The Best Free Things to do in Monterey
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Views along Garapatta state Beach
If you’re looking for free things to do in Monterey, you’ve made it to the right page. California can be very expensive, but here in Monterey there are so many ways to get the full central coast experience for free! In Monterey you’ll find tide pooling, historic centers, whale watching, diverse hiking, amazing playgrounds, and so much more! Monterey is rich in culture with a vast amount of agricultural land and historical coastal features such as Cannery Row and Old Fisherman’s Warf on the Monterey Bay. There are so many amazing places to see in Monterey! However, one of the most iconic spots in the county is the drive along Highway 1 in Big Sur, which is one of the best free things to do in Monterey! This guide will take you to along to experience all of the free things to do in Monterey!
Garrapatta Stake Park is a great place for family hikes along the rocky sea
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Table of Contents
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Old Coast Guard Pier
Moss Landing Pier
1) Lovers Point Park
Lovers Point Park is a 4.4 acre community park used for picnicking, fishing, swimming, water sports, and surfing. Lovers Point's has a large lawn area, a beach volleyball court, a children's swimming pool, sandy beaches, rocky outcrops, a concrete pier structure, a restaurant, and a snack bar. This is an iconic spot in Pacific Grove and is the a perfect free thing to do in Monterey! Relax listening to the waves crash over the coast rocks, climb down to look for sea life near in the water’s edge, or grab some friends for a game of volleyball! It’s the perfect spot to spend a day in Monterey for free!
2) Point Lobos State park
Point Lobos State Reserve: This park offers many easy hiking trails, all with rewarding views. Point Lobos is home to rare plant communities, endangered archeological sites, unique geological formations, and incredibly rich flora and fauna of both land and sea. One of the best hikes in Point Lobos is to take the Mound Meadow Trail over to the Shore Trail and then follow that south to China Cove where you can see sea lions and get to see Bird Island up close! China Cove is also a harbor seal nursery during pup season!
NOTE: There is a $ 10-day pass fee to park, but if you park along Highway 1 and walk inside, it’s totally free to visit!
The Monterey Coast is absolutely stunning
Point Lobos is home to many spectacular easy hikes
3) Monarch Grove Butterfly Sanctuary
Did you know that Pacific Grove is also known as Butterfly Town, USA?
Every October, thousands of monarch butterflies cluster together on pine, cypress and eucalyptus trees in the Sanctuary. The butterflies hang in clusters from eucalyptus branches to maintain body temperature. This cluster of butterflies is what draws people from everywhere! The Monarch butterflies that come to Monterey County are a special generation of butterfly. While most Monarchs live only four to five weeks after they reach adulthood, the generation that overwinters in Monterey County lives up to six months! The Monarch butterflies are one of the most unique things to see in Monterey!
The Pacific Grove Monarch Sanctuary is located at 250 Ridge Road is open to visitors from sunrise to sunset daily. Museum volunteer docents can be found at the Monarch Sanctuary from Nov to Feb when available, generally from 11-3 daily, weather permitting.
The Butterfly Sanctuary is free to visitors! You are encouraged to take photos and videos of the butterflies, but don’t touch or you’ll be fined $1,000!
You can also take a walk around the sanctuary while listening to the new AUDIO TOUR! This audio tour guides visitors through the Pacific Grove Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary, enriching the interpretive signs along the trail.
Monarch butterflies migrate through pacific grove
4) Go For A Hike
Get your morning started with a hike with the kids. The diverse landscape of Monterey County means you’ve got a lot of choices for the kind of hike you may want to take. Here are a couple of suggestions for easy, but scenic hikes in Monterey County.
Garapatta State Park: This coastal state park, located in Carmel just north of Big Sur, has a few easy and very rewarding hikes. We chose to do the Coastal Trail which takes you from the trailhead along the rocky coast. The trail is pretty level with options to trek closer to the water or stay up by the hill. Get here early because this is a popular spot!
