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Sights and landmarks in Monterey

16 sights worth seeing in Monterey: landmarks, galleries, monuments and viewpoints.

Ranked with the travel guide's picks and well-known places first.

Sights and landmarks in Monterey

  1. See

    Colton Hall

    Considered one of the most historic buildings in California, Colton Hall is the birthplace of the State of California. Home of the California Constitutional Convention of 1849, visit the site where 48 delegates debated the decisions that made California a free state. See original documents, artifacts, and even walk on the same floor as the delegates. the.

    Sat-Sun 10AM-4PMfree

  2. See

    Cooper Molera Adobe

    An adobe from 1827 which now houses a small museum, a garden, cafe, restaurant and event venue. Formerly the site was part of the Monterey State Historic Park but now is owned by National Trust for Historic Preservation. The ground floor museum exhibit is open on weekends but the rest of the museum is closed due to COVID.

    Sat Sun 10AM-4PMfree

  3. See

    Custom House

    Oldest government building in California and first designated California Historical Landmark. First floor is a small museum and gift shop.

    Tue-Sun 10AM-4PMfree

  4. See

    Larkin House

    Two-story mud adobe brick home built during Monterey’s Mexican period by Thomas O. Larkin. Accessible by tour only.

    Tours on Thu-Sat at 2PM$10/adult, children free

  5. See

    Maritime Museum of History

    Showcases exhibits that revolve around Monterey's history as a port, and the history of both seafaring and commercial fishing, from the whaling era to the present day.

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    Monterey Bay Aquarium

    This large aquarium specializes in exhibiting local sea life in typical local habitat displays and has many spectacular exhibits. It is particularly known for its Kelp Forest exhibit, three stories high, filled with several varieties of giant kelp and a wide variety of marine animal species, and also for its million-gallon Open Sea exhibit with large blue fin and yellowfin tunas, mahi-mahis, sharks (including an occasional Great White Shark as a very temporary visitor, before being released back to the ocean), ocean sunfish (mola-molas) and sea turtles. The best exhibits include a large tank of silver sardines that swim around and around above one's head, and one of rescued sea otters deemed unreturnable to the wild and therefore kept at the aquarium. (The aquarium has rescued and released back to the wild over 500 sea otters.) Quite expensive, but for a good cause (the aquarium is privately funded, and much of the money goes for conservation research), and most visitors will consider a visit well worth the charge.

    9AM or 10AM to 5PM or 6PM, depending on time of year and day of week$65/adult, $50/youth and seniors, $45/child

  7. See

    Monterey Museum of Art

    It has two locations. The 559 Pacific Street location, across from Colton Hall, has eight galleries, with both permanent and rotating exhibitions. The La Mirada building is one of Monterey's Mexican-era adobes. Located at 720 Via Mirada, near Monterey Peninsula College, it has four galleries, plus great views of Monterey Bay. Admission is $10, with $5 admission for students and military. One Thursday a month, the Pacific Street location hosts "Art After Hours," with free admission, light appetizers and drinks.

  8. See

    Monterey State Historic Park

    This park is the historic downtown area known as Old Monterey, containing a number of historic buildings and gardens. Most of the buildings are from the first half of the 19th century, and most of the historic gardens are about a century old. Start at Custom House Plaza, in downtown Monterey, near the Old Fisherman's Wharf, and look for the yellow plaques that mark the Monterey Walking Path of History to take in some of the town's most intriguing buildings. Informational signs are posted at each stop. Maps and tour information are available at the Pacific House and the Cooper Molera store. Wheelchair-accessible restrooms are available near the Central Plaza in the Casa del Oro Garden and in the Cooper Molera courtyard.

    Gardens open daily 9AM–5PM summer; 10AM–4PM winter; museums varyfree

  9. See

    Old Monterey Jail

    When California became a state in 1850, Monterey was selected as the seat of Monterey County government and this was the new jail that was built. The jail is open whenever Colton Hall is open.

    Sat 10AM-4PMfree

  10. See

    Old Whaling Station

    Don't miss the whalebone sidewalk. Whalebone was once a common material for sidewalks in seaside towns; it is very likely this is the last one of its kind.

  11. See

    Pacific House Museum

    Offers detailed displays on local history and Native American life.

    Tue-Sun 10AM-4PMfree

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    Presidio of Monterey Museum

    Gives the history of the Presidio of Monterey from pre-history through the War on Terror.

    Sat-Sun noon-4PMfree

  13. See

    San Carlos Cathedral

    Royal Presidio Chapel

    The oldest continuously operating parish and the oldest stone building in California.

  14. See

    Stevenson House

    An 1840s adobe where famous author Robert Louis Stevenson resided in late 1879. Today the house is filled with artifacts from the author's life as well as local artwork. Accessible by tour only.

    Tours on Thu-Sat at 10AM$10/adult, children free

  15. See Not mapped

    Heritage Center Museum

    Located in the Parish Offices Building east of the cathedral is a small museum which contains part of the Junipero Oak. Closed due to COVID.

    Sun 10AM-noon 1-3PMfree

  16. See Not mapped

    Seals at the wharves

    There are two piers and a breakwater that provide excellent viewing of sea lions. Monterey's original "Fisherman's Wharf" generally has a handful of sea lions lounging about, and occasionally, harbor seals on the beach next to the pier. Larger groups of sea lions can generally be found at the more industrial wharf ("Municipal Wharf #2") a short walk to the east from Fisherman's Wharf. Wharf #2 has a small fishing industry warehouse still in operation, so numerous sea lions have made it their home. Towards Cannery Row from Fisherman's Wharf, near the Coast Guard station (reached by driving on Del Monte west from Fisherman's Wharf, through the traffic tunnel and taking the first exit and then the first right turn), there is a large breakwater that is generally occupied by a huge number of sea lions, piled on the breakwater's rocks. One can walk part way down that breakwater on its paved portion and view the sea lions from only a few feet away through a steel fence at the end of that paved portion. Additionally, sea otters can often be seen in the bay, and harbor seals can often be seen at Hopkins Beach, just west of the Hopkins Marine Station (part of Stanford University) that is just west of the Aquarium, or in the calm waters next to Fisherman's Wharf, particularly resting on the tops of rocks that are just above the ocean level (sea lions can jump from the water up to places like the top of the breakwater, harbor seals can't).

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Monterey (CC BY-SA 4.0).