Award-Winning Monterey County

Visit this page to read about the latest awards and mentions for Monterey County destinations!

Big Sur International Marathon is worth the travel

Forbes just named the "Top 10 Marathons Worth Traveling For" and the Big Sur International Marathon is one of them!

Spindrift Inn is #4 most romantic hotel

Once again the Spindrift Inn ranked highly on TripAdvisor's "Top 10 Hotels for Romance in the US" coming in at #4.

Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa ranks on TripAdvisor's "Top 25 Hotels in the U.S."

A special congratulations to the Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa. TripAdvisor travelers have spoken and have chosen the luxurious accommodation as one of the Top 25 Hotels in the United States!

Monterey County properties recognized on Condé Naste Travel Gold List

Once again, Monterey County was highly recognized on the Condé Nast Traveler Gold List. Congratulations to Post Ranch Inn, Ventana Inn & Spa, The Inn at Spanish Bay, and The Lodge at Pebble Beach for their inclusion on this elite list! All these 2012 Gold List properties were also given the Condé Nast Platinum Circle Award, which recognizes their appearance on the Condé Nast Gold List for five or more consecutive years.

Monterey County ranks in Travel + Leisure "World's Best"

Pick up the January 2012 issue of Travel + Leisure to see which Monterey County hotels ranked among the “World’s Best.” A special congratulations to Carmel’s L’Auberge Carmel, Carmel Valley’s Bernardus Lodge, Big Sur’s Post Ranch Inn and Ventana Inn & Spa and Pebble Beach’s The Lodge at Pebble Beach and The Inn at Spanish Bay for making the cut!

Monterey County Hotels Appear in Conde Nast's 2011 Readers' Choice

Big Sur’s Ventana Inn and Spa and Carmel Valley's Bernardus Lodge once again appeared on the United States Top Hotels list, while Post Ranch Inn , L'Auberge Carmel, Hyatt Carmel Highlands, and Pacific Grove's Green Gables Inn all placed on the United States Top Small Hotels list. Carmel’s Mission Ranch emerged as a favorite among the United States Small Resorts and Pebble Beach's Inn at Spanish Bay ranked highly among the United States Top Resorts. The Lodge at Pebble Beach earned top honors as one of the top 100 properties worldwide.

Monterey County Wines Receive Top Honors

Congratulations to Morgan Winery, Bernardus Winery and Pierce Ranch Vineyards for their award-winning wines! Morgan Winery received a prestigious accolade for their 2009 Metallico Chardonnay in Wine Spectator's "Top 100 of 2011". SF Gate named 2010’s Bernardus Griva Vineyard Arroyo Seco Sauvignon Blanc and 2009’s Leojami Pierce Ranch Vineyard San Antonio Valley Grenache on their “Top 100 Wines of 2011".

Carmel Listed as One of the Top Ten Cities in the US

Condé Nast Traveler readers praised Monterey County in the 2011 Readers' Choice Awards! Carmel once again took honors as one of the top ten cities in the United States, while an impressive nine hotels and resorts also received high accolades.

Carmel Valley Featured in Diablo

Bay Area residents, read all about fine wine, outdoor adventure and equestrian-themed getaways in the beautiful Carmel Valley in October’s issue of Diablo.

Sunset Magazine names Post Ranch Inn as one of the best Hotels in the West

Don’t miss October’s Sunset Magazine, which features Big Sur’s Post Ranch Inn as one of its Best Hotels of the West! Post Ranch Inn was also named Best for Romance and Best for Outdoors. The issue also features write-ups on the newly renovated Glen Oaks Big Sur and the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s refreshed Open Sea exhibit.

Local Restaurants Shine in Bay Area Restaurant Survey

Monterey County restaurants were the stars of Zagat’s 25th annual Bay Area Restaurant Survey. In a coup, Carmel’s Aubergine under new chef Justin Cogley landed at number 5 on the “Best Food” shortlist, beating out restaurants throughout San Francisco, Napa, Sonoma as well as Monterey County. Sierra Mar in Big Sur took first place for Top Décor, while Carmel Highlands’ Pacific's Edge took number 5.

Monterey County featured in Vogue

Pick up the September issue of Vogue and check out the Destination of the Month….Monterey County! Richard Alleman scoped out Monterey, Salinas, Big Sur, Pacific Grove and Carmel-by-the-Sea.

Three of the most picturesque golf courses are in Pebble Beach!

