Pacific Grove

Pacific Grove is in Monterey County in the Central Coast region of California. It is next to the Pacific Ocean on Monterey Bay just west of the city of Monterey. Popular for its quaint, small-town charm the town reputedly has more Victorian homes per capita than anywhere else in America. Pacific Grove is also the wintering-over spot for thousands of Monarch butterflies, from which its nickname, "Butterfly Town, U.S.A.," is derived.

Understand
The first European to land in Pacific Grove was Juan Rodrigues Cabrillo, in 1542. The first settlement in the area, however, was in 1855, when the Point Pinos Lighthouse began operation. It still stands and is the oldest continually operating lighthouse on the West Coast. Lighthouse Road, one of the two main streets in Pacific Grove, was constructed to bring supplies from Monterey to Point Pinos.

Many Chinese immigrants settled near the shore beginning in 1863, forming a "Chinatown." Most worked as fishermen out of the harbor in Monterey.

The bulk of Pacific Grove was initially a summer Methodist camp. Worshippers each had a plot of land on which they erected tents. Over time, they began erecting more permanent structures, and some relocated to the area. Most of the structures in Pacific Grove date to the Victorian era, and many are small, dollhouse-like homes. Until 1890, there was a fence around Pacific Grove, providing a visual border between this small religious community and its neighbors.

Get in
Access to Pacific Grove is via Monterey or Carmel. Take Monterey-Salinas Transit bus route 1, 1x or 2 from Monterey. Pacific Grove is a short, ten-minute taxi ride from Monterey Peninsula Airport (see Monterey).

Get around
Pacific Grove is a small town, and much of it can be seen on foot or by bicycle. Local buses from Monterey-Salinas Transit are a convenient way to travel to Monterey and elsewhere on the Peninsula, although all connections are via downtown Monterey.



Do




Go next

 * Monterey - Pacific Grove's neighbor to the east, Monterey was founded in 1770 and served as the capital of Alta California under both Spain and Mexico, was a bustling fishing port until the 1950s, and is now a major tourist destination. Attractions include a pier filled with seafood restaurants, a world-class aquarium, a harbor that is home to an enormous number of seabirds, sea lions, sea otters, seals, and other marine life, the historic Cannery Row, and opportunities for whale watching, kayaking, or other excursions into Monterey Bay.
 * Carmel - 6 miles (10 km) to the south, Carmel is a beautiful oceanside town that is home to the historic Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo, several large beaches, excellent restaurants and an abundance of upscale lodging. It borders the iconic Pebble Beach golf course and is the entry point to the 17-mile (25-km) drive and its dramatic ocean views.