The scent of the sea fills the air in Monterey, a town of 28,000  people, many of whom have a special tie to the outdoors, particularly the community's protected underwater habitats. Home to the famous Monterey Bay Aquarium, the community is known for its wildlife, including threatened California otters, brown pelicans and kit foxes.

Landmarks and rich arts

Rich in local art and its historic fishery, Monterey's landmarks include Cannery Row, made famous by John Steinback's novel of the same name, and Fisherman's Wharf. Its arts community thrives, as does the annual, world-renowned Monterey Jazz Festival. 

Capital of Alta California under the Spanish and Mexican governments through 1846, Monterey had the state's first theater, public building, public library, public school, printing press and newspaper.  Because of its temperate climate and beauty, Monterey has been home to many famous painters, such as Percy Gray, and authors, including Steinbeck, Robert A. Heinlein, Henry Miller and Robert Louis Stevenson.