Congratulations to the three local golf courses that made Bleacher Report’s list of the “Top 10 Most Picturesque Golf Courses in the United States.” We must agree that Spyglass Hill, Pebble Beach Golf Links and Cypress Point offer spectacular views!

Pacific Grove featured in Sactown

Don’t miss the August/September 2011 issue of Sactown, featuring Pacific Grove in “Small Town Getaways!" Sactown suggests visiting the Monterey Bay Aquarium, dining at Passionfish and lodging at Green Gables Inn.

Monterey region makes list for Travel + Leisure World's Best Awards

The Travel + Leisure World's Best Awards are out, and Monterey region properties have once again made the list! The Inn at Spanish Bay landed on the Top 100 Hotels list, and was ranked number 15 on the Top Resorts in the U.S. list. Its spa also ranked as number 7 on the Top U.S. Spas list. Big Sur's Post Ranch Inn once again ranked highly on the Top Inns in the U.S. list, coming in at number 3. The Lodge at Pebble Beach ranked as the number 27 resort in the U.S., while Ventana Inn & Spa was right behind as number 33.

Local State Parks highlighted in Sunset Magazine

Don’t miss the August issue of Sunset Magazine! Find out why Fort Ord Dunes State Park is one of their summer favorites. Also, see which famous chefs pick the Pinnacles National Monument and Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park as their favorite place to camp.

Monterey County Hotels awarded to Condé Nast Traveler's "Top 50 Hotel Spas — US Mainland"

Two Monterey County hotels have been awarded slots on the Condé Nast Traveler "Top 50 Hotel Spas — US Mainland" list! Congratulations to Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur and the Monterey Plaza Hotel and Spa on Cannery Row for their well-earned accolades.

Big Sur and Carmel rank in TripAdvisor's "Travelers Choice Top 25 US Destinations"

Congratulations to Big Sur and Carmel, ranked number 18 and number 20 in TripAdvisor's Travelers Choice Top 25 US Destinations awards! Voters also ranked the Pacific Coast Highway, known in this area as Highway One, as number 7 on the list of the world's "Bold Driving Destinations." The list called out "giant redwood groves, the spectacular cliffs at Big Sur and frisky sea otters," three of Monterey County's top sights, as the reasons the drive ranked tops among U.S. roads.

The Sardine Factory's "Award of Excellence"

The Sardine Factory has won the Distinguished Restaurants of North America "Award of Excellence" again this year, for the 19th year in a row! The Sardine Factory was anonymously evaluated using a 75-point evaluation criteria system in order to be eligible for the award. Congratulations!

Top Weekend Escapes From San Francisco

The May 2011 issue of San Francisco Magazine lists Pinnacles National Monument and Glen Oaks Big Sur as two of its top 25 new weekend escapes. This great article features spectacular photos.

Monterey County's Award-Winning Best Values

The May 2011 issue of Sunset Magazine lists Big Sur's Ripplewood Resort and Carmel's Mission Ranch Resort as two of its Top 50 Hotels Under $150!

Monterey Peninsula: Outstanding Runner Friendly Community

The Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) has just given the Monterey Peninsula the Outstanding Runner Friendly Community award! The RRCA made its decision based on the beautiful running trails that criss-cross the area, the multitude of foot races that are also fund-raisers for charity, the strong community participation in running events, and the heavy coverage in local media of running events and the running scene.

Portola Hotel & Spa Receives Four Diamonds

Congratulations to the Portola Hotel & Spa, which has just earned the prestigious AAA Four Diamond rating! This rating is shared by only 4% of the hotels that AAA inspects, and by only four other hotels in the city of Monterey.

India Says: Monterey Bay Aquarium Is Tops!

We always knew the world-renowned Monterey Bay Aquarium was the best — and Condé Nast Traveller India has confirmed it! The magazine has just named the Monterey Bay Aquarium one of the top five aquariums in the world.

Two Of California's Top Three Golf Resorts Are In Pebble Beach!

Congratulations to the Inn at Spanish Bay and the Lodge at Pebble Beach, named two of the top three golf resorts in California by Condé Nast Traveler!

Two Of The Most Beautiful Holes In Golf Are In Pebble Beach!

CNN named the 18 most beautiful holes in golf. Only three were in the United States — and two of those were at Pebble Beach! The 7th hole at Pebble Beach Golf Links was CNN's pick to round out the front nine, while the exclusive Cypress Point Golf Club's 16th hole appeared in the back nine. Congratulations to both!

