Winter
Notes for Tourists
Tourists
are fewer, the locals are more relaxed, and the days range
from cool and sunny to overcast and stormy.
Don't
forget to check the traffic
conditions if you plan on driving. Hwy 1 has
on occasion flooded, as have the connecting highways
from Hwy 101.
What
There Is to Do
Not much. Bring a book. Here's
an excellent event
calendar if you still feel like a festival.
You
can chance a whale watching trip for gray, humpback
and, blue whales and dolphins (the latter can be
better seen playing the surf of Seaside Beach). If
you do, bring a windbreaker and warm sweaters; the
wind gets extremely cold once you're out of the harbor.
It can also get rough, and it's the norm to see at
least a few people puking their guts out (on one
trip, my boyfriend and I were the only ones unaffected.
Not pretty).
Go
to the pier downtown and do some comparison shopping.
All of the whale tour operators are reputable, so
your decision is probably going to be based on the
size of the boat. The glass bottom boat tour (I'm
not sure if it's still running) is pretty lame given
the turgidity of the water.
What
to Wear
As always, bring sweaters and shirts
to layer. For December, bring a light raincoat.
Bring quarters for the parking meters if you're
a diver and plan on trying the area around Cannery
Row (the area immediately after passing through
the tunnel).
Specials
The
Inn at Spanish Bay and the Big Sur resorts (Ventana,
River Inn, etc.) usually offer locals discounts on
accommodations during the off-peak months. If you
know someone who lives locally, it's a nice time
to plan a weekend getaway.
Summer
Notes For Tourists
Monterey is especially nice during the late spring, with
mini-festivals almost every weekend.
WEATHER
If you're planning a trip to Monterey during the
spring or the early fall, you are in for a treat.
If you come during the summer months, expect
morning fog
until around 11 a.m., and all day in Pacific
Grove (I'm not kidding).
TRAFFIC
ON HWY 1
This can be a NIGHTMARE if you decide to come on an
event weekend. Hwy 1 is a two lane highway for the
stretch between Castrovilleand Watsonville
and it can sometimes take 2-3 hours to go 12 miles.
Try to get to Watsonville by early morning or late
afternoon. If you do get stuck, pull off and have some
chow at Central Texas BBQ in Castroville (the artichoke
capital and home to Franco's Norma Jean gay bar).
TRAFFIC
ON HWY 101
Better than on Hwy 1, but sometimes not by much, especially
on two-lane Hwy 156 that connects Hwy 101 to Hwy 1.
Summer
Checklist:
1. A warm sweater or pullover
2. $4 in quarters for the parking meters
3. If you want to get into the Monterey Bay Aquarium
and you hate long lines, buy
a membership ($85 for two adult passes + kids,
$75 tax deductible) before you come. You can waltz
right through the members entrance. |
