Elkhorn Slough

One of California's rarest wetland jewels is located right off Highway 1 on Central California's Monterey Bay. Midway between the towns of Monterey and Santa Cruz are located the teeming waters and tidal flats of Elkhorn Slough. The slough is one of the state's largest and last remaining coastal wetlands. A wellspring of life, the slough provides a haven for a tremendous variety of plants and animals, including several vanishing species. Docent-led tours of the Elkhorn Slough Reserve, every Saturday and Sunday at 10:00am and 1:00pm.

Steinbeck Center

A click on the image at the left will take you to the web site for the The National Steinbeck Center. The center is dedicated to unifying the diversity of the spirit that flows through Steinbeck Country, carrying his vibrancy and literary genius into the 21st century and beyond. The National Steinbeck Center is located at One Main Street in historic Oldtown Salinas, a scenic 20 mile drive from Monterey, California. The telephone number is 831-796-3833. You will find a link to a map and directions at the site.

The Monterey Bay Aquarium

E-Quarium, The Monterey Bay Aquarium online, is a wonderful place to visit, online or otherwise, especially for the kids. This web site will give you loads of information on what you can expect to find there.

Watch For Whales

If you plan to watch for whales that traverse our coastline, this site will provide you with some helpful hints that will improve your success rate for finding what you're looking for. Here you'll also find a link to the home page of the Monterey Chapter of the American Cetacean Society.

Hearst Castle

Hearst Castle is located on a hilltop overlooking the Pacific Ocean, in the Santa Lucia Mountains of California, about 90 miles south of Carmel. Once the home of newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst, today it is a State Historical Monument preserved by the California State Parks. Hearst Castle has its own website, where you can find out more about this famous California attraction.

Point Lobos

Point Lobos was called “the greatest meeting of land and water in the world” by Landscape artist Francis McComas, and the comparison remains unchallenged. All who come here agree that the beauty of this tree-clad headland is unequaled. The Point Lobos website is sponsored by California State Parks.

The Monterey Symphony

The Monterey Symphony website will give you lots of information about the current subscription season, and much more about the organization. The Monterey Symphony serves the communities of the Monterey Bay, Salinas Valley, Big Sur, and San Benito County, California. The Monterey Symphony is a participating member of the American Symphony Orchestra League and the Association of California Symphony Orchestras.

Big Sur Region

This visitor's guide to the Big Sur region of California’s central coast contains information on driving, lodging, camping, restaurants, scenic vistas, and other activities, facilities, and services available in the area.

Big Sur International Marathon

This website is sponsored by the Big Sur International Marathon.

Henry Miller Memorial Library

This website is sponsored and maintained by the Henry Miller Memorial Library, which is located south of Carmel along the Coast Highway.

Point Sur

This website features Point Sur and its famous lighthouse, which is located south of Carmel between Point Lobos and Big Sur. Point Sur has been Internet-connected using two matched helical antennae: one located on the roof of the Applied Sciences building at UC Santa Cruz; the other located near the Point Sur Lighthouse, over 50 miles away.

Laguna Seca Raceway

This link will take you to the Laguna Seca Raceway, where you'll find information about the raceway and a schedule of coming events.

Monterey Bay Sanctuary

Here is a website full of visitor information about the Monterey Bay Sanctuary, including beaches, camping sports and wild life. Here you'll also find a link to a Sanctuary calendar of events.

Bay Concert Arts

Bay Concert Arts, a California 501(c)(3) Public Benefit Nonprofit Corporation since 1988, maintains this website.

Monterey County Convention and Visitors Bureau

The Monterey County Convention and Visitors Bureau website will give you lots of useful information about things to do and see in Carmel and the Monterey Peninsula.

Monterey County Travel and Tourism

The Monterey County Travel and Tourism Alliance maintains a website that lists lots of great things to do in Monterey County.

Ventana Wilderness Society

The web site of the Ventana Wilderness Society describes the society's mission to perpetuate plant and animal species native to the central coast of California through wildlife and habitat restoration, research and education.

Big Creek Reserve

The Landels-Hill Big Creek Reserve, administrated by UC Santa Cruz, has three campgrounds, a visitor cabin/lab at Whale Point that accommodates four to six people, small lab/library at the entrance, 19 km (12 mi) of hiking, 16 km (10 mi) of dirt roads, limited parking, beach access for small-boat entry onto the marine reserve, and three permanent weather-monitoring stations — two more planned