Monterey Ca Monterey Ca

Huge Resaurant Deals

2011-11-27T09:05:00.000-08:00

Some of the best dining deals are available from this source. You may have heard of it before and may have even used it. They feature restaurants in many cities including Monterey, Carmel, and Pacific Grove and if you are just here on vacation I bet they even feature your city. How it works is you go to their site and search for the restaurant of your choice either by name or by zip code. Then you are able to print out a voucher that costs $10.00 but it's worth $25.00 off your meal at that restaurant.

Me and my Friends use these vouchers all the time. The usual deal is $10.00 for a $25.00 voucher but you can also use coupon codes which change every week and get them for less. With a coupon code you can get them for as little as 2 to 3 dollars for the same $25.00 voucher.
Why do restaurants do this? That's a good question mainly it gets people in the door even if they are paying less than full price. Also they assume you are going to order more than $25.00 worth of food when you go out. Also it's a way for newer restaurants to get people to try them out.
The Fine Print
Most restaurants will not allow you to use the voucher on a holiday. Some restaurants will put an 18% gratuity on your whole bill, and Some restaurants will not allow you to use the voucher for drinks only food.

Monterey Wineries

2011-11-11T11:08:00.001-08:00

Monterey Vineyards, a photo by Comfort Inn Monterey CA on Flickr.
Monterey Wineries
When Most people think of Monterey Wineries what they are really talking about are wineries located in Monterey County. Since there are no actual wineries in the town of Monterey. However there are several tasting rooms located in Monterey and Pacific Grove if you would like to do some tasting and they will all be relatively close to your hotel room so it's convenient for a taxi or a car service so you don't need to drive.
Tasting Rooms in Monterey, Pacific Grove
Ventana Vineyards-
2999 Salinas Hwy, Monterey Ca.
(831)372-7415

Baywood Cellars
381 Cannery Row #C, Monterey Ca.
(831)645-9035

Lockwood Vineyard
9777 Blue Larkspur Ln. #102, Monterey Ca.
(831)642-9200

Scheid Vineyards
751 Cannery Row, Monterey Ca.
(831)656-9463

Pierce Ranch Vineyards
499 Wave St. Monterey, Ca.
(831)372-8900

Another option for wine tasting in Carmel Valley is The Monterey Wine Trolley. This is a totally different experience. You get on the trolley at the Monterey Portola Plaza Hotel and let someone else do the driving to all the wineries in Carmel Valley it is a fun day. It's a different experience than just driving to tasting room after tasting room. Definitely consider this option. This list of tasting rooms should get you started if you see something you like please leave a comment or +1 or if you know of a great tasting room that should be on this list please recommend it to me and I will review it and add it to the list.

Just a Walk on The Beach

2011-11-06T09:42:00.001-08:00

Alt=Walking on the Beach by chrisforsyth
Walking on the Beach, a photo by chrisforsyth on Flickr.
Just a Walk on The Beach
Just going for a walk on the beach is sometimes one of my favorite things to do in Monterey. Just turn off the cell phone and start walking north or south it doesn't really matter. It's sand and water and birds as far as you can see especially if you go to the more deserted beaches like Zumodowski or Marina beach or even south of Carmel beach. As I said above it's just sand and water as far as you can see but when you actually go the things you will see are pretty amazing. The different shells you can find and the huge logs pushed up by the winter storms. It's hard to imagine the wave it would take to push a log as big as that. Then there is the sea life from sea lions to whales and killer whales that you can see swimming in pods just off the beach. Pretty amazing and you are out there enjoying it by yourself. Or take your kids or your grand kids and that will totally change your walk on the beach because of the great awe they have in simple things like a purple piece of sea glass and wondering where it came from. Or a pile of driftwood built into a tee pee or a fort and left for some other kids to play in or maybe not. It might just get washed out with the next tide. So one of the things you should definitely do is just take a walk on the beach when you come to Monterey.

