17-Mile Drive, Pebble Beach, CA

 

The Monterey Peninsula is one of the most beautiful parts of the United States. It is an area where the Pacific Ocean meets California’s rocky shore. It is a great place to to come and enjoy nature.

One way to enjoy this beauty is to take a trip along the 17-Mile Drive. This is a private road, owned by the Pebble Beach Corporation. The land was bought up in the early 1900’s by a group of railroad barons under the name of the Pacific Improvement Company, with the plan to build golf resorts and bring tourists to the area. So, as you drive along the road, several golf courses wind their way around you. 

 

The reason to take the drive is to enjoy the sights. Watching the waves play among the rock, spraying the birds and the sea lions is a wonderful way to spend a day.

A stop at the Lone Cyprus is as close to a must do on this trip.

Since this is a private road, there is a $12.25 fee per car to tour the 17-mile Drive, but if you stop at one of the restaurants at resorts in Pebble Beach you can receive a credit for that amount against you bill, and you get to watch the golfers play the famous 18th hole of the Pebble Beach course. 

I always have mixed feeling about paying a private entity to see nature that I feel should be available to everyone, but this is one of those times where the beauty is worth the investment.

Nuts and Bolts:

There are several entrances to the 17-Mile Drive, as it stretches from Monterey/Pacific Grove to Carmel by the Sea. Traffic moves slowly, and there are many places to stop, take photos, and enjoy the view.

The touristy side of Monterey CA

 

The town of Monterey, California, has a long history. It was founded in 1770 by Spanish explorers, and became the capital of the Province of California in 1777. But I was in town for only a little over 36 hours, and I was planning on touring the 17-mile drive, so I spent my time as most tourists in a rush, visiting the “big name” sights of Old Fisherman’s Wharf and Cannery Row. 

If you read my posts regularly, you know that this is not how I usually visit a town. But I did have my reasons. Let’s talk about Old Fisherman’s Wharf first. It is home to all of the stores you might expect to find in such a place - tee-shirt shops, souvenirs, and fancy candy stores. There are also a range of sea food restaurants, although none were open for breakfast. Old Fisherman’s Wharf is where you can find several wildlife watching boat tours. But, the draw for me is the beautiful Marina. Especially on a quiet morning, with calm waters all around, it is a beautiful place to visit.

My other visit to “touristy” Monterey was to Cannery Row. This waterfront street was the home to several sardine canneries from 1908 through to 1973. Cannery Row was made famous in two novels by John Steinbeck - Cannery Row (1945) and Sweet Thursday (1954).

Cannery Row was also home to Pacific Biological Laboratories, founded by Dr. Ed Ricketts. PBL was one of the countries largest suppliers of marine samples and slides for labs and schools.

Pacific Biological Labs

Today Cannery Row is filled with a wide range of stores, shops and restaurants. I had a great lunch at Fish Hopper, on the pier at Steinbeck Plaza. 

The biggest draw in this part of town is the Monterey Bay Aquarium, which is considered one of the best in the world, and which played a central role in Star Trek IV - The One About the Whales.

I admit that my reason for this way too short visit to Monterey was for it be a base for a day touring along the 17-Mile Drive on Monterey Peninsula. But that’s next week’s story, sooo…… see ya then.

A Night Walk in NYC

Church Street

 

I love walking around in cities and towns. But exploring a city at night brings an entirely different view and experience. This week, I took a walk across Manhattan, from Chinatown to Tribeca.

Cortland Alley

Along Canal Street

New York’s Chinatown is a bustling neighborhood. It is full of local residents, other New Yorkers and tourists. The stores spill out onto the streets, with bright lights shining, and goods piled on tables and hanging from the awnings. Even those stores that are completely interior are lit to attract attention.

Mott Street

Pell Street

Doyers Street

Pell Street

Mott Street

Mott Street

Mott Street

Mott Street

Canal Street

Canal Street

 To the west of Chinatown is the neighborhood of Tribeca - Triangle Below Canal street. Tribeca was an industrial area. The industries changed over the decades, from shipping and storage, to dry goods, to printing and advertising. Most of these businesses died out by the end of the 20th century. During the past 25 or so years, the buildings have been converted into fancy and expensive loft apartment. As the demographics have changed, so did the storefronts. High end fashion and high price restaurants have moved in to replace older shops. The streets are not as crowded and the lights are more muted than Chinatown, an incandescent yellow instead of garish bright neon.

West Broadway

West Broadway

West Broadway

West Broadway

Church Street

Church Street

Walker Street

Walking through a city at night offers a different view of life there. While you might miss many of the architecture features seen during the day, the play of lights on the street are beautiful. They can create a dream-like presence. 

Tribeca Park