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Old 11-18-2010, 10:18 AM  
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Wildomar, CA
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Monterey Bay

I am thinking of taking a road trip up there for a long weekend. Who else has been there?
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Old 11-23-2010, 09:08 AM  
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Detroit, Michigan
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I was there for a few days at the tail end of my honeymoon.

Cannery Row was very touristy. We didn't hit the aquarium, so I can't comment on that. The brewery there wasn't half bad though.

We enjoyed 17 mile drive around the coast and Pebble Beach, $10 lets you drive though the private community.

We also took a beautiful drive down the PCH into Big Sur and found a killer beach. Great day trip.
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Old 12-03-2010, 12:10 PM  
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The Aquarium is worth the trip, one of the best in the Country. Many great restaurants down on the wharf. Big Sur isn't too far South on Hwy. 1 and is well worth the trip if you enjoy the outdoors. Carmel is just South of Monterey and is a beautiful area, touristy in places but beautiful none the less. If golf is your thing there are some of the best courses in the country there but can be hard to get a time for, call ahead. Great place for a relaxing getaway, highly recommended.
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Old 12-04-2010, 02:10 PM  
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Monterey, CA
Join Date: Dec 2010
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Depending on what you're into, I'd recommend the following:
  • The Monterey Bay Aquarium is wonderful if you are into marine life.
    (I live in Monterey and still visit every year or two.)
  • Short, relatively easy walks/hikes with great views around the Peninsula:
    - The bike path from Alvarado St in Monterey to Lover's Point in
    Pacific Grove. You walk on a paved path along the bay.
    - Veteran's Park for a free view of the Pacific Grove/Pebble Beach
    coast line and across to Santa Cruz.
    - Jack's Peak (not free but can be if you park in the neighborhoods
    and walk in).
    - More of a very short walk but if you go to Pacific Grove before Feb.
    the Monarch Butterfly Grove off Lighthouse Ave. can be neat (if you
    like butterflies).
  • Beer - I'd recommend
    English Ales in Marina
    for British style beers. (Try their Black Prince Porter on hand-pull.)
    There's also Monterey Coast Brewing in Salinas that has some good
    seasonal offerings. As for a beer bar,
    Cannery Row Brewing
    Company
    (who doesn't actually brew their beer) has a large (70+
    taps) and pricey selection. Plus down the way (and up the street from
    the Monterey Bay Aquarium) is a bottle shop with a nice selection of
    Belgian beers (Bottles and Bins, I believe).
  • Food - I can only comment on portions of menus that are vegetarian
    but there are a number of tasty taquerias around town as well as sushi
    (my fav is Crystal Fish) and
    Hula's Island
    Grill
    for a surf-themed place with creative flavor parings.

There's also golf in Pacific Grove, Monterey and of course Pebble
Beach but I can't weigh in there. Oh and kayaking off Monterey State
beach (rentals on-site). And an IMAX theater on Cannery Row
(essentially next door to the Cannery Row Brewing Company).

HTH

Nathan
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Old 12-05-2010, 01:05 AM  
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Honolulu, Hawaii
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I was stationed out there for 2 years, and it's an amazing place to visit. For eating and such, I recommend the Fisherman's Wharf - a place called Dominco's is really top notch. The owner will walk around to the tables and make sure everything's good, they buy all their seafood from local fisherman and it's never more than a day or two old.

Also, if you just want a place to hangout/drink/socialize, I recommend Indian Summer - it's a little hole-in-the-wall place down by Fisherman's Wharf. It's a hookah bar that serves authentic Indian food, and is outstanding. For more on the drinking side, I recommend going downtown to the Mucky Duck or the Brit. The Department of Defense Language Institute is right up the hill, though, so you're going to run into your run-of-the-mill young military guys/gals.

One more thing - you HAVE to get "The Marine Special" from Compagno's, it's a sandwich shop and is famous. You'll definitely have to wait in line, but I can guarantee that it's going to be one of the best sandwiches you'll ever have! I used to get one at least once a week - it's on Fremont Blvd going up the hill towards DLI.

Oh and a drive down Big Sur is a necessity - it's gorgeous! I'm sure you've already been though, hopefully

If you have any questions about it, let me know!
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Old 12-09-2010, 01:02 PM  
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Paso Robles, CA
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If you go up that way you have to take the drive through Pebble Beach. It is so beautiful and if you are a golf fan to be able to park and walk around Pebble Beach for a little while is awesome. Also, have a beer at the bar just past the 18th green at Pebble Beach and look out at the ocean and watch golfers play the classic hole. There are some great little beaches that very few people go to right there too.
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Old 12-09-2010, 10:35 PM  
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santa cruz, CA
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Carmel

I have to recommend a stop in Carmel, too. My wife & daughter took me there for my birthday a few weeks ago, and we had a great time just wandering around, checking it out. It was a little hoity-toidy in spots, but we were able to overlook that. It's very dog-friendly, which was cool. And we had some excellent oysters on the half shell at A.W. Shucks (fun atmosphere, great drink menu & drinks), and then had delicious Moroccan food at Carmel Tajine--small, quaint, friendly and unpretentious. Go and see what you find!
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Old 12-15-2010, 08:47 PM  
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Monterey County, CA
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i went to school there and am always over there, cool place to be, alot of tourists
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Old 12-21-2010, 02:30 PM  
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Santa Cruz, CA
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Big Sur Bakery Jelly donuts (not what you think, are not to be missed!
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Old 12-27-2010, 09:46 PM  
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SLO, CA
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 11 | Kudos: +10
I second Hula's in Monterey. We stop their every time we drive through town. Although after a few mango margaritas we don't drive anywhere for a while!

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