Girlfriends Getaway to Gorgeous Monterey
Girlfriends Getaway to Gorgeous Monterey California
Pete and I were married at Chimney Rock Winery in Napa, and the next day we were on our honeymoon traveling down Pacific Coast Highway. Monterey was our first stop. Though I was there as a newlywed, I highly recommend it as a magical way to relax and reset with your girlfriends. You can walk on the beach, pamper yourself at the spa, sip wine on a private sailboat charter, and indulge in some power shopping. At the end of the day, your only difficult decision is where to have yet another memorable dinner.
Where to Stay
- Carmel Valley Ranch
Located just south of Monterey, this all-suite, 500 acre countryside resort is a perfect home-away-from-home. The Carmel Valley Resort offers a full-service spa as well as nine tennis courts and two outdoor pools. A gym, hot tubs, golf lessons and scenic hiking trails are available as well. When the day is done, wind down in your comfortable suite. In fact, why not continue the fun? The resort offers the option to connect up to four suites. Slumber party anyone?
- Old Monterey Inn
This luxury bed and breakfast is the perfect place to stay with your girlfriends. This ideal location offers a safe and quiet respite, yet with a few minutes’ walk, you can be downtown and access everything it has to offer. Want to stay on the property? Great choice. Their expansive, manicured gardens are the perfect places to enjoy your gourmet breakfast (included), or gather for the afternoon social hour for complimentary drinks and appetizers. With an onsite spa, this charming inn has everything.
Where to Eat
- Fish Hopper
Walk toward the water for dinner at the Fish Hopper, a great seafood restaurant with some of the best views of Monterey Bay. Forget about the calorie coun, and indulge in fried calamari, a perfectly prepared steak, or Monterey Bay's seafood specialty, sanddabs. Leave room to indulge in one of the restaurant's great desserts!
- Montrio Bistro
Montrio Bistro is housed inside a converted firehouse that was built in 1910, and still retains its exposed brick charm. This nostalgia inspires the chefs: the grilled steaks, salmon, and lamb chops are all standouts on a menu that combines classic European inspirations with New American flavors. The wine list is long and the staff is knowledgeable, guaranteeing that the pairing recommendations will be on point.
What to Do
- Taste Some Amazing California Wines
Monterey County is known throughout the nation for its incredible California wines, high-quality wine tasting rooms, and vineyards. That's another reason Monterey is such a great place to enjoy time away with your girlfriends. Try Dawn's Dream Tasting Room at Dawn's Dream Winery in Carmel-by-the-Sea or the Boekenoogen Winery Tasting Room in Carmel Valley.
- Sail Monterey
For a different vantage point of the bay, you and your girlfriends can enjoy the peacefulness of a two-hour, private cruise powered only by massive sails and the wind. Watch the coast slowly disappear, listen as the captain shares knowledge of the bay, and scan the water so you don’t miss the sea otters, sea lions, dolphins, and occasionally whales!
- Shop ‘til You Drop
So many options….
If you’re in Monterey, check out Del Monte Shopping Center. This pleasant, open-air destination is home to a wide range of beloved and well-known shops.
Be sure to venture over to Carmel-by-the-Sea. It’s wondrous. The Crossroads Carmel is very popular because it offers everything from souvenir shops to chic clothing boutiques, charming home decorations, to meaningful jewelry pieces.
Two other immensely popular and enjoyable shopping spots areThe Barnyard Shopping Village and Carmel Plaza.
Want to shop for hours? Choose downtown Carmel-by-the-Sea. It features an abundance of stylish and small boutiques.
While you’re planning your next girls weekend in Monterey, snack on some California fish tacos and sip a California Collins cocktail!
Sources: https://www.seemonterey.com/blog/post/girls-getaway-itinerary-monterey-county/
https://whatsupmonterey.com/article/travel-tips/monterey-girlfriends-getaway
https://www.oldmontereyinn.com/girls-getaway-monterey
https://www.seemonterey.com/things-to-do/itineraries/girlfriend-getaway/
https://www.winecountry.com/inspirations/guides/best-restaurants-in-monterey/
Photos: Unsplash