abowhead

We (two adults, 6-yr. old, 4-yr. old) will be in Monterey/PG for 4 days in late March. Suggestions? Whale watching tours (if so, which one?), less-crowded times for the aquarium?, Monera State Park horseback (Big Sur day trip)? Elkhorn Slough? Thanks!

antlori

I did a whale watching tour out of Monterey a few years ago and loved it. It was cold and rainy the day we went and I was bundled up pretty good. It can be cool out on the water so make sure you layer the kids' clothing. I wore wind pants over top my jeans and a windbreaker with a hood, and boy was I glad I did. We just went down to Fisherman's Wharf and chose one of the boats. It was a fantastic experience. It took awhile to find a whale but when we did, it came up out of the water right beside our boat. We were so close we could see the barnacles on its belly! We were also escorted for much of the trip by a bunch of dolphins that surrounded the boat (maybe 50 or more). They travelled beside us taking turns jumping out of the water. It was the most amazing experience. I would do it again but DH said never again as he practically froze to death because he didn't dress warmly enough. He also gets motion sickness and, although he didn't get sick on this trip, he didn't feel on top of the world. There were quite a few people huddled inside the enclosed part of the boat and they all looked a little green in the complexion. When we came back to the wharf, we saw an otter playing in the water right at the edge of the wharf. There was a crowd gathered there watching its antics.

J_Correa

If you aren't sure how the kids will do on a boat in the open ocean or if the weather is chilly, you can also take shorter boat charters that last about an hour - these go along the coast and out into the bay a little ways and come back. You probably wont see whales, but you will see otters and sea lions. They aren't as spectacular as the whales, but they are fun. We always just go down to the wharf and buy some tickets. Whales and dolphins do come into the bay, so there is the possibilty of seeing one or two - we frequently see them from short during the migration because they come into the bay to eat and to rest a bit.

For the aquarium, if you get there when it first opens (10 am? - check the web site) it wont be as crowded. Also you can buy your tickets online so you can skip the ticket window line. Going on a weekday will also help avoid any crowds.

Big Sur is definitely close enough for a day trip. There are several state parks down there to explore. Nepenthe restaurant has great views on a clear day. Point Lobos State Park, just south of Carmel, is also excellent - terrific trails along the coast. Good spot for a picnic lunch. Also, if your kids are prone to car sickness or if you just don't want to spend the time in the car to drive all the way to Big Sur, Point Lobos is a good substitute. You will get a good feeling for that type of coastline.

In Pacific Grove itself, there is a nice walking/biking path along the coast with some small beaches and terrific tide pools.

Elkhorn Slough is nice for bird watching. It is next to a power plant, which bothers some people.

I have not heard of Monera state beach. Possibly you are thinking of Manresa? Manresa is a nice beach, but it wouldn't be on the top of my list of things to see in the area. There is also Montara state beach, which is much further north, almost to SF. Then there is Montana del Oro, which is south beyond Cambria near Morro Bay, which is too far for a day trip - nice park though.

mlgb

Andrew Molera State Beach is south of Monterey. Can't tell you about the horseback riding. We used to love Point Lobos but it required walking around on the rocks to see the tidepools and we were a bit older when we'd go.

MichelleY

Dear abowhead:

I would play the whale watching by ear and see how the weather is. The aquarium is fabulous. Weekdays are usually less crowded and it helps to order online and pickup at the will call entrance. As far as best time, we have been early and had to wait in line but have also been at 3pm and walked right in.

I also second a look at the tidepools in Pacific Grove. Not sure if the monarchs will still be in PG.

Have a nice trip,

MY

J_Correa

Andrew Molera - of course, that is probably what abowhead is thinking of. I was trying to think of all the "M" parks and beaches in the area and I knew I was forgetting something. Regarding horseback riding - I looked up the park web site and I see that there are horsetrails there, but I don't know of any companies that do trail rides. You might do a web search though.