Monterey guide

We’re a little late to the game but after watching Big Little Lies recently we felt the urge to visit the dreamy coastal destination. It’s a blogger and history nerds personal paradise. This cute city is jam packed with the dreamiest buildings for prime photo opportunities and a history lesson all in one. We’re lucky enough to have family living here so we got the locals tour. Luckily for you we’re bloggers so we’ll be sharing with y’all! Keep scrolling for some magical ocean views and all the deets on some must see spots!

FOOD & DRINKS

BREAKFAST & BRUNCH

First up when we arrive at any destination is food and drinks, always. Crema which is located in Pacific Grove (only minutes from Monterey) serves up an amazing brunch menu. The menu has all the good things you’d find on any other brunch menu but being so close to the ocean some traditional items have a twist like the Crab Cake and Avocado Benedict. We’d totally recommend it if you're into seafood but if you're not into that sort of thing the Good Morning Breakfast Sammy will do just fine. It’s made up of Texas toast, fried eggs, bacon, and cheese....are you drooling yet?! We were... so much that we didn’t even get a picture. Whoops. The cozy vibes of a house turned restaurant adds to the charm of this place. They also have an espresso bar attached to the restaurant that serves up our favorite coffee. If you guessed Verve, you’d be correct! If you’re still not sold on this little gem, bottomless mimosa do exist here. :)

LUNCH & DINNER

We took a short drive to Carmel and ate at Pescadero Mexican Restaurant that serves only the freshest and most authentic Mexican food we’ve ever had. We don’t say that lightly, S could have sworn her Abuelita was in the kitchen cooking. That’s how deciclious it was. We’d recommend getting the Queso Con Rajas for the table which translates into melted cheesy goodness dip with roasted peppers. Anything you pick from the menu will not disappoint you. Did we mention that they hand make their own tortillas?! This place is too legit to quit! The bright and vibrant decor made us want to grab our guys and salsa the night away!

LIQUIDS 

When you're ready for an afternoon pick me up Water & Leaves serves up the good stuff. They’re located in Monterey on the Fisherman’s Wharf. We know another coffee and tea shop *eye roll emoji* bleh. This one is special for many reasons, the first being that they have local honey on tap! With six different flavors you can customize the sweetness of just about any drink. Buzz buzz y'all! Second, they make their tea with a high performance digital tea machine. What’s that?! Great question!  This machine takes all the guessing out of making tea by providing an exact steep time and temp to create the perfect cup of tea! The third reason this place made our list is the view! Like we said, it’s on the wharf so that prime real estate to those ocean views y’all! Take a look below! 

We’ve been a little obsessed with raw ginger shots lately so we had to stop in at Centeral Coast Juicery in Pacific Grove. All ingredients used are organic and locally sourced! The best part was our ginger shot was only one dollar! We’re use to paying well over three for the burn that we swear kills all the bad germs. If you don’t want to feel the burn they also have an array of delicious smoothies. 

THINGS TO SEE  

The city of Monterey is filled with historical buildings and many are open to the public to explore for free! We are all about saving our moolah while still having the time of our lives and this is one of the best ways to make sure that happens. Here’s just a few of the buildings we were able to adventure to. 

Casa Soberanes  

It’s an Adobe built in the 1840’s and is also known as The House of the Blue Gate for obvious reasons. We weren’t able to go inside but we were able to wander through the garden and it was beautiful. Monterey is full of adobe homes each with their own history. Just look at those details! SWOON!

Colton Hall

This historical building hosted the first constitutional convention in 1849. If you guessed there was a museum in there you’d be right! The first floor still houses some city offices. We toured the museum mostly because a scene from Big Little Lies was shot there and now we can say "I've been there!" We did leave with some history knowledge and wanting to know more about the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. We live in California but sadly don’t know too much of the history. 

The Pacific House was built in 1847 during the U.S. occupation of California and has had many uses throughout the years. There are interactive exhibits that explain the history as well as a museum displaying Native American Artifacts. We spent most of our time in the outdoor garden. The sun was shinning and we wanted to soak up as many rays as possible plus it’s so magical we couldn’t walk away from it. 

By now you’re probably wondering if we ever made it to the ocean. :) We did and it was as beautiful as ever. We went to Lovers Point Park and again soaked up the rays. It’s a great place to have a picnic, enjoy nature, and partake in all the water activities that your big heart desires.  

Last but certainly not least the Bixby Bridge. If you’re a fan of Big Little Lies then you’re familiar with the opening credits and the appearance of this famous bridge. This is about a thirty minute drive down Highway One which is one of the most beautiful scenic drives you’ll ever take. It’s also one of the scariest if you’re like us and have an irrational fear of just falling off a cliff. The view was totally worth the anxiety we were feeling! 

We hope y’all can make it to Monterey to soak up the rays and beauty this city has to offer. Make sure you bring your appetite and walking shoes to maximize your fun. Keep on adventuring friends, we can't wait to see what places you visit next! 

xoxo 

S&A