Ever since I can remember, my family has always visited California whenever we had some vacation time. But although I consider Los Angeles to be a second home, I feel like I barely know California. So I was extremely excited this summer when we decided to take a road trip to the beautiful Monterey, California.
After picking up my younger sister from the University of California Davis, we drove about two hours to the adorable beach house we rented in Monterey. The beach house itself was quaint, comfortable, and part of the cutest little town. If you ever visit Monterey, I definitely recommend renting a beach house versus staying in a hotel. Not only is it cheaper, but it is walking distance from the beach and from dozens of delicious restaurants.
There are two things that I highly recommend when visiting Monterey: The Monterey Bay Aquarium and the 17-mile drive. The aquarium was one of the biggest aquariums I have ever been to and it was filled with amazing animals from otters to jellyfish, and even penguins! My favorite part in the aquarium is being able to walk onto the outside observatory deck and using binoculars to see the wildlife of Monterey Bay. I was able to spot two elephant seals, one lounging on a rock and the other swimming across the ocean. We went through the 17 mile drive on our way back to Southern California. The drive consisted of a variety of different sites with great views like the Lone Cypress and the Ghost Tree. The most memorable part of the drive back to SoCal was Seal Point. At Seal Point the shoreline was covered with juvenile and female elephant seals that came onto the shore to molt.
Overall, my trip to Monterey was a relaxing trip full of beautiful sites. If you have a big appreciation towards beaches and sea-life you need to plan out a trip to Monterey. I cannot wait to go back there!
Love,
Jenny V
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Monterey Bay Aquarium - Tube Anemone |
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Monterey Bay Aquarium - Spot Prawn |
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Monterey Bay Aquarium - Black Sea Nettle |
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Monterey Bay Aquarium - Pacific Sardines |
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Monterey Bay Aquarium - African Blackfooted Penguin |
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17 Mile Drive - The Lone Cypress |
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17 Mile Drive - Seal Point |