Monterey County's Condé Nast Traveler Gold List and Travel + Leisure World's Best Hotels Winners

Once again, Monterey County was unmatched on the Condé Nast Traveler Gold List. One-quarter of Gold List hotels in California are located here. Only New York City could equal Monterey County's representation in the Gold List; every other U.S. county fell short. Congratulations to the Post Ranch Inn, Ventana Inn & Spa, Hyatt Carmel Highlands, L'Auberge Carmel, Casa Palmero, Inn at Spanish Bay, and the Lodge at Pebble Beach for their inclusion on this elite list!

Monterey County properties also made a big splash on Travel + Leisure's World's Best Hotels list. Congratulations to the Post Ranch Inn, Ventana Inn & Spa, Bernardus Lodge, Hyatt Carmel Highlands, L'Auberge Carmel, Inn at Spanish Bay and Lodge at Pebble Beach for this notable award!

Monterey County: Tops in Romance

Congratulations to Cannery Row's Spindrift Inn, which was named the top U.S. hotel for romance in the 2011 TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice Hotel Awards, to Glen Oaks Big Sur, named one of the top 25 romantic hotels in the world by Travel + Leisure, and to the Post Ranch Inn and Deetjen's Big Sur Inn, named two of the West's Best Romantic Getaways by Sunset Magazine!

Big Sur Named One of Bon Appétit's Top Six Foodie Towns!

Renowned food magazine Bon Appétit named Big Sur to its list of America's Foodiest Towns in its October 2010 issue! Bon Appétit cited restaurants Nepenthe and Deetjen's as two top foodie reasons to visit the area.

Top Hotel Spas: Post Ranch Inn, Bernardus Lodge, Ventana Inn and Spa

Condé Nast Traveler's April 2010 issue announced the top hotel spas in the United States, and three spas in Monterey County made the list! Big Sur's Post Ranch Inn was number 18, Bernardus Lodge came in at number 42, and Ventana Inn and Spa was ranked number 44. Congratulations to all three for appearing on a very select list!

Monterey Bay Aquarium: One of the Best of the West for Families

Fodors.com named the Monterey Bay Aquarium one of the top 15 things to do with kids. "The beauty of the exhibits here is that they are all designed to give a sense of what it's like to be in the water with the animals," says the article, which especially recommends petting a bat ray in the Splash Zone area.

Most Romantic Hotels in U.S.: Spindrift Inn and Monterey Bay Inn

The results are in for the 2010 TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice Awards, and Monterey is the only town in the U.S. with two hotels on the "Top 10 Hotels for Romance" list! Two of TripAdvisor's top three romantic hotels in the United States are located on Cannery Row in Monterey. The Spindrift Inn, located directly on McAbee Beach, was rated tops for romance, while the Monterey Bay Inn, just down the street and next to San Carlos Beach, is number three on the list.

Carmel's Mission Ranch is One Of Trip Advisor's Top 10 Celebrity-Owned Hotels

Travel website TripAdvisor has named Clint Eastwood's Mission Ranch in Carmel one of its Top 10 Celebrity-Owned Hotels. Eastwood's Mission Ranch came in at #7, beating hotels like Dublin's The Clarence (owned by Bono and The Edge) and London's The Big Sleep (owned by John Malkovich). TripAdvisor says, "Eastwood, who owns a home nearby, is still spotted on occasion at Mission Ranch, a cozy farmhouse with 31 unique rooms, ocean views, and sheep grazing in the meadow." Congratulations to Mission Ranch!

Monterey County: More Hotels and Resorts on 2010 Condé Nast Traveler Gold List Than Any County (and Most States) in US!

Eight hotels and resorts in Monterey County have been named to the 2010 Condé Nast Traveler Gold List, making it the county with the most Gold List properties in the United States!

Monterey County didn't just outdo every county in the United States; it outdid most states on the list as well. Of the 31 states listed, Monterey County's number of Gold List hotels and resorts trounces 27 of them, including Colorado, Nevada, New York, and Texas. Monterey County has as many properties on the Gold List as the entire state of Arizona.

Carmel-by-the-Sea's L'Auberge Carmel was featured for the fifth year in a row, Carmel Valley's Bernardus Lodge made its fifth appearance on the Gold List since 2005, and the Hyatt Carmel Highlands appeared for the fourth time since 2005. Big Sur's Post Ranch Inn appears for the sixth year in a row, while Ventana Inn and Spa makes its fifth appearance since 2005. For the third year in a row, all three resorts at Pebble Beach — The Inn at Spanish Bay, Casa Palmero, and the Lodge at Pebble Beach — were honored. Casa Palmero was also named one of the top resorts in the United States for rooms and service.