Big Sur Half Marathon

2011-11-05T11:26:00.001-07:00

2010 Races & Events, a photo by luxomedia on Flickr.
Big Sur Half Marathon on November 20
The Big Sur Half Marathon is coming up on November 20th. So if you've been preparing it's almost time to run your race since it's right around the corner. This will be a busy weekend there will be a two day fitness and health expo Friday and Saturday and The Run Forrest Run 5k as well as The Just Run 3k kids race. So if you are coming for the half marathon bring your kids out to the Just Run event it's always a good time. All kids get a t-shirt and medal just like mom and dad. Not to mention it can be the start of a lifetime of running. This event is a really good event the race course is spectacular and the volunteers take care of everything that you need not to mention the money goes to deserving charities.

Kayking Up Close To Humpback Whales

2011-10-29T12:40:00.000-07:00

A Kayaker kayaking in the Monterey Bay got up close and personal with a couple of Humpback whales that were breaching the surface while feeding. This is not the first time that these whales have come so close to kayakers however this one was actually caught by a photographer. Paul Schraub was shooting photos for the Santa Cruz Tourism bureau. The photographer didn't even realize there was a kayak in the frame until he got home and saw the pictures later. As for the kayaker he had the sight and ride of his life and he's got picture of it.
Wildlife officials recommend that you don't get this close to the animals in the bay but what do you do when they get this close to you. Well, hopefully if that happens someone will be there to take a picture.

The Moss Landing Marine Lab

2011-10-25T13:53:00.000-07:00

Moss Landing Marine Lab- MLML
The Moss Landing Marine Lab is located in Moss Landing California a few short miles from Monterey. The Moss Landing Marine Labs administers a Masters of Science program for a group of seven Universities is Northern and Central California. Moss Landing Marine Lab is known for it's in the field hands on Marine science research. It's location on the Monterey Bay certainly helps with that but if you look at their website and blog you will see that MLML students are doing research in all areas of the Monterey Bay and the four corners of the world for that matter.
MLML is known as a leader in the Marine Science field so if that is what you would like to pursue there is no better place to get hands on research training than here at Moss Landing Marine Lab. They have the instructors and the equipment and the support you will need to get you through this difficult but challenging Masters in marine science program. If you are considering this program you might take the time to come over to the MLML open house they have it once a year and it's open to the public and all the students show the public what kind of projects they are working on for the year. Pretty informative. There's even a puppet show.

The Monterey College of Law

2011-10-25T13:52:00.000-07:00

The Monterey College of Law
The Monterey College of Law is located next to California State University Monterey Bay. So it's in a beutifull location here on the central coast. If you are thinking of becoming a lawyer and would like to possibly live on the Monterey Bay while you are studying you should definitley consider the Monterey College of Law. For one they have small classes approximately 40 students and relatively low tuition for law school. Not to mention the fact that many MCL students are able to keep a job while going to school so this helps with that tuition. The classes are taught by many local and nationally known attorneys who are experts in their field. So as you are getting your law school applications sent out send one to the Monterey College of Law.

The Naval Postgraduate Shool

2011-10-25T13:51:00.000-07:00

The Naval Postgraduate School- NPS
The Naval Postgraduate School or NPS is a very unique institution of learning in Monterey. To get in you have to either be in the military or a foreign military or a state, local or federal government employee. The Naval Postgraduate School has many of the same programs as many Universities with an emphasis on the hard sciences and applied research as opposed to theoretical research. One of their better known programs is MOVES Modeling Virtual Environments and Simulation. This program helps to build better training for our soldiers in the field.
The Naval Postgraduate School does a lot of applied research primarily directed to our military efforts however so much of that is also adaptable to the civilian sector. So this research helps all of us not just the military community. If you fit the criteria to enroll at NPS you should really look into it.

The Defense Language Institute

2011-10-25T13:49:00.000-07:00

The Defense Language Institute- DLI
The Defense Language Institute DLI is a very unique shool it is where our soldiers are taught the languages and the customs and cultures of people around the world. It is a college like no other in the Monterey area. As the students entire job is to learn a new language and custom of a chosen country or region. So if you see a couple of guys or girls walking around town speaking Chinese or Russian then either they are Chinese or Russian or they may just be students at DLI practicing their language skills. For a while it seemed a shirt that was popular with DLI students was I'm learning Russian so you don't have to.
A typical day for a student at DLI is seven hours of language training and a couple hours of homework each night five days a week. So it's a pretty intense program. So if you are in the military and want to learn a language and a new culture DLI is the place for you to go.