Garland Ranch Regional Park: This park is located in the heart of Carmel Valley, and it is home to a variety of landscapes; from the willow-covered banks of the Carmel River through the cottonwood-sycamore stands of the old floodplain. Atop the northern crest of the Santa Lucia Mountains, the trails encounter open oak savannas and spectacular vistas. We did the Buckeye Nature Trail and took a 0.1 additional Siesta Point trail to get up to an epic overlook. Bring your swimsuit if you’d like to take a dip in Garzas Creek which is along a peaceful, shaded trail that reaches a secluded side canyon of redwoods.
Freemont Peak State Park: Located on the border of Monterey County, this unique state park is the perfect spot to hike to and watch the sunrise. Fremont Peak trail is an easy hike and is less than 2 miles round trip. On a clear morning, you can see all the way to Monterey Bay from the peak. Pack a lunch and have a picnic at the top! You can see a short video I created of this hike HERE.
Garapatta State park coastal trail
fremont peak offers an easy, but very rewarding hike with views reaching back to monterey bay
5) Explore the Tidepools
Tidepooling is the best free thing to do in Monterey because you won’t find anywhere else with tidepools like these! Encompassing 6,094 square statute miles, Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS) is one of the richest, most diverse marine environments in the world; including lush kelp forests and one of the deepest underwater canyons in North America. But something extra special is the tide pools all along the coast. Start your morning watching the sunrise over the bay and be one of the first on the beach to find starfish, anemones, and hermit crabs. Bring some water shoes with good grips for climbing out over the rocks. My favorite place to tide pool is at Asilomar State Beach. Tide pooling is one of our favorite things to do in Monterey with kids! They absolutely love finding these natural treasures!
We’ve found starfish, anemonie and so many hermit crabs on our tidepooling missions
There are so many amazing spots to tidepool along the shores of the monterey bay and asilomar state park
6) Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail
The waterfront Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail is an 18-mile path that leads from Pacific Grove to Castroville. The Coastal Recreation Trail is extremely popular for walkers, bikers, hikers, roller skaters, and skateboarding. The Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail hugs the coast and provides easy access to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Cannery Row, and Fisherman’s Warf. Along the trail there are several benches and places to stop to have a picnic. Eat lunch along the coast while watching for sea lions or sea otters playing in the bay! The Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail is a fun thing to do in Monterey for FREE!
If you don’t have time to head out into Big Sur’s Redwood Forest or drive out to Pinnacles National Park, this trail is an amazing option to get outside and experience Coastal California.
The monterey bay coastal trail goes right by fisherman’s warf and through cannery row!
While there is a wide paved trail, the coastal trail also has some smaller gravel paths to get up close to the coastline
7) Spotting Seals and Sea Lions
The Monterey Bay is home to the California Sea Lions, Sea Otters, and the Harbor Seals year round. Occasionally, you may see a Northern Elephant Seal, but its rare. There are two amazing places that guarantee you’ll spot these amazing sea creatures; The Old Coast Guard Pier and Moss Landing Pier. Seal and Sea lion spotting is one of my favorite free things to do in Monterey!
The Old Coast Guard Pier is located at the western side of Cannery Row. The Pier is free to walk out on and is home to hundreds of sea lions! Be sure to look out into the water to spot Sea Otters swimming around!
Moss Landing is located between San Francisco and Monterey California is a well known spot to see many Sea Lions soaking up the sun at the Moss Landing Pier. It is estimated that over 400 sea lions have made the pier their home.
8) Point Pinos Lighthouse Grounds
Point Pinos lighthouse is the oldest continuously run lighthouse on the California Coast. The Point Pinos Lighthouse first turned on on February 1, 1855 and its beacon has flashed nightly as a guide and warning to shipping off the rocky California coast ever since. The lighthouse is located in Pacific Grove.
It costs $5 per adult to go inside of the Lighthouse, but you can walk the grounds for free! The views of the Pacific ocean and Monterey Bay are amazing from here!
The lighthouse is currently open Saturday & Sunday from 1 pm - 3pm, but check HERE for updated days and times.
The point Pinios lightouse grounds are gorgeous and a fun way to immerse yourself in the history of monterey for free!
9) Pinnacles National Park Free Days
There are NINE National Parks in California, so get out and experience the closest National Park to Monterey! Several days a year, all National Park Service sites that charge an entrance fee will offer free admission to everyone! Take advantage of these free days!
