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The Very Best Books About Monterey County
When I first moved to Monterey County there was so much I did not know about the area. Thankfully, I became educated by not only visiting places but also reading about them. I thought I would share some of my favorite books about Monterey County. If you are visiting, and want to learn more about the area, I suggest you check them out!
Elkhorn Slough, written by Mark Silberstein and Eileen Campbell, is amazing. It is part of the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Natural History Series. If you visit Monterey, I highly recommend you visit Elkhorn Slough, which lies near the middle of Monterey Bay. It is home to a rich habitat for plants, fish, birds, and other animals. My favorites include the playful sea otters, egrets, and harbor seals. Elkhorn Slough is also one of the top spots to go whale watching. For an up close and personal experience with wildlife here, you can also go kayaking. This book provides a very detailed history of the area and also paints a vivid picture of all the beauty you will find here.
Monterey Peninsula, The Golden Age, by Kim Coventry and Monterey County’s North Coast and Coastal Valleys by Margaret Clovis, are great to read if you love history. Coventry’s book covers the southern scope of Monterey County, from Big Sur through Point Lobos, Carmel, Pebble Beach, Pacific Grove, and finally Monterey. From Castroville, the “Artichoke Capital of the World” to Moss Landing’s fishing and canning operations, Clovis’s book covers the northern part of Monterey County. Both books are filled with legend and lore about the area, combined with wonderful old photos.
The Monterey Pine Forest by The Monterey Pine Forest Watch, includes captures all the amazing things you will find here in the unique ecosystem of California’s central coast. The Monterey pine is considered rare and endangered in its natural habitat. It is thought that the foggy, cool conditions in the Carmel and Monterey Submarine Canyons offshore have provided the favorable conditions to sustain the Monterey Pine Forest for thousands of years. I love this book because it provides not only beautiful photos, but also tells you where you can find the Monterey Pines along with detailed maps. There is also a great deal of information about local flora and fauna.
Know that when you arrive in Monterey County, you are entering wine heaven. The distinctive soil and diverse microclimates here produce some spectacular wines! From the Highlands to the Sea, Exploring the Wineries of Monterey County is a complete reference guide to more than 40 wineries here in Monterey County.
The delightful Fairy Tale Houses of Carmel, by Joanne Mathewson, features illustrations and descriptions of all the storybook cottages designed and built by Hugh Comstock in Carmel-by-the-Sea from 1924 to 1930. It is just adorable!
Carmel-By-The-Sea, by Monica Hudson, offers a glimpse of the history of this charming village. There is so much you can learn from this book. For example, did you know that Carmel was originally named Carmelo by Carmelite friars in 1602? The author states that the area was depicted on a map “well before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock”. Who knew?
Big Sur, A Complete History & Guide by Tomi Kay Lussier, is an authentic guidebook to the Big Sur Coast. It includes landmarks, points of interest, and more. Big Sur is simply breathtaking, and not to be missed. I love all the history and information this book contains, and highly recommend it!
Thank you for visiting my blog! You may also like Top 10 Free Things to Do in Monterey and The Most Beautiful Instagrammable Spots in Monterey! Wishing you peace, love, happiness, & beautiful vistas!
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Twelve Best Places to Hike in Monterey County!
Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt~ John Muir. One of the nicest things about living here in Monterey County is the plethora of areas to hike. No matter your age or experience, there is always a trail for you here. The following is my list of the twelve best places to hike in Monterey County.
Lined up like beach bananas, these harbor seals have found a peaceful paradise in which to snooze at Point Lobos. #1. Point Lobos State Natural Reserve. Located three miles south of Carmel on Highway 1, Point Lobos has very easy walking trails as well as more challenging hiking trails from .8 to 2.9 miles. It provides a tantalizing sensory experience with the sunlight sparkling on the bay and the fresh scent of towering cypress trees. You will also have some great views of wildlife here. Park your car outside the park and enter for free! No dogs are allowed. For more information, see Point Lobos: Crown Jewel of State Parks.
#2. Andrew Molera State Park. This is located 20 miles south of Carmel on Highway 1. Some of my die-hard hiking friends swear this is their #1 go-to hike. The shortest hike here is 1.7 miles and the longest, per my hiking friend Brian, is about 10 miles. Hikes vary from easy to strenuous. Keep in mind that in the spring, the Big Sur River can become swollen and you will have to wade across. Otherwise, there is a seasonal foot bridge when the river is low. A really cool thing about this area is the magenta and purple hued sand. This is due to the dramatic manganese cliffs along shoreline. It is not uncommon to spot whales from the beach here. It is one of the local favorites for sure! No dogs are allowed. For more information, see Andrew Molera.