University of California at Santa Cruz

2011-10-25T13:47:00.000-07:00

University of California at Santa Cruz- UCSC
University of California at Santa Cruz is located in Santa Cruz California. This is about colleges around Monterey so I couldn't leave out UCSC as they are leaders in many of their fields. If you are looking to attend a UC school on the Central Coast then UCSC is the choice for you. What does Santa Cruz have to offer? Well, a different vibe than Monterey. A warmer climate, as with CSUMB its got good surfing and good mountain biking all around. Not to mention UC Santa Cruz has been around for a very long time so they have a history and traditions that a new school such as CSUMB is still building up to. UCSC is known for their research and researchers and for their school mascot the Banana Slug. Which is a huge slug about 10 -12 inches long that you find in the Santa Cruz mountains.
The degree programs offered at UCSC are many and varied and all of them are top notch programs that are often leaders in their field. Some examples are. Applied Physics, Biochemistry, Computer Science and Game Design, Economics and Film and Digital Media. This is just a small sample of the coursework that is offed at UCSC.

California State University Monterey Bay

2011-10-25T13:45:00.000-07:00

California State University Monterey Bay- CSUMB
   CSUMB is a college in the California State University system it's located on land that was previously a sprawling military base known as Ft. Ord. There are still many signs of the distant past around campus from old deteriorating buildings all the way down to the street names. However this in my opinion would be a great place to go to school. You are minutes away from some of the best mountain biking in the country on Ft. Ord public lands and you are minutes away from some good surf spots at the many beaches around Monterey County.
     CSUMB offers many BA and BS degree programs in many varied fields including Biology, Environmental Science Technology, Global Studies, Psychology, as well as many more. They also offer several minor programs in Chicano Studies, Computer Science, Outdoor Recreation, and Sports Management as well as several more.They also offer several graduate degree programs.
     California State University Monterey Bay to me is the whole package it's got good programs in a beautiful setting with the things I like to do just outside my door.

Monterey Peninsula College

2011-10-25T13:42:00.000-07:00

Monterey Peninsula College
The Monterey Peninsula College is one of the colleges in the California Community College system. Monterey Peninsula College is located at 980 Fremont St Monterey Ca 93940.
As a community college MPC is able to offer many different certificate programs as well as classes towards your AA degree or classes so that you can transfer to a four year college or university. One of the good things about a community college is the cost savings over a four year college or university.
Monterey Peninsula College Programs of Note
Monterey Peninsula college is well known for some of their programs most notably their very successfull and always full nursing program. So if you would like to go to MPC for nursing apply early and apply often it's that full. Also they have a Firefighter academy, a Police Officer academy and a Public Safety Academy.

Monterey Colleges and Universities

2011-10-25T13:41:00.000-07:00

Monterey Colleges and Universities
If you are thinking of attending one of the many choices of Monterey Colleges or Universities your choices are many. There is a very diverse mix of schools offering many different options for your coursework here in Monterey and what more beautiful place to spend your years in school than here on the Central Coast of California. There is everything here from simple certificate programs or AA degrees at Monterey Peninsula College to a 4 year BA or BS degree at CSU Monterey Bay or get a degree at UC Santa Cruz or the programs for the military. If your in the military and want to get a degree The Defense Language Institute or Naval Postgraduate School is for you. Or if you have all ready done your undergrad work and want to get your masters or PhD in Marine Science then there is the Moss Landing Marine Lab an extensive marine science lab program to teach you how to do marine research. Or if you would like to become a lawyer the Monterey College of Law is the place for you.
So as you can see if you want to come to Monterey for College there are many choices for you here. It's simply a matter of where you are in your college career and where you want to go with your studies. It could be a matter of starting out at MPC and transferring to CSUMB or UCSC and then going to Montery College of Law or the Moss Landing Marine Lab or whatever you would like to do or you may only make a stop at one of those places along the way it's your college career.

