Monterey County Travel Guide – Attractions & Tours

Featured Lists

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

Monterey County — Map

Climate & when to visit

Select a month

Typical weather in January

Good

14°–17° · varies by region
10° at night
8–10 rainy days · varies by region
16 sunny days
6 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Light breeze
12°C · too cold to swim
UV index 2 · low

Typical weather in February

Good

14°–17° · varies by region
9° at night
9–10 rainy days · varies by region
15 sunny days
7 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Light breeze
12°C · too cold to swim
UV index 3 · moderate

Typical weather in March

Good

15°–18° · varies by region
10° at night
7–10 rainy days · varies by region
18 sunny days
8 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Light breeze
12°C · too cold to swim
UV index 5 · moderate

Typical weather in April

Good

16°–21° · varies by region
10° at night
4–6 rainy days · varies by region
20 sunny days
10 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Light breeze
11°C · too cold to swim
UV index 7 · high

Typical weather in May

Great

18°–26° · varies by region
12° at night
2–4 rainy days · varies by region
24 sunny days
11 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Light breeze
11°C · too cold to swim
UV index 8 · very high

Typical weather in June

Great

20°–32° · varies by region
14° at night
0–1 rainy days · varies by region
26 sunny days
13 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Calm winds
12°C · too cold to swim
UV index 9 · very high

Typical weather in July

Great

21°–36° · varies by region
15° at night
0 rainy days
28 sunny days
12 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Calm winds
13°C · too cold to swim
UV index 10 · very high

Typical weather in August

Great

22°–36° · varies by region
16° at night
0 rainy days
26 sunny days
11 hours of sunshine per day
Comfortable humidity
Calm winds
14°C · too cold to swim
UV index 9 · very high

Typical weather in September

Great

22°–33° · varies by region
16° at night
1 rainy day
24 sunny days
10 hours of sunshine per day
Comfortable humidity
Calm winds
14°C · too cold to swim
UV index 7 · high

Typical weather in October

Great

20°–27° · varies by region
14° at night
2–3 rainy days · varies by region
23 sunny days
9 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Calm winds
14°C · too cold to swim
UV index 5 · moderate

Typical weather in November

Great

17°–21° · varies by region
12° at night
5–7 rainy days · varies by region
19 sunny days
7 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Calm winds
13°C · too cold to swim
UV index 3 · moderate

Typical weather in December

Good

14°–17° · varies by region
10° at night
8–10 rainy days · varies by region
14 sunny days
6 hours of sunshine per day
Dry air
Light breeze
13°C · too cold to swim
UV index 2 · low

This destination spans several climate zones, so these figures are a range across the region rather than exact values. Climate data: NASA POWER + Copernicus ERA5-Land and ERA5; NASA POWER (MERRA-2) · 1996–2025