Santa Cruz - Nearby Destinations

Monterey and the Monterey Peninsula are a fascinating melting pot of culture. Monterey Bay is a large, protected bay located in the middle of the California coast. Because of its geographic location, much of Monterey’s livelihood has long been dependent on the bay which gave it its name. Originally, Monterey was a center for sardine fishing, and much of that Cannery Row culture has bred the kitschy, tourist trap environment that makes up the waterfront today. There are, however, a few things of interest available to the discerning sightseer.

Consistently voted as one of the sunniest, safest, and overall best places to live in the country, San Jose and the surrounding area is rapidly gaining a place in history alongside its other West Coast neighbors. Situated at the foot of rolling green hills at the south end of the San Francisco Bay, San Jose is one of California’s oldest cities and is the eleventh largest in the nation.