Big Sur Food And Wine

2011-10-16T10:31:00.000-07:00

The Big Sur Food and Wine Festival
The Big Sur Food and Wine Festival is coming soon in November. This is one of the premier food and wine events in the country. It showcases the local restaurants and wineries and helps to promote Big Sur as a culinary destination. So come out in November and celebrate everything that is Big Sur. The Wine the food the people. Not to mention that this event is for charity so you can feel good that your donations are going to worthwhile causes in the Big Sur area.
Big Sur Food and Wine What To See and Do

Thursday Nov. 3rd
Gateway to Big Sur at Highlands Inn in Carmel from 6-9 pm. There will be ten different chefs and twenty different wineries at this event at the Highlands Inn in Carmel. Afterwords there will be a silent auction.

Friday Nov. 4th
Hiking with Stemware will be an event on a private property in Big Sur so this will definitely be a treat. The hike will feature wines from Byron Kosuge and foods from a local guest chef. There will be a choice of hikes from easy to hard so it's up to you whichever you choose.

Pinot Walkabout at the Henry Miller Library noon to 3 pm this event will feature 30 winemakers and several local cheesmakers.

Hiking With Stemware the Rancho Rico Experience This event is from 2 to 9pm and will feature wines from Chappellet Vineyards and an intimate dinner experience after in a local barn. This sells out so get your tickets.

Wine and Swine at the Henry Miller Library 6 to 9pm. This event will feature four preparations of wild pig prepared by local chefs. This event is followed by music and dancing the night away at the same location from 9pm on. So don't forget your dancing shoes.

Saturday Nov. 5th

L'Aventure Retrospective at the Big Sur Lodge 11am to 12:30 PM. Stephan Aseo will offer a vertical tasting of his great wines.

Grand Public Tasting at the Henry Miller Library noon to 3:30 PM. Experience the wines of 40 wineries and the food of 12 different chefs. This event is followed by a silent auction, I'm sure there is something there for you to bid on.

Dinner With Friends A Gala Dinner at Ventana Inn and Spa 6:30PM onwards. This event will feature the food of Ventanas chef Truman Jones and several guest chefs. Not to mention the many wines for the event. Get your tickets to this event space is limited.

This is a wonderful event in Big Sur and the Food and Wine industry so come out and enjoy it and donate to charity. get your tickets at Big Sur Food and Wine Tickets at Eventbrite.

Central Coast Cyclocross 2011

2011-10-09T10:30:00.000-07:00

Central Coast Cyclocross 2011
The Central Coast Cyclocross series is under way. So if you are looking for a race and are new to the area you have come to the right place. Here is the schedule.

Race 1 Sat Sept. 10 at Ft. Ord
Race 2 Sat Sept. 24 at Ft. Ord
Race 3 Sun Oct. 09 at Manzanita Park Prunedale
Race 4 Sun Oct. 16 at Manzanita Park Prunedale
Race 5 Sat Oct 22 Toro Park
Race 6 Sun Nov. 06 Manzanita Park Prunedale
District Championships Dec. 04 Toro Park
Series Final Sun. Jan. 15 Ft. Ord

So, there you have the race series a couple races are already under our belts come on out and check out the racing or bring your bike and spend a morning racing. There is always a kids race at noon so bring the family.
Directions To the parks
Directions To Ft. Ord- Take the Lightfighter Drive exit off Hwy 1 just North of Seaside,
continue straight through two stop lights.
At the third stop light turn right onto Gen. Jim Moore Boulevard take Gen. Jim Moore Boulevard for one quarter mile.
At the first stoplight turn left on Gigling rd. Go straight on Gigling for 1 mile. After one mile on Gigling you come to a stop sign go straight and follow the CCCX race signs to parking 2.5 miles ahead. Note You must drive 25 mph or less the roads are very narrow it's important to drive slowly anywhere on the former Ft. Ord base.

Directions to Toro Park- From Hwy 1 in Monterey take Hwy 68 East towards Salinas for 11 miles to Toro Park. Stay on Hwy 68 east past Laguna Seca to Portola Drive. Exit Portola Drive, Toro Park is on the right side as you exit Portola drive then just look for the signs.