Runner's World Names the Big Sur International Marathon to List of Top Three Worldwide

The prestigious Runner's World Magazine has named the Big Sur International Marathon one of its top three worldwide marathons. They recommend that readers "put this one on your life list." The next Big Sur International Marathon takes place April 25, 2010. As of December 4, marathon registration is 61% full, the 21-miler is 59% full, and the 10.6 miler is 54% full. Don't miss out — register now!

Monterey County Cleans Up in Condé Nast Traveler 2009 Readers' Choice Awards

Condé Nast Traveler readers showed their love of Monterey County in the 2009 Readers' Choice Awards! Carmel once again took honors as one of the top ten cities in the United States, while an astounding nine hotels and resorts also received accolades.

Big Sur's Ventana Inn and Spa and Carmel Valley's Bernardus Lodge once again appeared on the United States Top Hotels list, while Post Ranch Inn, L'Auberge Carmel, Hyatt Carmel Highlands, and Pacific Grove's Gosby House Inn all placed on the United States Top Small Hotels list. Pebble Beach's Inn at Spanish Bay was listed as the number two resort in the continental United States, while the Lodge at Pebble Beach leapt to number four. The Inn at Spanish Bay also earned honors as one of the top 100 properties worldwide. Pebble Beach's Casa Palmero, meanwhile, took honors as the number two mainland US small resort.

Congratulations to all Readers' Choice Awards recipients!

Pebble Beach Resorts Named #1 Golf Resort in North America by Golf Digest

For the third time in the past four rankings, Golf Digest has named Pebble Beach Resorts the top golf resort in North America. Over 900 panelists traveled secretly to golf resorts throughout the United States, Mexico, Canada and the Caribbean to rate them on many criteria. This ranking shows that, in the lead-up to the 2010 U.S. Open, Pebble Beach Resorts is in top form!

Local Hotels Win Travel + Leisure's "World's Best" Awards

Travel + Leisure has recognized several Monterey County hotels with their coveted "World's Best" awards. Kudos to Big Sur's Post Ranch Inn, appearing on both the list of Top 100 Hotels in the World and the Top 5 Best Continental U.S. and Canada Inns. Its neighbor Ventana Inn & Spa also appeared on the list of Top 50 Continental U.S. and Canada Resorts, alongside Pebble Beach luminaries Lodge at Pebble Beach and Inn at Spanish Bay. Congratulations to all!

Seven Monterey County Hotels on 2009 Conde Nast Traveler Gold List

The 2009 Conde Nast Traveler Gold List features seven Monterey County hotels. Carmel's L'Auberge Carmel was featured for the fourth year in a row, and Carmel Valley's Bernardus Lodge made its fourth appearance on the Gold List. Big Sur's Post Ranch Inn appears for the fifth year in the row, while Ventana Inn and Spa makes its fourth appearance. And how many Pebble Beach hotels made the list? All of them! The Inn at Spanish Bay, Casa Palmero, and the Lodge at Pebble Beach can all be found on the 2009 Conde Nast Traveler Gold List, making it the second year that all three accommodations have appeared on the list. Congratulations to all!

Monterey County's Beaches Graded A, A+ by Heal the Bay

We've always thought our beaches deserved top marks, and Heal the Bay agrees. In its 19th Annual Beach Report Card, the organization gave two beaches (Monterey Municipal Beach and Stillwater Cove) an A grade, and six beaches (Asilomar State Beach; Carmel City Beach; Lover's Point Park, a beach the Monterey County Convention & Visitors Bureau has adopted; the beach at Beach Resort Monterey; San Carlos Beach and Spanish Bay) an A+ grade! Learn more about the beaches of Monterey County on the Beaches section of our website.

Point Pinos Lighthouse, River Road Wine Trail Top Free Things to Do in the West, says AOL Travel

AOL Travel selected the top 20 free things to do in the West, and two of them are in Monterey County! Number four on AOL Travel's list was Point Pinos Lighthouse in Pacific Grove, and number six was the River Road Wine Trail in Salinas Valley. AOL Travel knows: you don't have to break your budget to have fun in Monterey County!