#3. Garrapata State Beach. Located 6.7 miles south of Carmel on Highway 1, Garrapata is another local favorite. It features spectacular views of rock formations, cliffs, and wildflowers that are simply magical. In addition, Doud Creek runs through exquisite Calla Lily Valley to the sea near this 1.1 mile loop. This is a moderate level hike due to the steep staircase and uneven terrain. Dogs are allowed but must remain on leash.
#4. Partington Cove. Address: 51354-51358 Highway 1, Big Sur. This is a 1.1 mile trail featuring wildflowers, a waterfall, a wooden bridge, and a cool tunnel. I would highly recommend this for families with kids, it’s super fun and not too strenuous. For more information, see Partington Cove: Tanbark Tunnel to the Sea. Keep in mind you will need to navigate a steep hill to get back to the road.
#5. Jade Cove. This is pretty hard to find, but oh so worth it. Located on Highway 1 approximately 60 miles south of Carmel and 30 miles north of San Simeon, this is a hidden gem. This is a .3 mile hike that offers breathtaking views of the ocean and also an enchanting hike down to the beach to look for beautiful Big Sur jade. Because it is very challenging to get from the cliffside down to the beach, this is a moderate hike. Dogs are allowed but must be kept on leash. For more information, see Sand Dollar Beach & Jade Cove in Big Sur.
#6. Fort Old National Monument-Badger Hills Trailhead. This is located between Salinas and Monterey at 692-696 Highway 68. In the early spring, hundreds of goats dot the hillside, munching away to help mitigate wildfire risk. The wide former military roads are perfect for social distancing, but there are also many more secluded and narrow dirt trails. This is good place for beginners through advanced hikers as there are multiple levels of difficulty and lengths you can choose. Tons of mountain bikers come here too. Dogs are welcome but must be on leash. For more information, see Fort Ord.
#7. McWay Falls. Located at 52801 Highway 1, Big Sur, this is another family friendly, easy hike from Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park. The Waterfall Trail is only .6 miles and the reward is seeing the majestic 80 foot waterfall plunging to the turquoise ocean below. For more information, see McWay Falls: Beauty & History in Big Sur.
#8. Tanbark Trail & Tin House to Ewoldsen. For a pretty difficult and longer hike, try the Tanbark Trail and Tin House Loop to the Ewoldsen Trail which will bring you to McWay Falls at the end. This hike starts across the road from Partington Cove. The trail travels through groves of redwoods to a dilapidated yet iconic tin home built in 1944 by Lathrop Brown. It then winds down through the forest to Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park and McWay Falls. It can be quite confusing to make sure you are on the correct trails, so I would recommend studying up exhaustively before attempting this. For more information, see Big Sur Hikes.
#9. Inspiration Point at Palo Corona Regional Park. Address: 4860 Carmel Valley Road, Carmel, CA. You start out walking past dozens of black mooing cows in a peaceful pasture before you start up a steep incline through coastal oaks. This is a 1.3 mile 850 foot elevation hike with gorgeous birds eye views of the Carmel coastline. I think this would be a great romantic date hike, especially at sunset. Dogs on leash are allowed only in the north park area; no dogs allowed south of South Bank Trail. for more information, see Palo Corona.
#10. Jack’s Peak County Park. Address: 25020 Jacks Peak Rd., Monterey, CA. This park features breathtaking views of the ocean at Monterey Bay. It also has the largest native pine forest in the world. It has eight moderate trails from 1.8 to 6.6 miles. Most trails are fairly narrow so there is a great deal of squeezing by oncoming hikers. Dogs are allowed on leash. There are lots of picnic tables and benches so it’s a great place to enjoy a snack or meal after your hike! For more information, see The Strange Saga of Monterey Jack.
#11. Garland Ranch Regional Park. Located at 700 West Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Valley, CA, this is a very popular spot for hikers with dogs. To enter the park you cross above the lovely Carmel River on a bridge. Inside the park are trails for everyone, from beginners to advanced hikers. Some of the most challenging hikes here include the Snivley’s Ridge Trail which is 14.2 miles and The Pinyon Peak Trail which is an 8.7 mile loop to the old fire lookout tower. For more information, see Garland Park.