Directions to Manzanita Park- Take Hwy 101 to Prunedale which is North of Salinas and South of Gilroy. Take the San Miguel Canyon Rd. Exit off Hwy. 101 Take San Miguel Canyon Rd. 3/4 of a mile and turn left on Castroville Blvd. Take Castroville Blvd. 3/4 mile and turn left into Manzanita park.
These directions should get you to the races also check out CCCX series pages.

Visit Monterey In Fall

2011-10-09T09:12:00.001-07:00

Pumpkin pileup, a photo by Valerie Everett on Flickr.
Visit Monterey In The Fall
Fall is one of the best times to visit Monterey. The reason for that is it's almost like our summer time. The temperatures raise a little and the fog comes in a little later. Not to mention you get to see the color in the trees. Nothing like the beautiful displays you will see on the east coast but hey they will do.
The Best Thing About Monterey In The Fall
The best thing about visiting Monterey in the fall is that the crowds are gone. You heard that right the crowds are gone. So if you are one of those people that don't like huge crowds and all the traffic and stuff that surrounds crowds you should visit Monterey in Fall. Fall is that time between the big tourist seasons in Monterey of Summer and Christmas times so everything kind of dies down a little bit. Some benefits of that are that you will get a cheaper hotel rate even at the Hotels near the MontereyMonterey Bay Aquarium. You will get to see the Sea Otters up close at the Monterey Bay Aquarium and you won't have to wait for a table by the window at your favorite restaurant in Monterey. All of this is especially true if you come during the week since the kids are in school everyone stays out of Monterey. However if you happen to come on a beautiful fall weekend with high temperatures then you can expect a lot of people on weekend trips from the bay area and beyond. But, during the week it will quiet back down and you will only be dealing with the locals again. So if you can get away for a few days during the week this fall plan a trip to Monterey and avoid the crowds.

Check out the Job Board

2011-10-09T08:48:00.000-07:00

For those of you in the market for a job and who isn't these days I've added a job board in the right margin, so play around with it search your area and see if you can find a job or a better job for you or a friend. You can search by keywords and cities for jobs. So it works pretty well give it a try.
On the other hand if you are an employer and have some jobs to list you can do that as well. You can list your jobs on here and they will appear on any website that has a simply hired widget on the site as well as the full simply hired jobs board.

Cheap Hotels in Monterey Ca

2011-10-03T18:46:00.000-07:00

Cheap Monterey Hotels
     This is the place where cheap or cheaper hotels can be found in Monterey . They will be a little further away from the beach and maybe a little older buildings but they will still offer you a nice clean place to stay in a beautiful city. Let's face it we don't come to a place like Monterey to spend all of our time or money for that matter in our hotel room. These hotels may not be on the beach or with an ocean view but Monterey is not that large of a city so even if they are a little bit inland or on Munras Ave. down by the mall as several of these hotels are you are not that far from all the attractions of Monterey like the Aquarium, the Wharf, and Dennis the Menace Park.
Hotels Under 100 dollars a Night in Monterey
   So here is my list of hotels under one hundred dollars a night on average per night in Monterey.
I'm sure you can find something for yourself or your family on this list.
Cheap Monterey hotels
Super 8 Monterey / Carmel       Average nightly rate $59.00

Ramada Limited Monterey        Average nightly rate $53.54

Best Western Plus De Anza Inn Average nightly rate $89.99

Monterey Downtown Days Inn Average nightly rate $55.00

Monterey Bay Lodge               Average nightly rate $ 70.00

Save between $20 and $100 on all Hotel Bookings Now with hotels.com!

   If you would like to book any of these hotels you can do so through the following link

     I will earn a few dollars from the hotel room sale or you can book the room directly by booking through the hotel itself by clicking on the links to the actual hotels above.
     So, there you have it my list of five pretty cheap hotels in Monterey for a weekend getaway that won't break the bank. Or just a place for the relatives to stay over the holidays so they don't have to stay on your couch again. As you can see all of these are average nightly rates of less than $100.00 and most under $70.00 so there is something in every ones price range I'm sure. If you would rather you can try one of my Hotels near the Monterey Bay Aquarium. They will cost a little more but you will be closer to the beach and the view will be nicer.

