I Run Like A Girl

Hi pals! We are back in San Francisco after our holiday travels. The last 2 weeks have been filled with settling back into our routine, catching up on errands, and beginning wedding planning…more on that at a later time. 😉

Just as we got settled again, Joe and I planned a last-minute getaway to Monterey. We had a long weekend for the Martin Luther King holiday, and we figured two days away would be the perfect travel fix for us.

Monterey is a coastal town about 2 hours south of San Francisco on California’s central coast. Monterey is popular for its seafood restaurants, historic factories turned into bars, and attractions like the Monterey Aquarium. It has a more rustic vibe than its bougie neighbor, Carmel. Monterey is also popular as the gateway to Big Sur and other magnificent coastal nature points. I’ve passed through Monterey in the past as quick stops while roadtripping the Pacfiic Coast Highway (blog posts HERE and HERE), but this was the first time we dedicated time here.

Our first day in Monterey was spent playing tourist. We started off at Fisherman’s Wharf, a boardwalk filled with seafood restaurants, whale watching tours, old-time candy shops, and more. It was pretty touristy, but it was worth seeing for our first visit.

The highlight was the views at the end of the boardwalk. The foot traffic died down, and we had a peaceful view of the water. We even spotted sea lions and sea otters, so cute!

Next, we walked to Cannery Row, a long waterfront street and another attraction of Monterey. Cannery Row was historically lined with sardine-canning factories; it has since been converted to Monterey’s restaurant row, but the industrial vibes carry through. Joe and I walked through the area and got drinks at a sports bar.

After a full day out and logging plenty of steps, we rested up at the hotel. We went back out for Thai food for dinner, delish. 🙂

The next day, we saw some outdoorsy sites of Monterey. The weather was sunnier today too. Northern California gets a lot of rain in the winter, so we were lucky to see some pockets of sun. We headed to Asilomar Beach, and there was gorgeous views of the rugged coast. There was also a walking path with plenty of viewpoints to enjoy.

While the views were nice, Joe and I agreed other places in Northern California have more epic views. If you’re in Monterey, personally I think it’s worth the extra 45-minute drive to Big Sur — the views are truly jaw-dropping there. Nevertheless, we had a lovely time walking around and watching the waves and surfers. I definitely don’t take it for granted that we have access to this natural beauty.

After our walk, we drove back to the city and grabbed In-n-Out on the way. It was nice to leave some time to relax at home before the rest of the week. The whole weekend was the perfect, spontaneous getaway. ❤