Pinnacles National Park: There are two sides to this park, but the West entrance is only about 90 minutes from Monterey Bay, but still in Monterey County. As a National Park, it boasts some incredible and unique hikes through chaparral, oak woodlands, and canyon bottoms. Hikers enter rare talus caves and emerge to towering rock spires teeming with life: prairie and peregrine falcons, golden eagles, and the inspiring California condor. Head to my Pinnacles National Park with Kids blog post for more information on this American gem!
Hiking in pinnacles national park was so much fun and amazing to see this formation from millions of years ago
10) Explore Fisherman's Wharf
Fisherman’s Wharf has been the focus of Monterey's economic life for centuries. It has seen bales of Chinese silks, barrels of Spanish wine, whaling ships, Navy cutters, and an endless flow of fisherman’s boats. Today, Fisherman’s Wharf Monterey is home to many restaurants, gift and candy shops, fishing and whale watching tour companies, and it is still home to an array of sea life! If you’re looking for things to do this weekend in Monterey, I suggest strolling the Fisherman’s Wharf and exploring the surrounding areas!
Entrance to the Wharf is completely free. I suggest finding parking outside the Wharf parking area and walking to the Wharf because the closest parking is the most expensive. The closest parking lots do charge a fee, but locals can park for 2 hours for free with The Annual City of Monterey Locals Parking decal sticker. This sticker is available for City of Monterey Residents for $20 and includes 2 free hours of parking seven days a week in the Waterfront and other City parking lots.
Don’t forget to sign up for the FREE VIP Card for Fisherman’s Wharf to get 3 pages of valuable Special Offers from Wharf businesses to enjoy during your visit!
the iconic fisherman on fisherman’s warf
Harbor seals swimming off the pier at fisherman’s warf
11) Explore Cannery Row
With its picturesque charm and colorful history, Cannery Row draws in visitors from all over the world. The unique appeal of this fabled street is what makes Cannery Row the most popular vacation destination on California’s Central Coast. With luxurious waterfront hotels, enticing restaurants and captivating boutiques, Cannery Row is the ideal place to soak up the culture and beauty of Monterey Bay.
However, if you are looking for a few free things do on Cannery Row, here are some ideas:
Take photos of iconic spots: Start with a shot of the bay from San Carlos Beach, and follow the Monterey Bay Coastal Trail to catch the bronze Ed Ricketts statue. Back on the waterfront, photograph the piers, sea lions, and former canneries.
Find Ed Ricketts Lab and see John Steinbeck’s old stomping grounds! Ricketts’ lab sits between a hotel and a souvenir store, almost as if it’s quietly observing the comings and goings as Ricketts himself probably would have. Other than the street number and a sign saying “Pacific Biological Laboratories,” there is nothing to draw attention to the building and most tourists pass by it oblivious. 800 Cannery Row
Make a stop at the Cannery Row Monument! This monument pays tribute to the many notorious and famous characters there were vital to the evolution of Cannery Row
Sit by the water on McAbee Beach. Can you find any seaglass here?
Head down to the end of Cannery Row to enjoy the Monterey Bay Beaches at San Carlos Beach. Also from here you can walk down the Old Coast Guard Pier to see hundreds of sea lions!
READ NEXT: The Best things To Do in Monterey with Kids
Kids playing around the cannery row monument
12) Go to the Beach
You can’t visit Monterey and not spend a day on the beach. Heading out to the coast is the absolute best free thing to do in Monterey! The beaches vary from white sand to rugged rocky coastline. Here are a list of the best beaches in Monterey to explore!
The water at san carlos beach is gorgeous
Asilomar State Beach - Great tidepools and a lifeguard beach is available
Carmel River State Beach - beautiful sandy beaches with a lifeguard
San Carlos Beach - a small sandy beach with easy access to Cannery Row and lots of sea lion spotting
Del Monte Beach - a vast sandy beach that does have a boardwalk and massive sand dunes
Monterey State Beach - a scenic sandy beach that has large sand dunes
Sand City Beach - a scenic sandy beach that is fantastic for finding sea glass!