Cyclocross on the Central Coast

2011-09-25T11:09:00.000-07:00

Cyclocross on The Central Coast
     On your next trip to Monterey bring your bike and check out the Cyclocross action on the central coast. I went to the race out at Ft. Ord yesterday and there was good competition on a good course. So if you are just coming into town for a family getaway or a golf tournament or whatever and need to get your two wheel fix. Bring your Cross bike or even your mountain bike out and you can race cross.
What is Cross Racing
      Cyclocross was invented in Europe to allow road racers to race during the wet rainy season off road on road bikes with knobby tires. The course is usually 1 - 3 miles per lap and the races last from 30 to 50 minutes. So it's a good enough time for the pros to have a good hard race but short enough for the beginners to have a good time and start thinking about their next race. You can check out the local schedule of events for information from http://www.cccxcycling.com/2011CROSSPAGE.html to get information and directions to the events. So when I say this is off road don't think it's a mountain bike race in fact many people race cross on converted road bikes. So the course is much smoother than a mountain bike course with less drops and not as many technical climbs.
Bring Your Bike To Monterey
     So next time you are in the Monterey area for a visit and your husband is golfing why don't you come out in the morning for a race against some new competitors. Or when your wife is out shopping with her friends you can spend a couple hours out at Fort Ord racing and checking out that next new bike you want to get. Or if you are just a local road or mountain bike racer that wants to extend their season cross is the perfect thing for that. See you at the races.

Holiday Inn Express Monterey

2011-09-14T21:59:00.000-07:00

The Holiday Inn Express Monterey
The Monterey Holiday Inn is located at 443 Wave St. Monterey, Ca. 93940. Which is just a couple minute walk off of the world famous Cannery Row that Steinbeck wrote about all those years ago. Not to mention the bike rentals and kayak rentals at the beach. This Holiday Inn is not a cookie cutter hotel by any means at all. It's built in a two story building and the staff is very helpful and seem to be always cheerful. The rooms are clean and quiet which is much appreciated when you are on vacation especially if you have small children which a lot of people are bringing for weekend trips.

Holiday Inn
One of the nice things about the Monterey Holiday Inn is though it's not a cookie cutter you still know what to expect when you stay there. You don't expect five star amenities however your rooms will be clean and neat for a reasonable price and it will always be that way. The best thing I can say about this hotel is it's always clean, neat and always the best value this close to everything Monterey and Pacific Grove has to offer. So on your next trip give it a try, you will probably come back over and over again.

Monterey Jazz Fest

2011-09-11T15:48:00.000-07:00

The Monterey Jazz Fest is coming
Monterey will be hosting the Monterey Jazz Fest at the Monterey Fairgrounds from Sept 16-18 don't forget to get your tickets. One of the great things about the Monterey jazz fest is they have something for everyone from well known bands like Huey Lewis and The News to local bands that you haven't heard unless your from around these parts and have been to some of their local shows. There will be 500 artists on 8 stages continuously for 3 nights and 2 days. You should be able to get your jazz fix. You can get your tickets here. So go out to the Jazz fest and have a good time.
Where to stay for the jazz fest
There are many options for hotels for the Jazz fest. If you would like to see the Aquarium and Cannery Row while you are here than I recommend my list of Hotels near the Monterey Bay Aquarium, also since we are getting so close to the date of the jazz fest and this is a very popular event in Monterey you might also check Salinas hotels if you can't find any rooms in Monterey or just to save a little money.

