Who says that you must travel a long way to escape to a desired location for vacation? For me, that is not the case, as a smooth 3-hour long drive from Sacramento will place you there, in the lovely town of Pacific Grove, California.
Dubbed as “America’s Last Hometown,” Pacific Grove is located at the northwestern most portion of the Monterey Bay Peninsula. The small, quaint, relaxing, quiet, and safe town is surrounded by scenic coastline and is conveniently located near countless attractions and desirable destinations. Here, you are just minutes away from Carmel, Downtown Monterey, Cannery Row, Fisherman’s Wharf, Big Sur, and Pebble Beach.
In late August of this year, my girlfriend and I embarked on a little getaway and spent four days in Pacific Grove. We had such a fantastic time there that we literally starting planning when we would be able to come back for our next trip almost as soon as we returned to Sacramento. So in December, right after finals conclude, we are to be Pacific Grove bound.
Our first trip to Pacific Grove was actually partially by accident. Originally, we had intentions of staying in Monterey, but due to a shortage of hotels available in the city at the time, we had to resort to staying just outside of Monterey in a nearby town. But am I ever so glad that all the large hotels were booked in the city, for we were able to experience a satisfying and peaceful stay in a homey town with everything going for it.
Mom and pop shops, clothing stores, bookstores and non-chain related restaurants line Lighthouse Avenue as you enter into town only two minutes after you depart the City of Monterey. There is no lacking of character in this tiny place with hand made signs, old Victorian style buildings, black painted lampposts, and rows of Cypress pines planted in the road’s divider. Also it’s nice to see and appreciate a town that looks to have not been changed over the years, but be preserved as it has been.
The residential area circling the town only adds to the already supremely high level of visual appeal that Pacific Grove encompasses. Plenty of lush greenery, and an abundance of well maintained parks, and the high-end houses that mostly fit the time period for the town (earlier 20th century). Finally, for a “cherry on top” when it comes to beautiful scenery, no matter where you are in Pacific Grove, you are never far away from the breathtaking coastline and beaches of the ocean which can be admired in many different ways.
As for our first trip, my girlfriend and I had a tentative itinerary planned consisting of the usual tourist attractions in Monterey like The Monterey Bay Aquarium, Cannery Row, Carmel, and 17-mile Drive, but we were not able to cross off more than a few as the trip transpired. Instead, more time was spent by choosing more low-key and still desirable alternatives in Pacific Grove such as strolling through the town on a cool summer’s evening, sampling various local cuisines, and taking a few relaxing walks beside the ocean.
So as Pacific Grove can be utilized as a home base to stay at on vacation while experiencing what the “touristy” Monterey and the surrounding areas have to offer, peninsula visitors owe the town itself some time to appreciate its charm. For now my girlfriend and I find ourselves looking forward primarily to a trip at a true “hidden gem” and a secondary side of Monterey to complement the getaway.
Very well done, straightforward and easy to read...
ReplyDeleteLiked the overall tone.
What would make it stronger would be to name some of those restaurants, motels, hotels that come with the writer's recommendations.
And, perhaps some more specific directions on how to get there.
But overall, good job.