Fort Ord Beach - a large sandy beach with 2 different trails that walk along the coast
Marina State Beach - a quiet and scenic beach with sandy shores
Moss Landing State Beach - a sandy beach located right at Moss Landing
Monastery Beach - a gorgeous sandy beach located just south of Carmel
Carmel Beach - Sweeping white sand beach with great surf!
Garrapata State Beach - Calla Lily Valley sits with this beach. The beach is sandy with tall cliffs and some rocky coast line.
If you are exploring with children, Asilomar State beach is the best beach in Monterey for families because you get to experience the the tidepools, have access to the coastal walking trail, and have the sandy beaches for play! The beach is one of the most fun things to do in Monterey CA.
There are tidepools and sandy beaches at asilomar state beach
kids playing in the water at sand city beach
13) Visit the Custom House
The Custom House in Monterey was built in 1827 and was the first government building in California and the earliest government building on the west coast. The Custom House is California’s original capital building. The Old Custom House is a National Historic Landmark that stands as a reminder of the city’s Mexican heritage and of Mexico's political presence in the city during the mid-1800s. The landmark and its surrounding historic district are a living museum that interprets the rich early story of Monterey and the economic foundations of California.
The Custom House is one of the wonderful free things to do in Monterey and can easily be paired with a visit to Fisherman’s Wharf since they are co-located. The address is 20 Custom House Plaza.
14) Visit Colton Hall
Colton hall was built to serve as a public school and town meeting hall. Today, it offers visitors a re-creation of the meeting room where California's first Constitution was drafted in October 1849 and is home to exhibits on early Monterey. Colton Hall is a landmark in the City of Monterey, once the capital of Alta California. Exploring these historic sites is one of the best things to do in Monterey to fully understand the culture and history of the area.
The Colton Hall Museum is open Saturdays-Sundays from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm and is located at 570 Pacific St. Colton Hall is co-located with the Old Monterey Jail, so I suggest visiting them both at the same time.
15) Visit the Old Monterey Jail
The Old Monterey Jail was constructed in 1854 and served as the City Jail until 1956. No one ever escaped from the thick granite walls during its history.
When the Jail was built it had six large cells, a debtor's room, and a special room for the jailer. However, today only the jail itself remains. Unbelievably, the Monterey jail continued to operate until the mid-1950s even though the county seat was moved to Salinas in December of 1872.
The building is open to the public daily. The Monterey Jail is one of many free things to do in Monterey. It is co-located with Colton Hall, so I suggest seeing both at the same time.
16) Dennis the Menace Playground
Are you looking for things to do in Monterey CA with kids? Dennis the Menace playground was created as part of the El Estero Park complex in 1956. It was established with the help of Hank Ketcham, creator of the Dennis the Menace comic strip, who was a resident of nearby Carmel!
The playground has several play structures, large slides, a zip line, a climbing wall, a suspension bridge, a hedge maze with a play structure in the center, a giant adventure ship and more. There are age appropriate play structures too, so the little ones will be safe playing here! History fans and train lovers will enjoy seeing the authentic 1924 Southern Pacific steam engine.
Dennis the Menace playground is a part of the larger El Estero Park Complex. This complex includes a ballpark, dance studio, an adjacent skatepark, dog park, snack bar, and exercise course! Dennis the Menace and El Estero Park is one of the great free things to do in Monterey!
dennis the menace playground is one of the best free things to do with kids in monterey
17) Drive the Big Sur Coast
The Big Sur coastal drive is what many people think of when they think of what to do in Monterey, California! This drive follows along the rugged California Coast by taking riders along the Pacific Coast Highway, through a redwood forest, and across the iconic Bixby Creek Bridge. Stop at an overlook with a bottle of wine (or carafe of coffee) to watch the sunset over this rocky coastline. (Be sure to get gas before you get started because much of this drive is coastal with no services.)
feel free to stop along the big sur drive to hike the coastal trails
Driving Big Sur is one of the best free things to do in Monterey county because there are so many places to stop including the iconic Bixby Bridge, under the canopy of a Redwood grove, and at overlooks all along the rugged California Coast.
