Monterey Accommodations
 

My family of 4 - 2 kids10 and 14 will be traveling to Ca and spending 3 nights in Monterey at the beginning of our stay. Looking for recommendations for places to stay close to (walking distance) the Acquarium, downtown and Cannery Row. We are able to stay in 1 room. We would like to stay around $200 or less. We are traveling late February.

Hotels w/i walking distance of the Aquarium tend to the pricey -- and the rates they advertise are usually before taxes and resort fees which will add quite a bit. Early Feb rates are very high first because of the AT&T Pebble Beach and then for the Presidents day(s) holiday period. Luckily late Feb can be a much cheaper time to visit.

There is a Best Western about half a mile from the Aquarium that 'should' fit in your budget.

However -- since you'll have a car you could stay farther away in cheaper neighborhoods.

Maybe Patty (a local to the area) will see your post and have more ideas.

If you want to stay downtown, Casa Munras is a good option and should be in your price range. The Portola Hotel and Colton Inn are also good choices. The Portola has the most convenient location, but tends to be most expensive. It's a nice walk from downtown to Cannery Row along the coastal recreation trail, but the aquarium is on the opposite end, so it's a long walk - probably not what most people would consider walking distance.

Yes -- Munras Ave has several choices -- none of which are walkable to the Aquarium but all would be doable since you'll have a car.

I think that the desire to be walking distance to the aquarium and downtown is going to be a stretch with your budget.

There are some places on the south end of Cannery Row that might work since they are pretty much mid-way between the aquarium and downtown - the Monterey Bay Inn is there - I am not sure if it will be in your budget though.

But if you don't mind driving to things (drives are all short - nothing in Monterey is very far from anything else) then your options open up. OR if you and your family really like walking :) I walk all over Monterey and would have no issues walking back and forth between say Casa Munras and the aquarium, but my friends and colleagues tell me that I have a very warped sense of what "walking distance" means.

I agree that your budget will be a challenge in the waterfront area. Monterey Bay Inn only has king beds but perhaps 2 kids could fit in one of the rooms with sofa beds (check with the hotel to see if they allow 4). The Best Western Victorian Inn is a good suggestion. Also Wave Street Inn might work. Most of downtown and Cannery Row is flat. Let us know how far you're willing to walk.

We stayed at the Monterey Bay Inn years ago with out 14 & 16 year-old boys. It was cozy to say the least, but lovely room with balcony overlooking the beach next door and wharf area beyond. Easy walk to aquarium. Issue I see is it was over $200.00 in 2005, guessing way above that now even in February.

Best Western Victorian is $169 including breakfast, but beds are doubles not queens.

I second Case Munras, even though as of 2 years ago they started up with charging for parking, which you can avoid as there is plenty of street parking available off the lot.

You will have to drive to the aquarium from there, but, again, finding parking at that time is not so bad. Or, consider (if the weather is decent), walking towards the wharf and renting bikes, and bike on the bike path to the aquarium and back. I bring a long bike lock with me when I travel that can be used either to lock a bunch of bikes together if we rent bikes, or lock our luggage together (if taking trains or other public transport).

pacific grove lodging
 

old st. agnes Inn in pacific grove is nice and not too expensive