COMMUNITY LINKS

 
The Monterey Peninsula

Monterey County is in the Central Coast area of California. We are about 100 miles south of San Francisco; 60 miles south of San Jose; and about 350 miles north of Los Angeles.

Enjoy  visiting  our area links and local schools sections. You will find a variety of links for events and attractions in the Carmel area, the Monterey Peninsula  & the  Monterey County Area.

Monterey reflects much of the history of the entire state. Monterey was the first capital of California after it was claimed by the United States  Among the Settlers were the Sicilian fisherman who set the stage for John Steinbeck’s famous novel Cannery Row, once the sardine-packing capital of the world, has been turned into quite the tourists' hot spot.

Today, Monterey is home to one of the world’s best aquariums, a bustling Fisherman’s Wharf, and a fond appreciation of its past shared with visitors through museums and walking tours. Monterey features an array of fine restaurants, boutiques, galleries, inns and recreational opportunities. It is host to a wide variety of festivals and world class events including The Monterey Jazz Festival, The Monterey Blues Festival, Cherries Jubilee, The Great Monterey Squid Festival and Monterey Wine Festival, as well as major automobile and motorcycle races at nearby Laguna Seca Raceway.

Carmel-by-the-Sea,. There are few places on earth as enchanting, unique and charming as Carmel-by-the-Sea.  Nestled in a pine forest above a spectacular white sand beach, the one square mile village of Carmel. By the 1920's Carmel had already achieved its international reputation as an artists' colony. Now its biggest attractions are the downtown shopping district and its beautiful beaches. Carmel is an environment rich in the history and traditions of early California.

Carmel's Bohemian founders fought to maintain the outdoor mystique and small-town appeal of our community and their efforts are in evidence today. The residential district has no sidewalks or street lights and the beach is unadulterated by commercial development. There is no mail delivery, homes are known by name and have no addresses.

The Carmel Highlands, Big Sur Coast and Ventana Wilderness stretch 26 miles south of Carmel along spectacular Highway One. Point Lobos State Reserve, just 4 miles south of Carmel, called "the greatest meeting of land and water in the world" inspired Robert Louis Stevenson when writing "Treasure Island" and has been inspiring visitors ever since Visitors can hike and stroll amidst a pristine, breathtaking coastal forest made famous by photographers Ansel Adams and Edward Weston.

Carmel Valley is a combination of sunshine and countryside. The valley retains the agricultural character of its history: Rustic barns, fields of lettuce, vineyards and grazing animals. The village is 12 miles east of Carmel and is home to Garland Ranch Regional Park.  The country setting of Carmel Valley, drenched in the warmth of the sun, is but 12 miles east of Carmel and presents many of the area's finest hiking, picnicking, horseback riding, golfing and exploring opportunities. One can also find excellent lodging, outstanding recreation, fine restaurants and more than 100 specialty shops.

Pacific Grove, better known by locals as "America's last hometown," is also known for its thriving population of Monarch butterflies. A walk through the residential neighborhoods reveals many well-preserved, turn of the century, Victorian homes. History buffs can visit the Point Piños Lighthouse, the oldest operating facility of its kind on the California coast. The Monterey Bay recreational trail passes by Lover's Point, offering many opportunities to view sea otters, sea lions and occasionally passing whales.

Pebble Beach is a gated community located between Carmel-by-the-Sea and Pacific Grove. Its 17-Mile Drive draws hundreds of visitors daily where views of the ocean, cypress trees, fabulous houses and deer, not to mention the world's most dramatic golf courses, are truly breathtaking.