Escape to California’s Central Coast With a 3-Day Weekend in Monterey

With its hypnotizing coastline and strong sense of history, this former whaling port and fishing village makes for an invigorating weekend getaway. Monterey, California, blends remarkable history and culture — from the site of the signing of the first state constitution to the setting of John Steinbeck’s “Cannery Row” — with posh little restaurants and bars.

Explore the city’s many layers, both on land and by sea, with a long weekend on California’s Central Coast.

As always, check for travel restrictions and closures before planning your trip.

Friday: Explore the Surf (and Turf)

The dramatic coastline of Monterey Bay is certainly the city’s showpiece, so your first day is best spent enjoying the view. The center of the action isOld Fisherman’s Wharf, where you can hop aboard a morning whale-watching tour led by marine biologists. Check out humpbacks and blue whales in the summer and fall, while winter and spring are the seasons to watch gray whales breach.

Return to the charming wharf to find chowder-slinging spots, including the beloved Old Fisherman’s Grotto. Order a bowl here, or head to Paluca Trattoria, known to viewers of HBO’s “Big Little Lies” as the ubiquitous Blue Blues coffee shop. In real life, the menu features locally caught seafood, prepared Sicilian-style.

It’s all too easy to spend hours as a relaxed and well-fed onlooker, but you won’t regret getting active — and out on the water — again. Rent a kayak from one of the local outfitters to spend time on the water watching the sea lions entertain travelers with their antics and lazy sunbathing.

Next, grab a bicycle and cruise the super-safe Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail, which runs a total of 18 miles along the shoreline, from Pacific Grove’s iconic Lovers Point to the south and Castroville, the artichoke capital of the state, to the north.

Riding the trail one way takes about two hours, depending on the number of stops you make for stunning scenery, such as the locals’ favorite Del Monte Beach, with its protected dunes, and the seemingly endless Monterey State Beach.

Oh, and it’s not cheating to rent electric bikes (ages 16 and up), available from the folks at Adventures by the Sea, who will also hook you up with road bikes, kayaks and even a guide to lead your tour.

Put a bow on your adrenaline-filled day with a cocktail at Pearl Hour, named for a line in John Steinbeck’s “Cannery Row”: “It is the hour of pearl — the interval between day and night when time stops and examines itself.” The vibrant bar in New Monterey is the place for highly creative craft cocktails, herbal elixirs and organic vinos, along with live jazz.

Saturday: Stroll Through History

Start the day with a roasted-in-house Steinbeck brew from Tidal Coffeeat Cannery Row (immortalized, of course, in the great novelist’s 1945 book) before heading toward the wharf to embark on a self-guided tour.

The Path of History urban trail is just 2 miles in total, but wandering past antique adobe structures (including the Golden State Theatre and Pacific House history museum) and National Historic Landmarks (including the circa-1794 Royal Presidio Chapel, aka San Carlos Cathedral) can stretch into a full-day itinerary.

Be sure to stop into the fully furnished Stevenson House State Historical Monument, where the writer penned some of America’s classic literary works.

Next, stroll the historic gardens of the Cooper Molera Adobe, where there are purple walls of wisteria, and grab a table at Alta Bakery & Café within the garden walls, a town favorite for its housemade pastries, sandwiches and salads.

Save space, however, for a unique scoop or two at Revival Ice Cream, a sweet shop that uses only local, sustainable ingredients to create its eccentric, small-batch flavors — think “Eucalyptus Mint Chip” and, for a hint of honey, “Bee’s Knees.”

In between treats, pop into the many museums of Old Monterey. MY Museum (Monterey County Youth Museum) is a must-see for curious little ones, while art lovers of any age enjoy both the Monterey Museum of Art and the Monterey History & Art Association: Salvador Dalí Exhibition.

The latter is not as random as it sounds: The surrealist painter spent seven summers in Monterey during the 1940s. Check out one last historic building to round out the day — the home of Alvarado Street Brewery & Grill, where you’re invited to wash down gastropub-style eats with hoppy ales and crisp lagers

Sunday: Go Under the Sea

It’s time to get a different perspective on Monterey. Walk through Cannery Row to the legendary Monterey Bay Aquarium, whose population of marine creatures includes African penguins, fantastical jellies, massive octopuses and sleek stingrays. Plan to spend at least two hours, if not three or four, wandering through these wondrous, watery worlds.

Next, make your way back to Cannery Row for a leisurely flight of Monterey County vino. A Taste of Monterey — a visitors center, bistro and shop — is encyclopedic in its offering of local wines (nearly 100!), and private tastings are available, as well as glasses, bottles and bites. Stay for a taste of flatbread and cheese, backdropped by the Pacific panoramas afforded by the floor-to-ceiling windows.

Wrap up the weekend in a place that encompasses Monterey’s history-meets-nature vibe: San Carlos Beach. Studded with historical plaques, the intimate beach has frequent sea otter visitors and is an entry point for scuba divers headed out to sea.

After that, make your way to an oceanfront table at Schooners Monterey for a supper of saffron-infused cioppino served up with a side order of an unforgettable sunset.