Monterey Bay Aquarium Discount

2011-09-05T11:24:00.000-07:00

Monterey Bay Aquarium Discount

The Monterey Bay Aquarium is probably the best Aquarium in the United States if not the World. They have the best displays of the species we all want to come look at, and ooh and ahh over. They always have new events going on such as the Great White Shark or Jazz at the Aquarium. But the Monterey Bay Aquarium ticket prices can be a struggle for large families. They charge $29.95 for an adult and $19.95 for kids 3-12. So, how can you get a discount to the Monterey Bay Aquarium?
Discount Tickets to The Monterey Bay Aquarium
Since the Monterey Bay Aquarium is a non profit they don't offer too many discounts themselves. Like a lot of businesses do. However there are several ways to get a discount to the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Students get $2.00 off the ticket price.
Military active and retired, can purchase tickets at the Naval Postgraduate School, Information, tickets and tours office. 1 University Circle, Building 220, Rm. 126A Monterey, Ca 93943 phone 831 656-3223
You know that big Entertainment book that your parents used to buy when you were a kid with all the coupons inside and you wouldn't use them all. Well now it's online and occasionally it has a couple dollar off the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Hotels, Motels- Most of the hotels on my list of Hotels Near the Monterey Bay Aquarium offer a deal of 2 Adult Tickets to the Monterey Bay Aquarium valid for two days with your hotel stay. One of the nice things about this is that you get to enter through the member entrance and not wait in the long line. I do mean long on a holiday weekend with a new opening attraction. That's worth it right there. That's about the best deal going here.

The member program. The membership price is $175.00 and you get unlimited entries for one year for two adults and 2 children or grandchildren age 3-21 so if you will use it that can be worth your trouble.
Another option is Craigslist. Many people in the local area get Aquarium tickets for free or a reduced cost through their Church, Work, or Social Organizations yet can't find the time to go to the aquarium or they have been many times before. So do a search on the Monterey Bay Area Craigslist for Monterey Bay Aquarium Tickets and Chances are you will find some for free on their. Most people may have been a million times but don't want the tickets to go to waste either. In fact right now there are 5 free tickets up on Craigslist right now just for picking them up.

So, if you are willing to look around there are ways to get a discount and ways to get in a little cheaper or if you are coming from out of town ask your hotel if they have a Monterey Bay Aquarium deal most of them do so you may as well get it. Your staying there anyway. Have fun at the Aquarium.

Monterey Vacation Rentals

2011-09-03T10:33:00.000-07:00

Stay In a Monterey Vacation Rental Instead of a Hotel
One option for Monterey lodging is to stay in a Monterey Vacation Rental. Some of the benefits of staying in a vacation rental over a hotel or motel is that you can actually save some money. Now, I know what your thinking hey some of those places go for over $200.00 to $300.00 a night. How can I save money at those rates. Some of these Monterey vacation rentals have space for six or even up to eight people. So if you are going with a group of relatives or friends or whatever then the cost split up can be much cheaper than you all getting hotels. If the cost is $300.00 a night and you have six people staying there then it's $50.00 a person or $100.00 a couple per night not bad for a place in Monterey. You can find places either in town or near the beach whatever you need. A lot of people like to get their Monterey Vacation Cottage near the Monterey Bay Aquarium if they are planning on visiting and some vacation home owners even offer free passes to the aquarium when you rent from them.
Great things about Monterey Vacation Rentals
There are many positives to renting a vacation rental over a hotel if you have a large group but some of the other positives are that you are staying in a house. That comes with no banging of doors late at night or elevators running at all hours. Not to mention that most vacation rentals are in neighborhoods so you see the local vibe of the community and if you stay for a week or so you will probably meet the neighbors. Other positives are you won't be parking your car in a parking garage it will either be in front of your vacation rental or in the garage. Typically vacation rentals are much larger than hotels and you can spread out a little more. Usually what I see people do is rent a couple different places over the years until they find one they really like and then they go there year after year as a family trip. That's what my family did when I was a kid and we always looked forward to it year after year. Another way to save money with a Monterey Vacation Rental is that you can actually go to the grocery store and buy food and fill that normal size refrigerator with it. Then you don't have to eat out every while you are here just on the days that you want to or that your budget will allow. Some of the disadvantages of renting a vacation rental are it's not a hotel and doesn't have a maid service. So those dishes from last nights dinner need to be washed just like you were at home. The rental also has to be left clean when you leave so you need to clean up a little on the last day where in a hotel you can leave a huge mess and just walk away. However these are the only downsides.
How Do I Rent a Monterey Vacation Rental
If you want to do it on the web one of the best places I've found is Vacation Rentals By Owner which is a website where you can rent vacation rentals all over California, you just pick where you want to rent and it will show you the listings and prices. Another option is Craigslist under housing you can go to the section on vacation rentals and you are set. There will be many different options on Craigslist to choose from. Another option is to talk to your circle of friends and see where they have rented in the past because chances are if your friends had a good experience chances are so will you. If you take their advice and rent the same place they did and have a wonderful time buy them a bottle of wine while your here from a local winery to show your appreciation. Renting a vacation rental in Monterey is just another option of many that you have on your Monterey Vacation. Have fun on your stay.

