Magic Carpet: Ice plant ground cover is seen throughout the Monterey Peninsula and Pacific Grove, Calif. The plant blooms from late April until early June, producing fluorescent pink and purple blooms. Shown is a popular area in Perkins Park on the shores of Monterey Bay in Pacific Grove. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
Coastal Trail: A Coastal Recreation Trail follows the shoreline around the end of Monterey Peninsula in Pacific Grove. Shown is the trail as it passes through Perkins Park on the shores of Monterey Bay. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
By GARY WARREN
Photographer
Formerly of Los Alamos
Nestled on the tip of Monterey Peninsula is the small town of Pacific Grove, Calif. This small community of about 15,000 residents features aspects of many small towns in the U.S., but Pacific Grove is anything but ordinary beyond the small town vibe.
Pacific Grove is surrounded by Monterey, the Del Monte Forest, and the Pebble Beach area, which features world-famous golf courses and majestic homes. Just beyond Pebble Beach is the community of Carmel-by-the-Sea.
Monterey Bay and the Pacific Ocean surround Pacific Grove on three sides. Sandy beaches are found throughout the coastline while portions of the coastline feature the rugged, rocky shores found throughout the central California coast. The entire shoreline within the town of Pacific Grove is open to the public. The town does not allow any development or businesses on the waterside of the streets, which keeps the shoreline open for all to enjoy.
Pacific Grove is known as “Butterfly Town U.S.A.” as it is a major migration stop for the Monarch butterfly. Every winter, beginning in mid-October through mid-February, tens of thousands of the orange and black butterflies gather in Pacific Grove. Monarch butterflies migrate to the same trees year after year, and the area in Pacific Grove Monarch Sanctuary.
A few blocks from the shoreline in Pacific Grove is the quaint downtown. The downtown is made up of many small, privately owned shops, restaurants, and other businesses seen in most small towns. The streets around Pacific Grove are lined with Victorian homes. Many are smaller than normal because of small lots in many areas, but there are some larger Victorian homes as well. Many of the larger homes have been converted to bed and breakfast or other lodging facilities.
A large number of marine wildlife can be seen along the shores of Pacific Grove. Several species of whales, sea lions, sea otters and sea turtles are just a few of the wildlife that spend parts of the year in the area. Also, the Monterey Bay Aquarium is located near the border of Monterey and Pacific Grove.
It is difficult to summarize such a beautiful and diverse small town in a few paragraphs. Monterey, Carmel, and Big Sur tend to receive most of the tourism press and advertising in this area, but the small town on the end of the Monterey Peninsula is certainly offers much to the traveler as well as the local crowd. Do not miss a visit to Pacific Grove when visiting the Monterey Peninsula.
Editor’s note: Longtime Los Alamos photographer Gary Warren and his wife Marilyn are traveling around the country, and he shares his photographs, which appear in the “Posts from the Road” series published in the Sunday edition of the Los Alamos Daily Post.
Downtown Street: A street scene in downtown Pacific Grove, Calif. reveals the charm of this small town. The downtown is filled with shops, restaurants, galleries, and even grocery stores. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
Lighthouse Ave.: Lighthouse Ave. is the ‘main street’ in Pacific Grove, Calif. A collection of local businesses lines both sides of the street with parking on the curbs and a row of parking stretching through the center of the street, which is a historic district in Pacific Grove. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
Downtown View: A view of Monterey Bay in the distance from Lighthouse Ave. in downtown Pacific Grove. The bay is about eight blocks from downtown. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
Asilomar Beach: Asilomar State Beach is located in Pacific Grove, Calif. and is one of the popular beaches in the area. The beach is located near the Pebble Beach area of the Monterey Peninsula. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
Pacific Grove Shoreline: A portion of the rocky shoreline is seen from a viewpoint on Ocean View Blvd. on the end of Monterey Peninsula in Pacific Grove. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
Victorian House: There are numerous Victorian houses in Pacific Grove. The homes range from small to large Victorian houses like the one shown in this photo. This and other Victorian houses are now bed and breakfasts and other lodging facilities. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
