| California's cities are each famous for one unique | | | | of the most famous in the United States, but |
| thing: Los Angeles has Hollywood, San Diego has | | | | underwent severe decline in the 1950s due to |
| surfing, San Francisco has hippies and Monterey has - | | | | over-fishing. Cannery Row, Monterey's once bustling |
| cheese? The city of Monterey, located along the | | | | sardine-canning street has now been converted into |
| Pacific Coast's Monterey Bay in Central California, has | | | | a major tourist attraction with many restaurants and |
| long been known around the world as the home of | | | | shops lining the important historical site. |
| Monterey Jack cheese. However, Monterey boasts a | | | | Cannery Row is also home to one of Monterey's |
| rich history, with its past residents including the likes | | | | most popular attractions: the Monterey Bay Aquarium. |
| of Henry Miller and John Steinbeck, whose novel | | | | One of the largest aquariums in North America, the |
| "Cannery Row" was set in the city. In fact, Monterey | | | | aquarium sees more than 1.8 million people pass |
| offers the visitor many attractions - not just cheese! | | | | through its doors every year and is home to 35, 000 |
| Monterey has been dubbed by some as "the cradle | | | | plants and animals from around 623 species, including |
| of history" and is home to many "firsts" in California's | | | | jellyfish, sea otters and stingrays. And in September |
| history: including the Golden State's first theatre, brick | | | | 2004, the aquarium's Outer Bay exhibit momentously |
| house, publicly funded school, public library and its first | | | | became home to the first Great White Shark to |
| printing press. Anyone hoping to get a glimpse of | | | | ever successfully be kept on exhibit. |
| Monterey's rich historical tradition need only visit the | | | | If you're hoping to sample some of Monterey's |
| Monterey State Historic Park, in which visitors will find | | | | non-cheesy delights, you'll find that getting around the |
| many examples of early colonial architecture. Major | | | | city is simple due to its fairly compact nature. Any of |
| historic landmarks in Monterey include Larkin House, | | | | the hotels in Monterey will leave you only a hop, skip |
| Royal Presidio Chapel and Colton Hall - a public school | | | | and a jump away from the city's main attractions. |
| and government meeting place that played host to | | | | And since Monterey is only a couple of hours away |
| California's first constitutional convention. | | | | from San Francisco and San Jose, and only a little |
| Moreover, Monterey is well-known for its spectacular | | | | further away from San Diego, Sacramento and LA, |
| marine habitats and its long fishing tradition. | | | | it's an easily accessible day or weekend trip for |
| Monterey's fishing industry was for many years one | | | | tourists visiting any of California's major cities. |