New Great White Shark at the Monterey Bay Aquarium

2011-09-02T18:01:00.000-07:00

Great White Shark In Captivity at The Monterey Bay Aquarium

The Monterey Bay Aquarium now has a new resident in their recently refurbished million gallon outer bay exhibit it's a juvenile Great White Shark. Great White Sharks are very difficult to hold in captivity usually. Several aquariums have had problems getting their captive sharks to eat or even live more than a few days or weeks. The Monterey Bay Aquarium has had several successes with their white shark program. This White Shark will be their sixth one over the years. It was only recently put into the tank and it's still being watched closely to monitor how it acts around it tank mates and to see if the White Shark will eat normally. The Captive Great White Sharks that they have had in the past have usually been older sharks. This one was recently caught off the Southern California Coast and the Biologists at the Aquarium think it's only a couple months old due to it's size. Usually the Great White Sharks That they Monterey Bay Aquarium catch eventually have to be released due to their size or how aggressive they are. Most of them are juveniles so this one may be able to stay around a little longer since it's starting out a little smaller. So if you get the chance this weekend head out to The Monterey Bay Aquarium to check out the Great White Shark. Since your going to the Monterey Bay Aquarium you may as well check out the Monterey Bay Aquarium Discount page and see if you can get a discount.

Bike Rentals in Monterey

2011-08-28T10:57:00.000-07:00

Bike Rentals Monterey

Bike Rental Monterey

Photo By kiri73
Bike Rentals Monterey
Renting a bike should be on your to do list when you come to Monterey. Why rent a bike? Well, because it can take you all over the city and the waterfront without having to wait for traffic, the traffic reason is good enough right there. Another reason is that you get to experience some of these beautiful places more up close than if you just drove by it. You can hear the birds sing and see the otters playing I know that's cliche but it's the truth. One of our great assets here is the Monterey Bay Coastal Trail a coastal biking and walking trail that goes along the waterfront from Castroville all the way to Lover's Point Park in Pacific Grove. So it will take you all around most of the spots you might want to see in Monterey. Such as all the shops and Restaurants along Cannery Row, to the Monterey Bay Aquarium and hopefully to your Hotel near the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Also don't forget that you can throw your beach blanket in a bag and there is beach access all along the coast that you can reach on your bike rental. Or you can go down to Fishermans Wharf to see what the local chefs are making for the special today.
Where can you get a bike rental in Monterey
Adventures By the Sea- offers Monterey bike rentals along with kayak rental and they are located at Lovers Point Beach in Pacific Grove and for those of you with young kids they also rent Surreys which is a little car that you peddle it holds about 4-6 people.

Bay Bikes- Bay bikes has two locations. One in Cannery Row and one at the Barnyard in Carmel. They rent bikes, surreys, tandems, baby strollers and joggers.
These companies should be able to suit all your Bike Rental needs while you stay in Monterey. It's something you should at least spend one day of your vacation doing. It's a good way to get out of the traffic and get just a little closer to nature that we all come here to see and be part of.
Blazing Saddles Monterey- Blazing Saddles Monterey is so new I had to go back and add it to the list. I had forgotten it. They have many types of bikes to rent including electric so if you are thinking of purchasing an electric bike you might want to rent one first as a test drive. One of the things I like about blazing saddles is that you can reserve a bike online before you get to the location, to me that is just convenient. So try out a bike rental in Monterey and let me know what you thought about the experience in the comments I would really like to hear. Positive or negative let me know what you think.