where the Aquarium is. Tons of neat stuff to see. Lots of shops, restaurants, and art galleries.
If you want the best fish and chips go to Abalonetti on fisherman’s wharf. Actually very reasonable and delicious. The taffy shop on fisherman’s wharf is great for caramel corn and taffy (obviously). It’s an icon and has not changed since the 1940’s.
You’ll see a lot of divers and classes going on at the Breakwater so get there early to get a spot.
Carmel is another one to see. Very upscale and some say pretty pretentious. Both are true. It is a tourist trap on steroids but fun to see.
The Carmel Mission charges to go inside, a crime as far as I’m concerned, I was baptized there.
I was born and raised in Carmel and grew up on the Monterey Peninsula so I am a native.
If you want the best fish and chips go to Abalonetti on fisherman’s wharf. Actually very reasonable and delicious. The taffy shop on fisherman’s wharf is great for caramel corn and taffy (obviously). It’s an icon and has not changed since the 1940’s.
You’ll see a lot of divers and classes going on at the Breakwater so get there early to get a spot.
Carmel is another one to see. Very upscale and some say pretty pretentious. Both are true. It is a tourist trap on steroids but fun to see.
The Carmel Mission charges to go inside, a crime as far as I’m concerned, I was baptized there.
I was born and raised in Carmel and grew up on the Monterey Peninsula so I am a native.
OP
Guille G
Contributor
Thank you guys! Just got back, we had a great time. Those are some beautiful roads down there, and we had a blast at the aquarium.
@Eric Sedletzky we ended up doing something very similar to that. That candy shop in fisherman’s wharf was a hit - I don’t go crazy about sweet stuff but my wife does and walked away with a bag full of candy.
@NorCalDM we were in Pacific Grove - by chance. We didn’t know the difference when we booked the hotel. It was very nice!
Carmel was also a cool walk, though I can see what you mean by pretentious. Still, very nice beach and a great drive to get there.
Looking forward to getting some diving in! I’ve had frequent trips to Mexico in the time I’ve been here that kept me wet (going back next month, again) but I definitely want to check it out. Would be great to do some hiking around the area too. I hope I get to run into you guys out there, and get the next recommendations in person. Thanks!!
@Eric Sedletzky we ended up doing something very similar to that. That candy shop in fisherman’s wharf was a hit - I don’t go crazy about sweet stuff but my wife does and walked away with a bag full of candy.
@NorCalDM we were in Pacific Grove - by chance. We didn’t know the difference when we booked the hotel. It was very nice!
Carmel was also a cool walk, though I can see what you mean by pretentious. Still, very nice beach and a great drive to get there.
Looking forward to getting some diving in! I’ve had frequent trips to Mexico in the time I’ve been here that kept me wet (going back next month, again) but I definitely want to check it out. Would be great to do some hiking around the area too. I hope I get to run into you guys out there, and get the next recommendations in person. Thanks!!
Late to the party here, glad to hear you enjoyed your trip. There are some good suggestions here already, but I'll throw in a few more for next time.
If you enjoy a calf-intensive short hike, check out the huckleberry loop, inside of Veteran's Memorial Park. It's just 2 miles long, but man, halfway through there is a very steep hill, you almost need to scramble up it. Great views of the bay at the top.
Hotel Pacific is my favorite hotel in town, it hits the sweet spot of being pretty nice but not overly expensive. Down the street is Troia's Market, their deli is great for a simple sandwich or corner-store type things.
Do yourself a huge favor on your way home, and drop by Phil's Fish Market in Castroville (they used to be down the street in Moss Landing, but moved a few months ago). The cioppino cannot be skipped. Be aware that they close kinda early, 7-8pm depending on the day.
By the way, Randall Spangler is a local instructor and photographer. I haven't had a class with him so can't speak to his instruction, but he's a pretty friendly guy. His website is a great resource for learning about dive sites, and local marine life: Dive Sites
Welcome!
If you enjoy a calf-intensive short hike, check out the huckleberry loop, inside of Veteran's Memorial Park. It's just 2 miles long, but man, halfway through there is a very steep hill, you almost need to scramble up it. Great views of the bay at the top.
Hotel Pacific is my favorite hotel in town, it hits the sweet spot of being pretty nice but not overly expensive. Down the street is Troia's Market, their deli is great for a simple sandwich or corner-store type things.
Do yourself a huge favor on your way home, and drop by Phil's Fish Market in Castroville (they used to be down the street in Moss Landing, but moved a few months ago). The cioppino cannot be skipped. Be aware that they close kinda early, 7-8pm depending on the day.
By the way, Randall Spangler is a local instructor and photographer. I haven't had a class with him so can't speak to his instruction, but he's a pretty friendly guy. His website is a great resource for learning about dive sites, and local marine life: Dive Sites
Welcome!
Similar threads