#12. Pinnacles National Park. Address: 5000 Hwy 146, Paicines, Ca. Formed from volcanic activity millions of years ago, Pinnacles is simply stunning. From waterfalls coming through the cave roofs, to stone spires, to doorways formed in rock, to Bear Gulch Reservoir, to wildflowers and more, this is the crème de la crème of hiking areas. There are trails here for everybody, from easy to strenuous. Located in the far southeast corner of Monterey County, Pinnacles has two entrances, one off Hwy 25 south of Hollister, and also east of King City. Dogs are not allowed on any of the hiking trails. For more information, see Pinnacles.
My friend Brian and I hiking with friends in Big Sur back in 2015. I hope you enjoyed this post on my twelve favorite hikes in Monterey County. Thank you for visiting my blog! Wishing you peace, joy, happiness & beautiful vistas.
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Seven Best Places for Wildflowers in Monterey County!
It’s spring in Monterey County, and that means wildflowers! As both a hiker and a flower lover, I am always excited this time of year to watch for the profusion of blooms. You can see nearly every color in the rainbow along the coastline, in the canyons, and everywhere in between. Here is a list of some of my favorite places to see wildflowers in my neck of the woods.1. Corral de Tierra. Located midway between Salinas and Monterey, Corral de Tierra is well known for its pastoral beauty. In the spring it features many beautiful wildflowers. There is an abundance of wildflowers along both Corral de Tierra and San Benancio roads as well as at my farm here, including morning glories, shooting stars, jonquils, and lupines. Corral de Tierra is an amazing place to hike and bike and admire these gorgeous blooms.
These heavenly blue flowers cover the hillside along the dirt road I live on. 
Wild jonquils appear at my farm every spring. “I will be the gladdest thing under the sun! I will touch a hundred flowers and not pick one.”–Edna St. Vincent Milay
Wild lupines proliferate on the hillsides in Corral de Tierra. 2. Garrapata State Park, located off Hwy 1, is a heavenly place in springtime. You will not only be treated to amazing views of the coastline, but you will also see colorful wildflowers. During my recent visit, I spotted wild irises, poppies, and Indian paintbrush.
“To see a world in a grain of sand and a heaven in a wildflower” –William Blake.
3. Further south, follow meandering coastal trails to Calla Lily Valley. This magical place will soothe your senses. Calla lilies surround Doud Creek as it rushes into the ocean near a secluded beach.
“I think I like wildflowers best,” I explain. “They just grow wherever they want. No one has to plant them. And then their seed blows in the wind and they find a new place to grow”–Rebecca Donovan
4. Asilomar Beach in Pacific Grove. Beginning in late March and early April, a profusion of ice plants form a brilliant carpet along the coastline here. If you want a truly amazing experience, start at Lovers Point and continue along the Monterey Bay Recreational Trail towards Pebble Beach. You will not be disappointed!
5. Garland Ranch Park. The plethora of trails here offer hikes for every level from beginner to advanced. I have done many different hikes here and I can tell you that spring is a magical time to view wildflowers here. The Terrace trail, in the Garzas Canyon section of the park, is especially popular for monkey flowers and shooting stars.
6. Fort Ord Park. This 7200-acre park is home to over 35 species of rare plants and animals, including a myriad of wildflowers. Hiking and biking are popular activities on the trails winding through this popular place, and it is a sure bet that you will spot some lovely wildflowers this time of year.
7. Toro Park. Located near Corral de Tierra off Highway 68, this park is also a great place to find wildflowers. Hiking and biking trails abound, offering spectacular vistas of the countryside and beautiful views of the emerging wildflowers.
“Love is like wildflowers; it’s often found in the most unlikely places.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson.
I hope that you are able to enjoy the beautiful wildflowers this spring! Thank you for visiting my blog. Wishing you peace, love, happiness & beautiful vistas!
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River Road Wine Trail in Monterey County
Nestled in the highlands of the Santa Lucia Mountain Range in Monterey County, the River Road Wine Trail snakes its way from Salinas to Greenfield, California. The River Road Wine Trail is billed as “one of the Central Coast’s premiere wine touring destinations”. I have to say that is absolutely true. The climate in the Santa Lucia Highlands is perfect for creating very unique and highly sought after wines including pinot noir, chardonnay, pino gris, and syrah, among others. Furthermore, River Road wineries are passionate about what they do. Many are family-owned businesses going back for generations. There is pride and respect for what they do, and it shows not only in the quality of their wine, but also in the way they treat their customers. Tasting room staff are professional, friendly, and willing to discuss any questions you may have. Wine tasting here is the ultimate, authentic experience.
