New Hotels and Renovated Accommodations

Throughout Monterey County several new, renovated and soon-to-open lodging options will enhance the visitor experience and be a catalyst for exploring the diverse corners of Monterey County. These include: 

• Monterey Hostel (Monterey) | Opening Spring 2024 
  Located one block from bustling Lighthouse Avenue, the newly renovated Monterey Hostel provides an affordable haven for guests while offering travelers educational and conservation opportunities.  

• Stilwell Hotel (Carmel-by-the-Sea) | Opening March 2024 
  Opening in the heart of Carmel-by-the-Sea, Stilwell will offer 42 meticulously designed guest rooms, ocean views, in-room fireplaces and complimentary breakfast and parking, by Lark Hotels.

• Home2 Suites by Hilton (Marina) | Opening February 2024 
  A family and pet-friendly accommodation, the 93-room, all-suite hotel is perfect for extended stays and features in-suite kitchenettes. 

• La Playa Hotel (Carmel-by-the-Sea) | Full Renovation October 2023 
  Known as “The Grand Dame of Carmel,” this historic 74-room hotel underwent a $15 million renovation to enhance the heritage of this former artist retreat built for Angela Ghirardelli. Renovations included all 74 guestrooms, three new one-bedroom suites and over 6,000 sq. ft. of indoor and outdoor space. 

• Hilton Garden Inn (Monterey) | Full Renovation October 2023 
  Located in the center of Monterey, Hilton Garden Inn completed a $17 million full renovation, including all public spaces and common areas, all guest rooms, pool, furniture, bar and restaurant. 

• Le Petit Pali Ocean Ave & Le Petit Pali 8th Ave (Carmel-by-the-Sea) | Opened July 2023  
  Two sister properties located two blocks apart, Carmel-by-the-Sea welcomes the newest brand, Le Petit Pali, by Palisociety. Bespoke design is featured at both properties with 34 rooms at the Ocean Avenue location and 24 rooms at the 8th Avenue location. Guests have access to both properties, each with small luxuries like Champagne breakfast and daily social hours spotlighting beloved local businesses. 

• Carmel Beach Hotel (Carmel-by-the-Sea) | Opened June 2023  
  A stone’s throw from the beach, Carmel Beach Hotel has 26 guestrooms that span seven historic buildings, offering ocean views and private decks. The luxury hotel features a guest-only spa and Secoya Restaurant, helmed by Michelin-starred Chef Justin Cogley.

New Restaurants and Diverse Culinary Offerings 

Monterey County’s ever-evolving culinary scene is embracing diverse flavors and experiences with a range of new restaurants and bars, each with its own story to tell: 

• Mainlander's Tropical Cocktail Lounge (Salinas) | Opening Summer 2024 
  Upstairs from the newly opened Live @ Heirloom Pizza Co. (see above), Mainlander's Tropical Cocktail Lounge will offer rum-based drinks in a tropical lounge.  

• Sweet Reba’s (Salinas) | Opening Summer 2024 
  Sweet Reba’s, a small Carmel bakery run by a Food Network Cake Wars alum, will expand bringing its beloved sweet treats into Oldtown Salinas. With a larger location, Sweet Reba’s Salinas will offer additional savory items and lunch items to its menu. 

• Solstice (Big Sur) | Opening Summer 2024 
  Harking back to ‘67, Solstice is set to open in The Village Big Sur under the helm of Tim Eelman, offering a vegetal-forward culinary experience that will highlight local purveyors and celebrate the extraordinary bounty of the Central Coast and Big Sur.  

• Jeju (Carmel-by-the-Sea) | Opening Spring 2024  
  Carmel Plaza will welcome Jeju this spring, offering authentic cuisine from South Korea and Jeju Island; meanwhile, enthusiasts can savor a preview at Carmel Burger Bar until its full-fledged launch. 

• Otto’s Bread Company (Salinas) | Opening Spring 2024 
  Otto Kramm will open his first shop in downtown Salinas this spring offering an array of sourdough bread loaves, dinner rolls and pretzels, along with pastries and hot food. 

• Hops and Fog Brewing Company (Pacific Grove) | Opening Spring 2024 
  Opening in Pacific Grove this spring, Hops and Fog is a ft brewpub complete with a wood-fired oven.

• Lady & Larder (Carmel Valley) | Opened December 2023 
  Los Angeles cheese and sandwich shop, a media darling and beloved by locals and celebrities alike, Lady & Larder’s co-owners and twin sisters Sarah and Boo Simms return to their roots of Carmel Valley to open the second outpost. Highlighting local produce and cheese, charcuterie boards will be available for catering, and a cheese counter, natural wine and sandwiches in-store. 

• Nicolás Cocina de Herencia (Carmel-by-the-Sea) | Opened November 2023 
  By Chef/Owner Susana Alvarez of the beloved Villa Azteca in Salinas, Nicolás Cocina de Herencia honors Alvarez’s heritage, serving specialty Michoacán dishes and incorporating three generations of family recipes through an inventive lens. Located in Carmel Plaza, the chic and upscale space is meticulously designed with traditional Mexican elements.  

• Chalone Vineyard Tasting Room (Carmel-by-the-Sea) | Opened November 2023 
  Internationally acclaimed after its 3rd place ranking in the 1976 Judgement of Paris, Chalone Vineyard opened its newest tasting room in the Carmel Plaza offering a warm, wood-laden atmosphere. Explore a selection of award-winning wine from Monterey County’s oldest producing vineyard, alongside a caviar pairing or cheeses. 

• Live @ Heirloom Pizza Co. (Salinas) | Opened October 2023 
  Specializing in deep dish and thin crust pizzas, Heirloom Pizza Co. brings their coveted pies and late-night dining to the booming Main Street of Salinas, along with a live music venue in a 10,000 sq. ft. art deco space. 

