page_title: Monterey County attractions
hierarchical_section_title: Monterey County attractions
caption_attribution_description: This picture is of my own work. The Lone Cypress on en:17-Mile Drive.
context_page_description: Monterey County is a county on the Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California, its northwestern section forming the southern half of Monterey Bay. As of 2000, the population was 401,762. The coastline includes Big Sur, State Route 1, and the 17 Mile Drive on the Monterey Peninsula. The city of Monterey was the capital of California under Spanish and Mexican rule. The economy is primarily based upon tourism in the coastal regions, and agriculture in the Salinas Valley. Monterey County was home to writer and Nobel prize laureate John Steinbeck, writer Robert Louis Stevenson, and California poet Robinson Jeffers.
  Monterey County attractions
  Museums
  Monterey Bay Aquarium - world-renowned aquarium
  Monterey County Youth Museum
  Monterey Museum of Art
  National Steinbeck Center
  Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History
  Cultural facilities
  Golden State Theatre – 1200-seat auditorium presenting world class performers year-round.
  Sunset Center - 700+ seat auditorium featuring professional trouping companies and productions, world-renowned artists and host to the Carmel Bach Festival and the Monterey County Symphony and the Monterey Symphony.
context_section_description: Monterey County is a county on the Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California, its northwestern section forming the southern half of Monterey Bay.  As of 2000, the population was 401,762. The coastline includes Big Sur, State Route 1, and the 17 Mile Drive on the Monterey Peninsula. The city of Monterey was the capital of California under Spanish and Mexican rule. The economy is primarily based upon tourism in the coastal regions, and agriculture in the Salinas Valley. Monterey County was home to writer and Nobel prize laureate John Steinbeck, writer Robert Louis Stevenson, and California poet Robinson Jeffers.
   
  Monterey County attractions 
  Museums
  Monterey Bay Aquarium - world-renowned aquarium
  Monterey County Youth Museum
  Monterey Museum of Art
  National Steinbeck Center
  Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History
  Cultural facilities
  Golden State Theatre – 1200-seat auditorium presenting world class performers year-round.
  Sunset Center - 700+ seat auditorium featuring professional trouping companies and productions, world-renowned artists and host to the Carmel Bach Festival and the Monterey County Symphony and the Monterey Symphony.
  Golden Bough Playhouse – home of Pacific Repertory Theatre, the only professional theatre company in Monterey County. A two-theatre facility housing the 300-seat Golden Bough Theatre and the 120-seat Circle Theatre. 10–12 major productions annually.
  Forest Theater - one of the oldest outdoor public theatres west of the rockies. City-owned facility with two resident companies: Pacific Repertory Theatre and Forest Theater Guild.
  Historic sites
  Colton Hall - location where the California Constitution was designed and signed
  Larkin House - historic California adobe
  Monterey State Historic Park - includes historic locations such as the Custom House, which is the first government building in California
  Historic missions from the Mexican period, including
  Mission Nuestra Señora de la Soledad
  Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo - Founded by Father Junípero Serra, who is buried there.
  Mission San Antonio de Padua
  Literary sites
  Tor House and Hawk Tower - Robinson Jeffers' home, hand-built by him
  Tourist centers, including
  Carmel-by-the-Sea - thriving artist's colony, restaurants, shops, theatres, galleries.
  Fisherman's Wharf - restaurants, shops, marine activities
  Cannery Row - restaurants, shops, marine activities
  Scenic drives
  17-mile scenic drive - scenic route takes drivers through the Pebble Beach Resort with restaurants, shops and boutiques.
  California State Route 1 (Highway 1) and Big Sur - scenic route takes drivers through a number of small towns and parks, including Big Sur.
  Point Pinos Lighthouse Drive - scenic drive around the perimeter of Monterey Peninsula.
  River Road - scenic drive starting from Highway 68 by the Salinas River (California) that covers numerous wineries.
  Golf areas
  Pebble Beach – a small coastal resort destination, home to the golf course Pebble Beach Golf Links and host to the annual AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am (formerly known as the Crosby Clambake), which is held there every February. Also the site of the annual Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance auto show, which has been held in Pebble Beach since 1950.
  Bayonet and Black Horse Golf Courses
  Pacific Grove Municipal Golf Links, the back nine of which was designed by Jack Neville, who also designed Pebble Beach
  Other
  California Rodeo Salinas
  Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca auto and motorcycle racing venue
  Monterey Bay Botanical Garden  A botanical garden currently under development
  Kiddie Kapers Parade
  Popular hiking and outdoor activity locations
  Pinnacles National Park
  Big Sur
  Salinas River
  Los Padres National Forest
  Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park
  Andrew Molera State Park
  Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park
  Marina State Beach
  Fort Ord Dunes State Park
  Elkhorn Slough
  Lake El Estero
  Point Lobos State Natural Reserve
  Dennis the Menace Playground
caption: The Lone Cypress, a symbol of Pebble Beach, as seen from 17-Mile Drive
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