Each year, wineries along the River Road Wine Trail in Monterey County celebrate Valentine’s Day by hosting a special event. This event features some of the finest wines in Monterey County, along with food pairings, music, and fun.
I think this sign is my favorite, can you tell why? This year, Odonata, Pessagno Winery, Manzoni Estate Vineyard, Puma Road Winery, Hahn Family Wines, Smith Family Wines, Scheid Vineyards, Chalone Vineyard, and Michaud Vineyard participated in the event. What I love about this event is that not only do you get to sample a huge variety of wines, you get to see the actual vineyards and wineries where they are created and meet the makers. How cool is that?
Scheid Vineyards had a very relaxed atmosphere, with amiable and helpful staff. My first stop was Scheid Vineyards. Michaud Vineyard was also here for the event. I loved all the visitor-friendly outdoor seating!
Wine tasters partake in a game of Jenga at Scheid Vineyards. After leaving Scheid I headed for Smith Family Wines. My GPS was going wonky and telling me to turn on dirt roads leading to abandoned muddy fields, but I persisted, and eventually arrived at my destination.
The tasting room at Smith Family Wines was warm and elegant. Smith Family Wineries represents three generations of hard-working vintners. Their three award-winning brands are Alexander-Smith, Paraiso, and Irie.
Smith Family Wines offered a beautiful setting for visitors. 
Next, I headed north to Hahn Family Wines. Chalone Vineyards was also set up here. It seemed like it took forever to navigate the narrow road flanked by fir trees back to the winery, but finally, I arrived!
The deck at Hahn’s tasting room offers gorgeous vistas. 
Heading north from Hahn, in another 7.3 miles, I reached Puma Road Winery. On the way, I passed rustic farm buildings and witnessed a huge rainbow arching over the Salinas Valley. While there were a few occasional patchy sprinkles, the day remained, overall, quite beautiful.
The staff at Puma were super friendly! A hop, skip and jump north of Puma Road is Manzoni Estate Vineyard. The estate is comprised of a mere six acres (that’s only twice as big as my farm!) but the wines they produce are exceptional. The Manzoni family has called this area home for nearly 100 years.
The Manzoni Estate Vineyard tasting room was intimate and inviting. 
The Swiss fare served at the Manzoni Estate Vineyard brought back memories of my days living in the Swiss area of Wisconsin. Indeed, my three sons are half Swiss! Following my visit at Manzoni, I headed just over a mile north to Pessagno Winery. This, in my humble opinion, is the coziest tasting room ever. I think it might be the combination of the warmth exuding from the wood burning stove, the cute cat curled up on a chair, the beautiful stained glass window, and the long, roomy wooden bar. Pessagno Winery just exudes ambiance and comfort.
The final stop on my wine tasting venture was Odonata Wines. Did you know that Odanata is another word for dragonfly? Odonata states that variety and quality are their watchwords and that the batches of wine they produce are made from grapes that are organic and grown sustainably. I’ll raise my glass to that!
I had so much fun today and I can’t wait to repeat the experience next year! I hope that you get a chance to check out the River Road Wine Trail and enjoy it as much as I did. Remember, you don’t have to wait until the Valentine’s Passport event to visit, most of the wineries here are open year round. For more information on any of the wineries listed, or for information on the annual Valentine’s wine tasting event, see Wine Trail.
Helpful Hints for attending the Valentine’s Passport event:
- Arrive as early as possible as parking and crowds increase the later you start.
- Be aware that the wine service ends at 4 pm.
- Designated drivers who will not be imbibing get a discount: tickets are half price!
- Parking areas fill up quickly and you may end up walking quite a distance; choose footwear accordingly.
- Bring a warm sweater or coat as it can be chilly this time of year.
- Many transportation options are available if you don’t have a designated driver, including the Monterey Party Bus, limos, and of course, Uber.
- All wineries provide vegetarian as well as non-vegetarian food pairings.
Thank you for visiting my blog. Wishing you peace, love, happiness, and happy wine tasting!