I spent a week in Monterey, California for a work conference in August 2024. I ended up having a couple days worth of free time while the conference was not in session. 

The conference was at Asilomar Hotel, in Pacific Grove. The accommodations were simple and a bit dated, however the location was fantastic. It reminded me a little of college, where there were several lodging buildings spread out over the campus and you could walk to any of the classes you wanted to attend. The hotel is located right next to Asilomar State Beach, which has beautiful walking trails along the coast.

I created this itinerary based on things I did in my free time that I would recommend!

Day 1

Breakfast at Perfectly Pressed 

I loved this little acai and smoothie shop located in Old Monterey so much that I actually came here a few times! They have the option to make your own acai bowl with whatever toppings you want, which is what I did every time. Sooo good!

17 Mile Drive

This is a scenic road going from Pacific Grove to Carmel-By-The-Sea. The 17-mile road has 17 scenic stops you can pull over at. The cost to drive is about $11 per vehicle (as of 2025). I had selected a few that I wanted to see beforehand, which ended up being a good idea. Several of the stops I drove by seemed a little underwhelming. These were my favorite three!

Bird Rock

This stop has a huge parking lot, and for good reason. There were massive rocks out in the sea with hundreds (if not thousands) of sea lions and birds lounging on them! With the naked eye, it’s difficult to see them. I recommend bringing a zoom lens or binoculars for this reason. I stayed here for a while just watching them jump into the water and swim around. It was a unique experience!

The Lone Cypress

The cypress tree at this stop is one of the most photographed trees in the world. There is a good view from the viewing platform. The tree is also the logo for the world-famous Pebble Beach Golf Course.

Pebble Beach

The 17-Mile Drive ends at Pebble Beach. This is a gorgeous golf course that is thought to be one of the greatest in the country. Throughout the drive, you’ll pass several holes along the water overlooking the ocean and cliffs. I can see why it is so popular! 

I stopped in the gift shop and wandered around. There are several restaurants overlooking the golf course. It is suggested to make a reservation if you want to eat at one of them. If you spend $35 or more at one of the restaurants, the fee to drive the road is refunded.

Lunch at Flaherty’s Seafood

If you don’t end up eating at Pebble Beach, I suggest heading to Flaherty’s Seafood in Carmel-By-The-Sea. I had the most delicious lobster gnocchi here!

Shopping in Carmel

After lunch, I recommend wandering around any of the cute shops on the main streets of Carmel. 

Fairytale Cottages

While I was shopping, I stopped into the visitor information center on Mission Street. It took a minute for me to find it, but it’s located inside the shopping center on the second floor. Here, I picked up a free brochure for a self-guided walking tour to view the historic fairytale cottages in Carmel. There is a group of several of them that is easy to walk to.

Cottage of Sweets 

I recommend stopping by the Cottage of Sweets for a little afternoon pick me up. I got some homemade fudge here that was delicious.

Carmel Beach

For the rest of the afternoon, I recommend lounging on the beach if the weather is nice, or you could take the scenic pathway that stretches about a mile along the cliff, overlooking the water.

Dinner at Toro Sushi

One of my favorite meals during my time here was at Toro Sushi. I highly recommend the seared Carmel roll! So yummy!

Day 2

Breakfast at Bagel Kitchen 

Start your next day with a bagel at Bagel Kitchen in Pacific Grove. I got the bagel with lox and it was really good! They also have tons of breakfast sandwiches to choose from.

Asilomar State Park 

I started most of my mornings with a walk on one of the Asilomar trails. It was cool and misty most of the mornings I was here, but the walks were still very enjoyable.

Old Monterey

Check out Old Monterey and you can walk on the trail along the water if you haven’t gotten enough steps in! There are also lots of restaurants here that you can stop at for lunch.

Fisherman’s Wharf 

The Fisherman’s Wharf in Monterey is one of the more touristy areas. There are lots of restaurants and the whale watching tours depart from here. Sea lions love to hang out here. I enjoyed spending time just watching them.

Whale Watching

I joined a whale watching tour with the company Chris’ Fishing and Whale Watching. Tours were reasonable at $60 per adult for a three-hour boat ride. While the weather was sunny and beautiful on shore, they warned us ahead of time that the water was very rough out at sea because the weather was very cloudy and misty.

The waves were massive and lots of people got seasick. I stayed outside the entire time and fortunately did not feel sick. I was freezing though – I recommend bringing an extra jacket even if you don’t think you’ll need it! We saw tons of humpback whales that were working together with the sea lions to round up a school of anchovy. It was definitely worth the experience! 

Dinner at Michael’s Grill & Taqueria

I picked up dinner to-go from Michael’s Taqueria in Pacific Grove. I ordered the house burrito, which is loaded with blackened chicken and shrimp. Holy cow, it was amazing! I took it to nearby Asilomar and ate on the beach.

If you are visiting Monterey, I’d say two days is the perfect amount of time to see most of what the area has to offer. I had a great time here!

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