SLOW SALLY & CREW

We spent 3 days exploring Monterey and Carmel-by-the-Sea – 2 of California’s quintessential beach towns. Were they touristy? Yes! Were they expensive? Yes! Did we love them? Absolutely! There’s no right or wrong way to visit these neighbouring coastal towns, but we enjoyed our experience so much that we’re sharing 5 tips for retracing our steps.

Tip #1: Camp at the Monterey Veteran’s Memorial Park

This quaint campground sits high on a hill above town. It’s a lush little spot with spacious campsites, towering pine trees and leafy bushes, connections to an urban trail system, and bugle calls twice each day from the neighbouring Presidio. Now that’s a unique camping experience!

We loved so much about this place. It’s within walking distance of Old Monterey. Campsites are first come, first served – a boon for slightly disorganized campers who hate booking in advance. Access to the Scenic 17-Mile Drive is just around the corner. Showers are warmish, which was good enough for us! At $53/night, it’s relatively expensive for dry camping but in our opinion, worth every penny.

Word to the wise: Big rigs are not welcome (there is a 21-foot limit) and there’s a maximum consecutive stay of 3 days. Honestly, we would have stayed longer if we were allowed.

Tip #2: Wander Into Old Monterey for a Day of Urban Exploring

The Veteran’s Memorial Park campground is less than a 30-minute walk to Old Monterey, through wooded trails and cute neighbourhoods. We were surprised to discover that the old downtown has less charm than we’d expected (old downtowns are usually our thing), but we still really enjoyed our day of urban exploring. We bought sweet, sticky, saltwater taffy to chew on as we wandered through downtown, past the beautiful old adobe buildings in the State Historic Park, and out onto the dog-friendly beach.

We poked around the working pier and the Monterey Fish Co., spotting seals and taking photos of the somewhat derelict but very photogenic building. We much preferred the working pier to the more famous Old Fisherman’s Wharf, which looks good from far but is far from good: too many tourists and somewhat cheesy, artificial vibes.

Tip #3: Do the Scenic 17-Mile Drive (Suck It Up & Pay the Fee)

We didn’t know there was a cost for the Scenic Drive. When we discovered at the gate that the entrance fee is $11.25/vehicle, we gasped, coughed, and briefly hesitated before reluctantly handing over the cash (yes, we’re cheap). We were rewarded almost immediately with one of the most scenic coastal drives we’ve ever made with Sally. Winding through tall pine forests, along rugged shores with crashing waves, past ornate mansions, we were awestruck. Determined to get our money’s worth, we stopped at just about every look-off, which resulted in almost 3 hours on the route instead of 1. It was $11.25 well spent 😉

Tip #4: Live a Real Life Fairytale in Carmel-by-the-Sea

The Scenic 17-Mile Drive delivered us to Carmel’s doorstep – the perfect destination after a stunning drive. The town is so adorable that it’s nearly impossible to believe that real people actually inhabit the picturesque homes. You could live there too for a cool $2.2 million (that’s the average house price). It’s a bit expensive, but c’mon, Clint Eastwood was once the mayor; that’s got to be worth something.

Narrow, winding, bumpy streets loop through the hilly town, past whimsical cottages, galleries, restaurants and bougie stores of all types. The long sandy beach on the west side of town is a perfect place to watch the sunset while your dog frolics off-leash in the sand. According to the Carmel website, it’s rated the #1 dog-friendly town in America. I can’t verify that fact but I can confirm that it’s a town of dog lovers. We passed not one, but two fancy pet boutiques. At one point, a dog-loving lady from one of the galleries flagged us down to give Walter a treat. We didn’t sit down for a meal but we highly recommend getting a fresh to order donut at Dutch Door Donuts. They were among the best we’ve ever tasted (take that Tim Hortons).

Word to the wise: Avoid Carmel on weekends. It’s almost impossible to find a parking space and navigating the crowded streets with a campervan is tricky. We abandoned our first attempt on a Saturday, and returned on a weekday.

Tip #5: Eat Breakfast With A View On Cannery Row & Work it Off On The Coastal Trail

Cannery Row in Monterey felt a little overhyped and touristy (much like Old Fisherman’s Wharf), and we didn’t spend a lot of time there. However, we did stop in for a hearty breakfast at the Wave Street Cafe, which has a beautiful dog-friendly patio with an ocean view. It’s a perfect option for anyone traveling with their adventure mutt.

Two friendly locals stopped us to love on Walter as we strolled along Ocean Boulevard. They were super proud of their town and eager to share travel recommendations. On their advice, we ventured up past the aquarium to the Harbour Seal Observation Area, where we watched mum seals teach their babies to swim. It was the cutest thing ever.

From there, we worked off our breakfast by walking through the neighbouring town of Pacific Grove along the stunning coastal trail. Once again, I found myself struggling to grasp that real people lead real lives in these ocean front communities, and imagining that it must be just like Beverly Hills 90210.

Word to the wise: Instead of parking near Cannery Row, park along Ocean View Boulevard in Pacific Grove. It’s just down the road and parking is free!

Stay Tuned

After 3 days of sunshine, warm showers, a comfortable campsite and easy sightseeing, it was time for our next adventure… which almost didn’t happen! Stay tuned to find out why we almost skipped San Francisco (and why we’re so glad we didn’t).