Things to do nearMonterey Bay

Monterey Bay has shaped the identity of California's Central Coast for centuries. The Ohlone people relied on its waters long before Spanish missionaries arrived in the late eighteenth century. By the early twentieth century, the sardine industry had transformed the shoreline into a bustling industrial corridor, a history immortalized in John Steinbeck's writing and still visible in the repurposed canneries that line the waterfront today.

The bay was designated a National Marine Sanctuary in 1992, protecting one of the most biodiverse marine environments in North America. Beneath the surface, submarine canyons drop thousands of feet, creating upwelling conditions that bring cold, nutrient-rich water to the surface and support an extraordinary food chain. Visitors can explore this underwater world through the world-renowned Monterey Bay Aquarium, which sits directly on the bay and offers close encounters with kelp forest ecosystems, deep-sea species, and local marine life.

Above the waterline, the bay offers kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, scuba diving, and whale watching tours departing from Fisherman's Wharf. The surrounding towns of Monterey, Pacific Grove, and Moss Landing each offer their own character, from Victorian architecture to roadside artichoke stands and fresh seafood served at harborside restaurants.

Monterey Bay remains one of the few places on the California coast where nature still sets the pace, making it a destination that leaves a lasting impression on anyone who spends time along its shores.