Monterey curves around the south side of Monterey Bay. Stay on Cannery Row and the aquarium is a short walk. Old Monterey and Alvarado Street have the historic streets and most of the restaurants. Del Monte Beach is the quieter stretch of sand.
Cannery Row runs along the old sardine-canning waterfront to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Hotels here keep you close to the aquarium and the shore walk toward Pacific Grove. Old Monterey’s historic buildings are farther away, but the Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail connects the two on foot or by bike.
Old Monterey centers on Alvarado Street, Custom House Plaza and the Path of History. The restaurants and the Monterey Conference Center are close to the wharf. Stay here to walk to dinner and harbor tours. The aquarium becomes a separate trip along the water.
Old Fisherman’s Wharf extends into the harbor beside Monterey State Historic Park. Boat trips leave from here, and the trail continues east to Del Monte Beach. The beach is quieter and farther from Cannery Row. You get sand and fewer crowds, but the aquarium is a ride or a long walk back.
Monterey’s coastal weather stays cool even in summer, when fog or low cloud can linger into the morning. September often has the warmest afternoons, and winter brings most of the rain. Monterey Regional Airport is east of downtown. A car helps for Carmel, Pebble Beach or Big Sur. In central Monterey, walking or the local bus is easier.