Monterey Peninsula coastal town known for Victorian houses, tide pools, and migrating monarch butterflies.
Wedged on the northern tip of the Monterey Peninsula between Pebble Beach, Carmel, and Monterey, Pacific Grove has managed to retain an unhurried, small-town feel that its neighbours long since abandoned. Locals call it P.G. Parking is free, black-tailed deer wander through pine-shaded yards, and monarch butterflies gather by the thousands in local parks each autumn.
The coastline is Pacific Grove's great asset. Almost all of it is unobstructed by development, and winding paths make the surf-swept coves accessible to walkers and cyclists. Sea lions and harbour seals sun themselves on offshore boulders, sea otters float in the kelp beds, and pelicans dive just offshore. The Victorian bed-and-breakfast inns along Ocean View Boulevard add some architectural charm.
Pacific Grove sits at the northern end of the 17-Mile Drive, and Point Pinos Lighthouse marks its western tip. The Monarch Grove Sanctuary draws tens of thousands of butterflies every autumn, and the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History offers a good grounding in local ecology. Asilomar State Beach, a five-minute walk from the lighthouse, has the peninsula's wildest shoreline. It is a ten-minute drive from the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
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Getting There
The nearest airport is Monterey Regional Airport, about 5 miles from Pacific Grove, with connections to Los Angeles, San Francisco, Phoenix, and Las Vegas. San Jose International Airport, about 80 miles north, has more flights and is a practical alternative if driving down the coast.
By car, Pacific Grove sits at the end of California State Route 68, which branches off US-101 near Salinas. From San Francisco the drive takes about two hours via US-101 South or about two and a half hours via the more scenic coastal Highway 1. There is no passenger rail service to the Monterey Peninsula.
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When to Go
Pacific Grove's climate is mild year-round but rarely warm. Summer brings morning fog that usually burns off by early afternoon, with temperatures typically in the mid-60s Fahrenheit. Autumn is the clearest season — September and October bring the most reliable sunshine and are considered by locals to be the best months to visit. It is also when the monarch butterflies begin arriving at the Monarch Grove Sanctuary, from late October through February.
Winter is quiet and often rainy, but the storms bring dramatic surf along Asilomar and the western shore. Spring is cool and sometimes foggy. The Monterey Bay Aquarium, ten minutes away in Monterey, operates year-round and makes wet-day visits worthwhile at any time of year.