The Top Ten Tourist Attractions on the Monterey Peninsula:

1. Carmel / Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA - shopping, art galleries, dining, picnicing, beautiful beach, views, Carmel Beach and Carmel River State Beach, Frank Lloyd Wright house, Robinson Jeffers Tor House, Carmel Mission.

2. Cannery Row, Monterey, CA - shopping, dining, views, history, Monterey Bay Aquarium, Ansel Adams Gallery

3. Fisherman's Wharf, Monterey, CA - shopping, dining, views, whale watching tours, Wharf Theater plays, nautical sites and history surround you.

4. 17-Mile Drive, Pebble Beach, CA - views, shopping, dining at the Lodge or Spanish Bay, walking and equestrian trails

5. Monterey Bay Aquarium, Monterey, CA - one of the best aquariums in the world.

6. Big Sur, CA - fabulous views, hike at Garrapata State Park, Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, shop at Nepenthe, Ventana, dine at Rocky Point, wade in the Big Sur River, listen to jazz at the Big Sur River Inn; home of the Big Sur Marathon and Point Sur Lighthouse

7. Point Lobos State Reserve, Carmel, CA - a most magical hike around this beautiful forest and rocky coast promontory. Bring your camera, you won't believe it!

8. Wineries - tour wineries and go wine tasting from Bargetto on Cannery Row, Baywood Cellars, Ventana, Durney, Bernardus, Georis, Chateau Julien, Joullian, Talbott, Chateau Sinnet, Galante - just near Monterey and out Carmel Valley Road.

9. Pebble Beach, CA - You know, where all the televised, star-studded, golf pro icons come to compete.

10. National Steinbeck Center, Salinas, CA - About 30 minutes away in brick and tree-lined Old Town Salinas is a beautiful modern museum with a wonderful collection of scenes from his books, John Steinbeck memorabilia, images, gift store, cafe, and the 1930's era Salinas movies, history and displays. Special exhibits in another wing connected to the John Steinbeck theme.

May we suggest? If you're into nautical, how about a tour through Monterey's Maritime Museum? Perhaps a short drive north to Moss Landing's wild life area for bird watching? Let's not forget Laguna Seca is just eight miles east of Monterey. It has a nature preserve, hiking trails and fishing for a day of fun.

Click here for local links of interest.