The Monterey Peninsula is surrounded by water on three sides. To the west is the Pacific Ocean to the north is Monterey Bay and to the south is Carmel Bay. Between Monterey and Carmel Bays are 25 square miles of land that make up the Monterey Peninsula. The county's approximate 100 miles of coastline are without a doubt the most beautiful in the state and offer a wide variety of diving along the way. The natural beauty carefully preserved history and wide variety of activi- l ties available offer a unique blend of interests for both divers and nondivers and have caused the area to become a major tourist attraction. Robert Louis Stevenson once described it as "the greatest meeting of land and water in the world.'' The peninsula is on California's Central Coast' 125 miles south of San Francisco and 345 miles north of Los Angeles. The coastal region includes the towns of Monterey' Pacific Grove' Pebble Beach and Carmel. Getting to the area is easy from either San Francisco or Los Angeles and the drive is beautiful. Monterey also has an airport and many domestic airlines have daily scheduled flights into it. The area has a wide selection of accommodations' ranging from five star hotels to quaint inns and motels. The climate in Monterey averages a very pleasant 57F year-round however the temperature can change quickly. In the summer' warmer weather (70°F) is accompanied by fog. Spring and fall are usually the sunniest times of the year. Regardless of when you visit' there is plenty to do while you are there. The peninsula is a golfer's paradise with more than 15 championship golf courses to choose from.
The Cannery Row made famous by John Steinbeck in his 1945 novel of the same name was once the site of 27 sardine canning factories. Much of the area has been preserved yet the buildings are now bustling tourist attractions with shops' restaurants' art galleries and wax museums.
There are a number of walking tours within the region. Monterey has been called "the most historic city in California'' and a walk through the "Path of History'' will confirm that. Old adobe buildings from the 1806 have been meticu lously restored. There are paths running for miles along the shore that are ideal for bicycling' rollerblading or just taking a leisurely stroll.
The Monterey Peninsula has at least 12 wineries that offer wine tasting. The wines from the region are growing in popularity and can easily compete with wines from around the world. There are wine tasting rooms in town featuring a variety of Monterey County Vineyards.
Not to be missed is 17 Mile Drive and the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
The 17 Mile Drive scenic tour has been labeled "the slowest way between Monterey and Carmel.'' Just
a few of the highlights are lovely white sand beaches' sea lion rookeries' groves of cypress trees with
twisted branches and dark green foliage' famous golf courses and grand estates with unbelievable views.
The Monterey Bay Aquarium' the greatest tourist attraction on the peninsula' provides divers and nondivers with a close-up look at what exists beneath the bay.
The aquarium consists of more than 100 galleries and exhibits that explore the many habitats present in the bay. The three story kelp forest tank presents a diver's eye view of the California coastline's magnificent kelp. This 335'000 gallon tank has acrylic windows that are more than seven inches thick and 16 feet tall. Leopard Sharks and a variety of other fish natural to the habitat move freely through the waters. Divers can be seen daily' handfeeding the inhabitants. In another display, sea otters greet you nose to nose, frolicking all about, above and below the water. There are more than 525 species of fish, invertebrates, mammals, birds and reptiles to view. Kids and adults alike can pet l bat rays' seastars, abalone and decorator crabs in the Touch Pools. l
From March '95 through January '97, the aquarium will have a special exhibit called "Deadly Beauties." It will feature more than two dozen poisonous creatures and explain how and why they use poison to survive. The aquarium also features gift and book stores as well as an ocean view restaurant.
