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Monterey (population 32,000) is located about 2.5 hours south of San Francisco. It is truly the last large town as you drive south on Highway One.

MONTEREY, CA

Dave
2004-02-21 14:26:13

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oldest government building in the state of California. Part of this building was constructed in 1827. In 1846 the American Flag was first raised over this building and as a result many acres of land became part of the United States.

The Stevenson House is located at 530 Houston Street. This home gets its name because Robert Louis Stevenson lived here in 1879 and wrote several books. This house can only be seen on the inside through the guided tours which are offered Tuesday through Sunday at 1, 2, 3, and 4pm.

The Pacific House is located at Calle Principal and Scott Street. It was built in 1847 and is now a museum of Indian artifacts and California history. PHONE NUMBER 649-7118.

The MARITIME MUSEUM is located at 5 Custom House Plaza. It contains many many artifacts of the sea. There are navigational instruments, ship models, photos, and charts of the ocean. For the sailor in you, this is a great place to be. A short film is presented every 20 minutes or so. This place is also good for doing research as they have over 4000 volumes. Admission is $5. For more information call PHONE NUMBER 373-2469.

Carmel can be categorized in both many and few words. In fact to some people the town of Carmel can be categorized by only one word; galleries. Shop, shop and shop some more. This town was established in 1904 by a group of artists and writers as a retreat center. The original flavor of the town is still preserved today. It has a unique individuality and small village charm. There are many different architectural styles, many incorporating international style. Carmel is quite a bit smaller then Monterey but is more wealthy.

Clint Eastwood used to be mayor of this town. Every summer the 90 year old Outdoor Forest Theatre plays host to a variety of cultural events for tourists and residents. In mid July you can enjoy a 3 week celebration of Bach's music. Then from the beginning of August through the first week in October Carmel plays host to the Shakespeare Festival.

Parking can be a bit rough in this cultural town. Speaking of cars this is a good town to keep an eye out for expensive and rare automobiles driving around the streets. There is a free parking lot on Third Street and Torres Street.

To give you some direction of some of the good shopping areas let me list a few. The best place for shopping and selection and unfortunately high prices is in the downtown area. The downtown is where you can actually experience the true feel of Carmel. The Barnyard is a shopping and dining complex located several miles away from town at the intersection of Highway 1 and Carmel Valley Road It has many fine galleries and specialty shops. Another neat place is the Crossroads, just east of Highway 1 and the Carmel Mission. They offer almost 100 boutique shops, specialty shops, and some cute restaurants.

The Beach at the end of the main street that runs through Carmel is a nice spot to relax or watch the ocean. Several beach bums can always be found here.