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    Lodging

    Where to stay? The choices are as varied as Monterey County's landscape. Quaint, decadent, understated, austere - which beckons you? From historic mansions...more
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    Things to Do

    Monterey County is a mecca for all things active. By paddle, pedal, foot or golf cart, you're going to have ample opportunity to move and do. Only here,...more
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    Events

    From world class racing to art and music festivals, top tier golf tournaments to food & wine events, there is always something fun happening in Monterey....more
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• Food & Wine
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    Food & Wine

    Gastronomic stimulation is a hallmark of any memorable travel experience. And here again, Monterey County does not disappoint. The diversity of culinary...more
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    Resources

    We've got everything you need to plan a wonderfully memorable Monterey experience. Find out how to get here from wherever you are and be sure to check on...more
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• Destinations
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    Destinations

    You would never tire of driving the 99 miles of Monterey County coastline in either direction. But as hard as it might be to take your eyes or mind off the...more
  • • Monterey
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Monterey Adobes and the Path of History

The combination of Monterey State Historic Park and the antique adobes restored by the Monterey History and Art Association make Monterey the most historic city in California. 55 historic sites lay along Monterey's two-mile "Path of History," providing residents and visitors with a daily, living tie to California's heritage. The Path of History is one of the great bargains on the Peninsula. This self-guided tour of Old Monterey-marked by yellow tiles set in the sidewalk-explores adobes, gardens and sites of interest. Maps are available for individuals and groups.

Self-Guided Tour of the Path of History!

Take yourself on a tour of the Path of History with this informative map and cellphone tour. The map and tour point out important adobes and structures such as Colton Hall, Custom House Plaza, Pacific House and the Golden State Theatre.

Historic Events

Various events lend Monterey's historic adobes a festive flair. History Fest, held every October, brings reenactors from near and far to create living history experiences. Monterey History Fest includes a reenactment of the California Constitutional Convention in Colton Hall, the very spot where it took place; an authentic Mexican fandango, held in the Custom House just as some were in the 1800s; pirate reenactments; historic military encampments; open houses; and even a historic cemetery tour. Sloat's Landing Ceremony occurs the first Saturday in July. Sloat's Landing Ceremony celebrates Monterey's rich heritage and marks the date July 7, 1846 when Commodore John Drake Sloat declared California as part of the United States. The annual Christmas in the Adobes is a popular December tradition when luminarias light the paths and the fragrance of Mexican hot chocolate fills the air.

Notable Historic Buildings

• The Royal Presidio Chapel is the oldest structure in Monterey, constructed by the Spanish government in 1794. It is the first architect-designed building in California.
• The original portion of the Robert Louis Stevenson House dates from the late 1830s. Here the author reportedly began his classic tale of adventure, Treasure Island.
• In 1849, Colton Hall hosted the first California Constitutional Convention.
• California's First Theater was built in the 1840s by Jack Swan, an English sailor, as a saloon and apartments. The 1st New York Volunteers, an Army unit stationed in Monterey, put on their first play at the building in 1850, establishing it as Monterey's theatrical destination.
• Larkin House was the first house built in the Monterey Colonial architectural style. Thomas Oliver Larkin built it in 1834, adapting traditional New England motifs to the available redwood and adobe.
• The Custom House, Monterey State Historic Park, at the entrance to Fisherman's Wharf, is the oldest government building in California and is California State Historic Monument #1.
• Pacific House has served many different purposes in its history. Since it was built in 1847, it's been a military supply storage site, a hotel, a church and a ballroom, among other things. It's now a history museum.
• Cooper-Molera Adobe was home to three generations of Coopers. Built in the 1820s and remodeled many times until 1900, it now houses a visitor center with a shop full of old-time treasures. Don't miss its historic garden.
• Casa Soberanes is a Mexican Colonial adobe structure furnished with handsomely preserved antique furniture, artwork and silver.
• Casa Serrano has a special significance in California's early history because it served simultaneously as one of the first schools after the U.S. flag was flown over the Custom House in 1846. Open on Saturdays and free to the public.