I was definitely born under the right sign - being a Pisces, I long for water – to be surrounded by it, touched by the movement of waves, and to hear its songs crescendo.  The Pacific Ocean, how it caresses the coastline, and the adaptive ways of the habitat, was meant for intergenerational (across the generations) lives to experience the diversity of the area.   Any age can find something to see or do in Monterey County. 

Within Monterey County there are a number of cities in which a host of experiences just await anyone who is adventurous.  Marina is located on the beautiful Monterey Bay, six miles north of Monterey on California State Highway 1, 108 miles south of San Francisco, 355 miles north of Los Angeles.  Marina enjoys a Mediterranean climate with average temperatures of between 50º and 70º. There are two harbors and three airports within 10 miles of Marina.  The City encompasses 9,000 acres and extends for 5 miles along the Pacific Ocean. 

A beautiful place to stay and enjoy the beach is at Marina Dunes Resort .  As I was looking out my window a colorful blur of movement caught my eye.  Focusing in, I watched a man enjoy hang gliding over the dunes.  You never know when and where you’ll see the spectacular hang gliders soaring in the California sky.  Later that day as the sun set – I became breathless just watching the magic of the colors play against the water and sand.  I thought Texas sunsets were beautiful – they may have found their match to the mystical Monterey county sunsets. 

Marina Dunes Resort took more planning and promise than the usual resort.  Because of the delicate coastline, the developers of the resort had to put into their contract a way of caring for the sand dunes and their inhabitants such as the legless lizard, the snowy plover, and Smith’s Blue butterfly.  That makes the Marina Dune resort more special to me.  Just the fact that they strive to protect the rare and endangered species while allowing their guests to live in harmony with the environment, lets me know there is a quality of care for life.

Cars are not allowed near the individual suites and resort rooms.  Rather, you park your vehicle down hill by the main guest center and once you are checked in, you will be given a set of keys to your golf cart for driving to your suite and other onsite entities such as the A.J. Spurs restaurant- a great BBQ experience.  Your suite will not have access to ice; however, the bellboys will be more than glad to bring anything you need to your suite.  The quietness solitude  of the suites allow for the surf side rooms to be as close to the ocean as possible.  You’ll enjoy walking from your suite to find a trail out to the dune areas and enjoy the nineteen acres of serene ocean front. 

As for things to do – whether you are 6 or 60, there’s always the ocean, riding horses along the surf, hiking the guided trails, and biking.  Along these guided trails and paths you’ll discover forty-six different rare plants and animals thriving in the rugged hills, including the coast wallflower, marine chaparral, tiger salamander, fairy shrimp, and mountain lion.   And that is just Marina, one city, in Monterey County!

Thanks to its nutrient-rich waters, the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS), located along California's central coast, offers some of the world's best whale watching.   Depending on what time of the year you visit the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary  you may see any of the following whales and dolphins: Gray, Humpback, Blue, Minke, Fin, Killer, and Beaked whales, Pacific White-sided dolphins, Risso’s, Northern Right Whale dolphins, Common, and Bottlenose dolphins, Dall’s porpoises, and Harbor porpoises.  If whale watching isn’t why you’d chose to see this part of California, maybe the stunning scenery along with Monterey attractions will entice you to fall in love with California’s central coast.

“The rugged beauty and mystery of Monterey has called to people of diverse cultures from all walks of life for over three hundred years. The famous, the infamous, artists, artisans, writers, those in search of wealth and those in search of adventure—all have been lured here by a quality unique to this place. That quality has been expressed in the works of John Steinbeck, Ansel Adams, Francis McComas and others.” 

A visit to the city of Monterey should include day trips to Cannery Row, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Fisherman’s Wharf, Steinbeck’s Center, Monterey’s Wine Country,  Elkhorn Slough, and of course the infamous 17-Mile Drive.  The city of Monterey—once capital of the Spanish territory of California—has lovingly restored its historic buildings and beautiful Spanish adobes, many of which are included in the Path of History walking tour. Nearby, the beautiful Carmel Mission stands as a monument to the early Spanish heritage. 

The towns of Carmel, Monterey, Pacific Grove, and Santa Cruz all beckon with their "beach town" charm, shops, gourmet restaurants and cafés.  Monterey Bay is a world-class destination.  The 17-Mile Drive on the southern edge of the bay will introduce you to the natural scenery of the area, and you may decide to stop off for a round of golf at the championship Pebble Beach golf course , the most renowned of the more than twenty golf courses found in the Monterey area.

Monterey is a page off John Steinbeck's 1945 novel, Cannery Row, complete with seaside warehouses, flophouses, and fish canneries.   Preserved as a historic district, many of the buildings are original.  Stop in for handmade fudge, ice cream, or a lunch of fresh-caught fish.  

A visit to the Monterey Bay Aquarium with the family, offers a glimpse into bay sea life, including sea otters, sharks, jellyfish, and a kelp forest. Don't forget the Aviary, where visitors come within inches of sandpipers and other native bird species.

As you can see there is so much to see and experience in Monterey County.  Regardless of age or ability, this is one abundantly rich area of heritage and history juxtaposed against the twenty-first century.  For the senior guest, this is your opportunity to share with your younger family members the wealth of knowledge and life experiences you’ve had in Monterey County years past and in the future.  Happy Intergenerational travel to a most awesome place!