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.