The next three nights of our trip down the PCH (Pacific Coast Highway) was spent in Monterey, at the northern edge of the Monterey Peninsula.  The entire area was gorgeous, and Monterey a bustling town built around the harbor.  Our lovely little hotel was located just a few blocks from Cannery Row, a street made famous by John Steinbeck's novel of the same name.  The remnants of the sardine factories that once lined this street can still be seen, though they are now home to ritzy hotels, tourist shops and restaurants.  The north end of the street runs into the Monterey Bay Aquarium. 

On our first evening in Monterey, we strolled Cannery Row, browsing in the shops and grabbing dinner.  The following morning, we rose bright and early for a Whale Watch Cruise.  The seas were choppy and the wind blustery that day.  Fortunately we'd dressed for the weather.  However, the seasickness medicine I'd taken couldn't keep my nauseasness at bay on such roiling seas.  I spent most of the trip with my gaze focused on the horizon, trying to keep my breakfast down.  But even battling seasickness, I still felt awe over the sight of the humpback whales.  Such majestic creatures!  We saw numerous humpbacks's lunge-feeding, which we were told was extremely rare.  I also happened to be looking in the right direction when two whales breached.  It was truly an amazing sight.

We spent the remainder of the afternoon and evening strolling the Municipal Wharf and historic town. 

The next morning we visited the Monterey Bay Aquarium.  Our favorite sea creature was the sea dragons, an animal we'd never even known existed.  They were beautiful and intriguing.  Then we set out for 17-Mile Drive, a scenic road through Pacific Grove and Pebble Beach.  A large portion of the road runs along the ocean and past mansions and golf courses, including the famed Pebble Beach.  Many of the views were absolutely stunning, including the Lone Cypress and the 18th Hole of Pebble Beach.  The Tsunami Warning signs on the beaches threw us for a moment, and then, of course, we had to do the tourist thing and take a picture. 

We enjoyed a delicious dinner that night at the Cannery Row Brewing Company, including a delicious Chocolate Stout, then retired early.  The next morning we set out for Santa Cruz, where we planned to stay two nights.  We ate lunch at a vegetarian diner and then checked into a lovely B&B.  We had scheduled to go skydiving that afternoon, but the fog that had plagued our trip northward days earlier chose that moment to roll in again, and they had to cancel our jump.  So we walked the few blocks to the beach and spent the evening strolling the pier and famous boardwalk, and watching beach volleyball on the sand courts.  The next morning, my husband went surfing while I slept in.  We walked to downtown Santa Cruz in the afternoon to eat dinner and browse the shops.  That night we had tickets for Shakespeare Santa Cruz to see Twelfth Night.  The next morning we set off north again...(Continued in Part 3)