I had bought the San Francisco
City pass that includes the 7 day Muni pass. I really shouldn’t have, since I
had a car and parking wasn’t an issue for me. I wrote a post about parking in SF:
The City Pass included the option
to visit the Aquarium at Monterey Bay. On the third day of my trip it was
raining, so I decided to drive to Monterey Bay from San Jose. That drive took
about an hour and half and it was a beautiful drive through stunning mountain scenery.
I was too lazy to get out and take photos, but it was so beautiful. I have
driven through many beautiful places around the world, but I absolutely loved
driving through California. The combination of mountain views and the ocean
views were breath taking. The weather in January was also a bit chilly and
foggy, and I believe that added to the beauty of the scenery.
Monterey Bay has a small town
right beside the Aquarium.This is a beautiful seaside town. Charming houses with small yards. I had to park by
the street, meter parking. It was about $6 for 4 hours.
The aquarium was a former Sardine
Cannery. It was interesting to learn about the Sardine/Anchovies industry, and
how the town evolved over time. My favorite part about the aquarium was how it
connected to the ocean. See photos below. I spend about 2 hours in here, and then walked
around town going to souvenir shops and taking in the view.
I had my lunch at a restaurant on
the bay called “Fish Hopper”. The view and the service was nice, the fish and
chips not very flavorful. I wandered
around the souvenir shops some more and started my drive back to San Francisco
along the coast line. Initially it went along the coast, and then the GPS routed
me through some very curvy and interesting mountain roads.
See below for some photos from my
day in Monterey Bay :
|
Monterey Aquarium |
|
Town of Monterey |
|
Town of Monterey |
|
Town of Monterey |
|
Town of Monterey |
|
Town of Monterey |
|
Town of Monterey |