Monterey County
Monterey is beautifully situated on Monterey Bay; it also has an interesting history. From 1770 to 1822 it was the capital of Spanish California, at a time when Los Angeles, San Francisco and the present-day capital Sacramento had not even been founded. After Mexico declared its
independence from Spain, Monterey continued in the role of provincial capital for another 24 years; but soon afterwards its political importance began to wane.
The town's fish canning industry collapsed decades ago when the sardine disappeared from the waters around Monterey; it has been left a notable literary memorial in the form of John Steinbeck's novel "Cannery Row". Today tourism is the economic mainstay. There are numerous good hotels, motels and restaurants, a complete list of which can be obtained from the Chamber of Commerce, 380 Alvarado Street, tel. 408-649-3200.
When to visit
The best time to visit the peninsula is in the period September to June, the three summer months being often marred by fog and low cloud. Rain can be expected in January and February.
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