The drive along big sur is incredible
18) Visit Calla Lily Valley
Calla Lilly Valley is one of the most unique things to do in Monterey. Here are some tips for visiting Calla Lily Valley. California Calla Lilies all bloom at a slightly different time based on their location. The Big Sur Calla Lily Valley is in peak bloom from January through the end of April. Like all wildflowers, these lilies have a short season so if you want to see them, plan ahead to come when they’re in bloom.
calla lily valley with the creek flowing looking back toward the mountain
The Calla Lilies are located in Garrapata State Park (near mile marker 63). There is a small, almost hidden, gate inviting visitors to venture through. From there, it’s a small hike through patches of wildflowers until you come face-to-face with a beautiful little valley. Flowing through the valley and down to the ocean is a gorgeous little natural creek. Honestly this is one of the best things to do near Monterey CA!
When you are figuring out how to find calla lily valley, it can be difficult, so use this link to see where they are located.
Calla Lilly valley in monterey is absolutely stunning
19) Bike the 17-Mile Drive
17 -Mile Drive is one of the top things to do in Monterey. The famous 17-mile drive takes riders along Pebble Beach and out to the Lone Cypress tree. 17-Mile drive in Monterey is offers dramatic coastal cliffs, snow-white beaches, and mystical forests. 17-Mile drive is one of the most scenic drives in the world that includes the Lone Cypress, giant trees at Crocker Grove, and Fanshell Beach. Feel free to stroll the boardwalk above the beach at Spanish Bay while trying to spot migrating whales in the ocean! 17-Mile Drive in Monterey offers free places to picnic along the coast and has some of the best places to watch the sunset in Monterey! Head out to spend the day exploring the coastal path!
Admission to 17-Mile Drive is $11.25 per vehicle. However, walkers and cyclers get access for FREE! The 17-Mile Drive gates are open to the public from sunrise to sunset. Motorcycles are prohibited.
Be sure to make a stop at the iconic lone cypress tree located along the 17-mile drive
20) Explore Fort Ord National Monument
Fort Ord is a wonderful free activity in Monterey! Fort Ord National Monument was once a military base. Today, this 14,000-acre land is run by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) that offers sanctuary to 44 species of rare plants and wildlife. The Monument was established to celebrate the heroism and dedication of men and women who served our nation and fought in the major conflicts of the 20th century.
This park has 86-miles of hiking trails that wind through rolling hills, pockets of chaparral, and oak woodlands. Fort Ord is home to the some of the most unique hiking trails in Monterey County and is one of the best cheap things to do in Monterey. If you’re looking for what to do in Monterey this weekend, I highly suggest spending some time in this wonderful park. If you’re looking for non touristy things to do in Monterey, a visit to Fort Ord is it — you will likely only see locals here.
To read more about hiking in Monterey, check out my guide the Best Hikes Near Monterey!
For ord is home to these amazing sand formations!
20) Earthbound Farm Stand
Earthbound Farm Stand: There is nothing better than eating food fresh from the farm. Nestled in California’s Carmel Valley, just down the road from Earthbound Farm’s original 2½-acre farm, is the Earthbound Farm Stand. A cherished destination for organic food and gardens by locals and out-of-town visitors alike, the Farm Stand is a living celebration of Earthbound Farm’s mission to bring the benefits of organic to as many people as possible, in a most delicious and inspiring way.
Earthbound Farm hosts a variety of seasonal, kid-friendly and educational events and garden tours.
Earthbound Farm Stand is one of the most fun things to do in Monterey with kids even if you don’t eat or shop here! We have spent several days here at the farm. The staff took us in the back to show us how they prep and plant their farm, they have an awesome playground, and the whole farm is gorgeous! Earthbound Farm hosts a variety of seasonal, kid-friendly and educational events and garden tours. It’s a wonderful free thing to do in Monterey!
kids enjoying a free demonstration on planting farm seeds at earthbound farm stand!
Sunrise and sunset are unbelievable on the Monterey Bay!
I hope this guide to all of the free things to do in Monterey helps you plan your next cheap adventure!. California can be very expensive, but here in Monterey there are so many ways to get the full central coast experience for free! Monterey’s culture and coast should be accessible to everyone and this guide will help you narrow down the best thing to do in Monterey without breaking the bank!
If you have other ideas for free things to do in Monterey, add a comment and I will get it added to the list!
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