• Ad Astra Bread Co. (Monterey) | Opened August 2023 
  Ad Astra Bread Co., prized by locals and restaurateurs, debuted its new headquarters in the heart of downtown Monterey, offering naturally leavened sourdough bread and artisanal baked goods in a 3,000 square-foot space including al fresco dining. 

• The Annex (Carmel-by-the-Sea) | Opened August 2023 
  Bringing a vineyard wine garden into the heart of Carmel-by-the-Sea, The Annex offers local wines by the Folktale Group and curated small plates in the new courtyard and interior attached to esteemed Seventh & Dolores restaurant.  

• Post No Bills (Carmel) | Opened August 2023 
  The second location of Post No Bills is located at The Barnyard with two patios and a spacious interior with water buffalo couches and beer keg chandeliers. The full kitchen offers pub fare, served late, to accompany the over 14 taps of local brews. 

• Compact Disco (Monterey) | Opened July 2023 
  Livening up downtown Monterey is the newest day and nightclub featuring a tropical disco atmosphere, a HiFi listening room by day that is transformed into a discotheque-inspired lounge by night.

Noteworthy Events and Immersive Experiences 

Monterey offers a plethora of entertainment for all age ranges, with new attractions this year including: 

• Tipsy Putt (Monterey) | Opening February 2024 
  The indoor mini golf-sports bar is adding a Monterey location steps from Cannery Row, offering local craft beer and wine, casual Mexican food and a variety of interactive games.

• Treasure Hunt: The Ride (Monterey) | Opened July 2023 
  Monterey’s newest entertainment destination, Treasure Hunt: The Ride is a first-of-its-kind story told through an immersive, interactive dark ride about Pirate Captain Hippolyte Bouchard, the only pirate to attack Monterey in 1818. The pirate-themed experience includes competition and excitement as guests ride Cavern Cars together as they seek lost treasure, battle skeleton pirates and evade a mighty kraken. Treasure Hunt: The Ride is Cannery Row’s only theme park ride. 

• High Scores Interactive Arcade Museum (Monterey) | Opened July 2023 
  An homage to 80s arcade games, High Score Arcade offers over 170 vintage games, from Donkey Kong and Pac-Man to Street Fighter. Unlimited plays with hourly or all-day admission options with canned beer available. 

2024 Milestones 

This year, Monterey County celebrates momentous milestones and anniversaries: 

• Return of Pebble Beach Food & Wine | April 4-7, 2024 
  After a four-year hiatus, Pebble Beach Food & Wine returns next spring to bring the country’s most creative epicurean minds to Pebble Beach to showcase their talents for a one-of-a-kind culinary festival. 

• 90th Anniversary of Big Sur River Inn  
  Big Sur’s first hotel and restaurant, originally called Apple Pie Inn, is a beloved gathering place nestled in the majestic redwoods alongside the Big Sur River. Locals and visitors alike stop for a riverside stay, provisions at the general store and famed burrito bar, a leisurely lunch at the restaurant or a sit in one of the chairs installed in the river itself. 

• 40th Anniversary of Monterey Bay Aquarium 
  Monterey Bay Aquarium reflects on four decades of unparalleled marine conservation, groundbreaking exhibits and transformative public engagement, solidifying its commitment to oceanic preservation and education. 

• 25th Anniversary of Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch Program 
  The Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch Program commemorates a quarter-century of pioneering sustainable seafood initiatives, empowering consumers, chefs and businesses globally to make environmentally responsible choices for a healthier ocean, with its impactful guidelines implemented globally. 

• 65th Anniversary of the Artichoke Festival 
  California’s official state vegetable has a colorful history: even Norma Jean Mortenson, better known as Marilyn Monroe, was named California’s first honorary Artichoke Queen in 1948. Eleven years later in 1959, the official Artichoke Festival began as a harvest celebration and ode to the region known as the “Artichoke Center of the World,” and today continues to support the heritage of Castroville’s dynamic farming community.

2024 Milestones 

This year, Monterey County celebrates momentous milestones and anniversaries: 

• Return of Pebble Beach Food & Wine | April 4-7, 2024 
  After a four-year hiatus, Pebble Beach Food & Wine returns next spring to bring the country’s most creative epicurean minds to Pebble Beach to showcase their talents for a one-of-a-kind culinary festival. 

• 90th Anniversary of Big Sur River Inn  
  Big Sur’s first hotel and restaurant, originally called Apple Pie Inn, is a beloved gathering place nestled in the majestic redwoods alongside the Big Sur River. Locals and visitors alike stop for a riverside stay, provisions at the general store and famed burrito bar, a leisurely lunch at the restaurant or a sit in one of the chairs installed in the river itself. 

• 40th Anniversary of Monterey Bay Aquarium 
  Monterey Bay Aquarium reflects on four decades of unparalleled marine conservation, groundbreaking exhibits and transformative public engagement, solidifying its commitment to oceanic preservation and education. 

• 25th Anniversary of Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch Program 
  The Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch Program commemorates a quarter-century of pioneering sustainable seafood initiatives, empowering consumers, chefs and businesses globally to make environmentally responsible choices for a healthier ocean, with its impactful guidelines implemented globally. 

• 65th Anniversary of the Artichoke Festival 
  California’s official state vegetable has a colorful history: even Norma Jean Mortenson, better known as Marilyn Monroe, was named California’s first honorary Artichoke Queen in 1948. Eleven years later in 1959, the official Artichoke Festival began as a harvest celebration and ode to the region known as the “Artichoke Center of the World,” and today continues to support the heritage of Castroville’s dynamic farming community.