Skip to content
visitorfun

Area guide · California, USA

Things to do in Monterey Peninsula

Whale watching boats and dive shops along Monterey's historic wharf

  • Tours
  • Sightseeing
  • Nearest airport: SJC, about 84 miles

Start here

Three to see first in Monterey Peninsula

Tours
Family Favorite

Princess Monterey Whale Watching

$50+

Narrated whale watching and wildlife cruises on Monterey Bay aboard two large heated vessels departing from Old Fisherman's Wharf.

Monterey, CA

Tours
Outdoor Adventure

Discovery Whale Watch

$50+

Narrated whale watching cruises departing daily from Monterey's Fisherman's Wharf.

Monterey, CA

Sightseeing
Iconic

Old Fisherman's Wharf

Free

Historic waterfront pier in Monterey lined with seafood restaurants, shops and whale-watching operators.

Monterey, CA

Every place

Everything in Monterey Peninsula, on the map

Filter by the kind of day you want. Tap a card to open the place, or a dot on the map to find it in the list.

Tours
Family Favorite

Princess Monterey Whale Watching

$50+

Narrated whale watching and wildlife cruises on Monterey Bay aboard two large heated vessels departing from Old Fisherman's Wharf.

Tours
Outdoor Adventure

Discovery Whale Watch

$50+

Narrated whale watching cruises departing daily from Monterey's Fisherman's Wharf.

Tours
Family Favorite

Little Mermaid Glass Bottom Boat Tours

Under $25

Cruise Monterey Harbor on a glass bottom boat to spot sea otters, seals, and kelp forest life.

Tours
Outdoor Adventure

Central Coast Scuba

$50+

Family-owned dive shop offering guided scuba and snorkeling tours plus PADI and NAUI certification courses in Monterey Bay.

Sightseeing
Iconic

Old Fisherman's Wharf

Free

Historic waterfront pier in Monterey lined with seafood restaurants, shops and whale-watching operators.

Sightseeing
Local Gem

Salinas City Center

Free

Downtown Salinas improvement association promoting Old Town's restaurants, shops and events.

Loading map…

About

About Monterey Peninsula

The Monterey Peninsula is a coastal area on California's Central Coast overlooking Monterey Bay. All of the listed venues operate out of the city of Monterey, many clustered at Old Fisherman's Wharf, a working pier that hosts whale-watching and glass-bottom boat operators alongside shops and restaurants. Central Coast Scuba runs dive trips into the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Several companies, including Discovery Whale Watch, offer year-round boat tours to view marine wildlife in the bay.

Plan the day

Three ways to turn this list into a day