Five Monterey County Golf Courses Make Golf Digest's Top 100 List

Golf Digest released its Top 100 list on April 1. The list includes five Monterey County golf courses — and two Pebble Beach courses were in the top 10! Ranked number 4 of the top 100 is Cypress Point at Pebble Beach. The legendary Pebble Beach Golf Links also was in the top 10 at number 6, and was the top-ranked public golf course. Spyglass Hill came in at number 51, Monterey Peninsula Country Club climbed to number 72, and the Preserve in Carmel is number 78.

In their sidebar article, "Best 19th Holes," The Tap Room at Pebble Beach was singled out as "the most famous 19th hole in golf."

Congratulations to all!

Monterey County Has Three Top Spas, Says Conde Nast Traveler

Three of the top 19 hotel spas are located in Monterey County, says Conde Nast Traveler. The premiere travel magazine named Big Sur's Spa at Post Ranch Inn and Allegria Spa at Ventana Inn and Spa, and Carmel Valley's Spa at Bernardus Lodge to their list of top spas. Congratulations to all three!

Pebble Beach Golf Links is America's Favorite Golf Course

In the sixth edition of Zagat's America's Top Golf Courses guide book, Pebble Beach Golf Links was once again rated the most popular golf course in the United States. The guide will be available shortly in hard copy, as well as electronic versions for iPhone and Blackberry.

Earthbound Farm: Top Western Garden, says Sunset

Sunset Magazine has named Earthbound Farm one of its top Western gardens. They recommend trying the salad bar, and heading out to the fields to pick your own vegetables, flowers and herbs. They also note it's a great place to bring the kids, with a children's farm loaded with activities. Congratulations, Earthbound Farm!

Forbes Names Big Sur Tops for Romance!

Big Sur is one of Forbes Magazine's top ten romantic places to visit! Forbes lauded Big Sur's "sweeping views of rocky ocean cliffs, hugged by pine and cypress trees." If you're planning to bring your sweetheart to Big Sur for the weekend, Forbes recommends a stroll down the Overlook Trail at Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, followed by an overnight stay at the Post Ranch Inn.

Point Lobos: #1 Walk in the USA!

Point Lobos State Reserve, "the greatest meeting of land and sea in the world," has been named the top walk in the USA by About.com! Among its charms, writer Wendy Bumgartner pointed out its "breathtaking views" and the opportunity to spot wildlife such as otters and gray whales. With over a dozen trails of varying degrees of difficulty, it's sure to provide visitors with an excellent day out.

Six Monterey County Hotels Named to T+L's "World's Best" List!

Once again, six area hotels have earned a place on the Travel + Leisure "T+L 500 World's Best Hotels" list! These hotels are legendary for setting a standard other establishments around the world may emulate, but never duplicate.

The award-winning hotels are:

Monterey Jazz Fest Named World's Best

Readers of JazzTimes have once again named the Monterey Jazz Festival the world's best! This is the third year in a row the landmark music festival has been named the world's best in the JazzTimes annual Reader's Poll. Experience what everyone is raving about. Mark your calendar now for the 52nd Monterey Jazz Festival, September 18—20, 2009!

TravBuddy Trumpets Monterey, Big Sur

Online travel community TravBuddy named two Monterey County destinations to its Top 10 "Off-The-Beaten-Path" California Tourist Destinations for 2008!

Number one on their list was Monterey, cited for "the world renowned Monterey Bay Aquarium" and the local "scenic drives." Big Sur claimed the number nine spot, recommended for tourists interested in "solitude, star-gazing, and hiking."

Take a drive down Highway 1 and find out what TravBuddy is talking about!

Carmel Rated #1 for Ambiance by Condé Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Awards

Readers of Condé Nast Traveler agree; the city of Carmel-by-the-Sea has the best ambiance in the United States! Carmel-by-the-Sea also rated sixth in the survey's list of top United States cities.

The list of top cities wasn't Monterey County's only place in the sun. Several local hotels made the list of top hotels in the United States. The Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur was 26, L'Auberge Carmel was 31, Bernardus Lodge & Winery in Carmel Valley was 34, and Ventana Inn and Spa in Big Sur was 45.

Famed destination Pebble Beach made its presence felt in the Readers' Choice Top Resorts list for the mainland United States. The Inn at Spanish Bay was ranked sixth of all resorts in the mainland United States, while Casa Palmero was 15 and the Lodge at Pebble Beach was 24.

Congratulations to all members who received a Readers' Choice Award!