It s free. Just walk down the steps. Again, beware of the sleeper waves, and never turn your back on the surf. If it s not too crowded, the Monterey Bay Aquarium is well worth the visit. A much lower-key naturalist s delight is the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History , a fine place to spend an hour or so.
Kids love the life-size gray whale sculpture that sits out front.
Nearby is the comfortable Pacific Grove Public Library . In Monterey, I never tire of the historical attractions. I d start at the old Customs House and the Maritime Museum in the Monterey State Historical Park near Fisherman s Wharf. Then I d visit as many of the adobes as I had time for, starting with the Robert Louis Stevenson House . Ask about tours at the Customs House.