2024 in Monterey County offers new experiences, significant milestones, and extended exploration opportunities for meeting planners and attendees. While maintaining its timeless charm with breathtaking views and warm hospitality, the region introduces diverse culinary options and brand new lodging and meeting spaces. These additions will enhance the appeal for meeting planners, making Monterey County an ideal choice for upcoming meetings and events.
LODGING AND MEETING SPACES
Home2 Suites by Hilton (Marina) | Opening February 2024
Photo Credit: Home2 Suites by Hilton
A family and pet-friendly accommodation, the 93-room, all-suite hotel is perfect for extended stays and features in-suite kitchenettes.
Monterey Hostel (Monterey) | Opening Spring 2024
Photo Credit: Monterey Hostel
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
Photo Credit: Lark Hotels
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.
RESTAURANTS
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.
Jeju (Carmel-by-the-Sea) | Opening Spring 2024
Photo Credit: Jeju
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.
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.
Otto's Bread Company (Salinas) | Opening Spring 2024
Photo Credit: Otto's Bread Company
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.
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.
2024 Milestones
Return of Pebble Beach Food & Wine | April 4-7, 2024
Photo Credit: Pebble Beach Food & Wine
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.
