Monterey County

Province · California, 🇺🇸 United States

Population 439,035

Area 8,582 km²

Time zone America/Los_Angeles

Official website countyofmonterey.gov

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Featured Lists

Brian Lopez / Public domain

Monterey County's Absolute Essentials

Monterey County features diverse landmarks ranging from the 80-foot McWay Falls in Big Sur to the historic Point Pinos Lighthouse, the oldest continuously operating lighthouse on the West Coast. The region is home to the Monterey Bay Aquarium and the Monarch Grove Sanctuary, where thousands of butterflies overwinter in eucalyptus trees. Scenic routes like the 17-Mile Drive offer access to the Lone Cypress, a tree perched on a granite hillside for over 250 years.

6 places

Big Sur Camping Adventures

Big Sur offers a diverse range of camping options along the rugged California coast and within the Los Padres National Forest. This collection includes developed sites like Plaskett Creek, which provides direct access to Sand Dollar Beach, alongside numerous backcountry camps within the Ventana Wilderness. These remote locations, such as Little Pines and Redwood Camp, offer access to coastal ridges, redwood groves, and high-altitude pine forests via the Pine Ridge and Carmel River trail systems.

17 places

Tuxyso / CC BY-SA 3.0

California's Scenic Wonders

This collection highlights the diverse geography of Monterey County, ranging from the dramatic 80-foot drop of McWay Falls to the rugged peaks of the Diablo Range. It features the iconic 17-Mile Drive, home to the centuries-old Lone Cypress and granite formations at Bird Rock. Inland, the list covers recreational hubs like Williams Hill and a network of community parks in the Salinas Valley, alongside prominent summits such as Castle Mountain and Mustang Peak.

43 places