Many visitors to the Monterey Peninsula automatically go to the traditional tourist spots including the Monterey Bay Aquarium, a AAA GEM attraction, or Cannery Row, featured in John Steinbeck’s writings. Others like to visit Carmel and its art galleries or play golf at Pebble Beach.  These are great places to visit, but Pacific Grove offers a little something different.

The small town of Pacific Grove, also known as “Butterfly Town USA,” is tucked between Monterey on the north and Carmel and Pebble Beach to the south. It sits right on the Monterey Bay, yet offers the woodsy Del Monte Forest where seeing deer and other wildlife is a daily occurrence, especially at the Asilomar Conference Grounds. Monarch Butterflies migrate here every fall. The town has even created a special sanctuary where the butterflies are protected among the eucalyptus and pine trees and visitors can walk the trails.

Pacific Grove is a quiet town with picture postcard tree-lined streets and views of the water from almost any street crossing. The downtown area with its original storefronts almost gives one the feeling of being in a small New England town. Small alleyways lead to courtyards with unique shops and restaurants. Fresh seafood is abundant.  My favorite restaurant has to be Fandango, which has been in the area since the early 1980s and is family owned and operated. The European-style cuisine specialties include rack of lamb, osso bucco and, my favorite, an absolutely incredible carbonara!

For those looking for a bit of history, Pacific Grove is the home of the west coast’s oldest operating lighthouse, Point Pinos Lighthouse. Since 1885, it has warned ocean craft of the rocky coastline. Visitors learn about the lighthouse’s history, its keepers and the lenses and prisms.

Those just wanting to relax should head to Lover’s Point, which offers spectacular views of the entire Monterey Peninsula coastline. There are grassy areas with park benches and tables for families to picnic, wade into the water or just relax and enjoy the view. This is a great spot to watch whales spouting and breaching off the coast.

If you visit and want to sound like one of the locals, call it “PG!”