tour house monterey

Monterey State Historic Park Association

Cooperating association for the monterey state historic park.

Our mission is to support interpretation, educational programs, and special events at Monterey State Historic Park in downtown Monterey. The association also assists all of the California State Parks by raising funds and increasing public awareness. 

We strive to preserve the historic buildings and cultural heritage of Monterey so that all may experience this special place. 

The association sponsors educational programs for schools, the Los Exploradores history summer camp, and the well-loved Christmas in the Adobes, when historic buildings all over old Monterey are open.

News & Events

Los Exploradores de Monterey Summer Camp

Registration Now Open

This unique summer program will have day campers exploring the rich cultural history and the natural areas throughout Monterey State Historic Park and beyond.

Christmas in the Adobes 2024

December 6 & 7, 2024 ​

Ticket sales begin October 2024 

Guided House Tours 

Guided House Tours Now Available at Larkin House & Stevenson House 

Monterey State Historic Park is excited to announce that it will be resuming house tours of the Stevenson House and Larkin House.

The 45-minute to hour-long tours will occur Thursday through Saturday at:

10 am Stevenson House

530 Houston Street, Monterey 

2 pm Larkin House

464 Calle Principal, Monterey 

Tours are first-come, first-served, and pay at the time of the walk. $10 per person, children 17-under free. Limited to 8 people. Masks are required for indoor house tours.

California's First Theatre Restoration 

Learn about MSHPA and California State Parks efforts to restore the theatre.

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Plan your visit to the Monterey State Historic Park today! 

Support our education programs by visiting our two Museum Stores. 

Stevenson House

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Stevenson House - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

• (0.10 mi) Casa Munras Garden Hotel & Spa
• (0.09 mi) The Stevenson Monterey
• (0.17 mi) Hotel Abrego
• (0.23 mi) Best Western Plus Monterey Inn
• (0.21 mi) Days Inn by Wyndham Monterey Downtown
• (0.10 mi) Estéban Restaurant
• (0.11 mi) Old Monterey Cafe
• (0.10 mi) Melville Tavern
• (0.06 mi) Ambrosia India Bistro
• (0.14 mi) Paris Bakery Cafe

Before the Spanish began to explore and colonize the region, the Ohlone populated the Monterey area. The coastal lands were flush with natural resources, fertile soil, and a temperate climate – all qualities that would later attract the Spaniards.

In 1542, Spanish explorer Juan Rodríquez Cabrillo was the first non-Native person to see the wide Monterey Bay in southern California, spotting it from a ship. In 1770, Captain Gaspar de Portolá and Franciscan Father Junípero Serra established the Royal Presidio of Monterey and the San Carlos de Borromeo Mission – the city’s first permanent buildings. The presidio was soon serving as the seat of the Spanish government in the area. By 1776, Monterey became the capital of both Baja (lower) and Alta (upper) California.

Monterey thrived, mainly within the protective walls of the military presidio, until Argentinean revolutionary privateer, Hipólito Bouchard attacked the city in 1818. The conflict would be the only land and sea battle fought on the West Coast. Bouchard sacked the town leaving severe damage in his wake. Over the next decade Monterey remained the capital and slowly rebuilt. Residences and businesses moved beyond the presidio’s walls and the street pattern that is still visible in Monterey today began to develop.

The Custom House in Monterey emerged out of this new period of prosperity. In April of 1822, the city learned that Mexico had won its independence from Spanish rule the year before. California immediately pledged allegiance to the Mexican government. While Spain had prohibited international trade in its territories, the Mexican government opened up its borders and seaports to foreign trade. The purpose of the Custom House was to collect custom duties on foreign goods at the bay, California’s main point of entry.

Constructed in 1827 and perched on the wide bay at Monterey, the Old Custom House was the first government building in California and the earliest government building on the west coast. The building quickly became a critical part of trade and cargo sale during the Mexican Era. A wide variety of goods began to flow into California arriving on ships from American, British, and South American markets. A single vessel involved in California’s popular hide and tallow trade might owe $5,000 to $25,000 in duty fees on just one load of cargo. The collection of custom fees was California’s most important source of revenue during the 19th century.

The growing trade through Monterey launched the city into a new era of heightened prosperity. What had begun as a small presidio grew into a major cosmopolitan community and an attractive destination for American travelers. This growing American presence in 1842 led to greater interest by the United States government in the territory, and by 1844, the United States established an American consulate in Monterey.

Thomas O. Larkin, a New England merchant who came to California in April 1832, was the first and only United States Consul to Mexican-ruled California. When Larkin first moved to Monterey, he quickly became an affluent citizen and developed a successful trading business. Because of his knowledge and position, Secretary of State Buchanan appointed him as Consul. Larkin is considered to be a key player in the eventual annexation of California by the U.S. Larkin's home served as the consulate from 1844 to 1846 and is now listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Larkin altered and expanded the single-story Custom House, more than doubling its size. By 1846, the custom house had reached its present form and had two stories, a two story porch veranda, four large contiguous rooms, and a tiled hipped roof. At this same time, Mexico and the United States went to war with each other. Commodore John D. Sloat, commander of the U.S. Pacific squadron, arrived in Monterey during the “Bear Flag Revolt.” He raised the American flag over the Custom House and officially claimed California as U.S. territory.

The Old Custom House served as the American-operated custom house until 1868 and then became a private residence. By the early 1890s, the building was unoccupied and began to deteriorate. In 1900, it became one of California’s earliest preservation projects. The Native Sons of the Golden West completed the original restoration efforts by 1917. In 1929, the building became the first California State Landmark. On January 1, 1930, the State Division of Beaches and Parks took it over and opened it to the public as a museum. In 1960, the Custom House was designated a National Historic Landmark and remains in use as a museum and visitor center.

Visitors to the Old Custom House can tour the building and peruse the historic objects and educational materials there. The building sits within the Monterey Old Town Historic District , itself a National Historic Landmark. The district showcases several dozen 19th-century adobe buildings from both the Spanish and Mexican eras that at one time were the hub of social, economic, and political activities in California. The district is also part of California’s Monterey State Historic Park . A two-mile walking path marked with yellow tiles guides guests through the historic buildings, secret gardens, and gorgeous views. Visitors are welcome to explore the “Monterey Walking Path of History” on their own with the help of an interpretive brochure found online here . Guided tours are available and tickets may be purchased at the Pacific House Museum or by calling the Monterey State Historic Park office at 831-649-7118.

29th annual

House and garden tour, hearth and home, history and fantasy.

Step behind the garden walls to view some of the most iconic and fascinating architectural treasures in Carmel-by-the-Sea. This self guided walking tour will be followed by an included reception at the First Murphy House. Refresh and enjoy wine and nibbles in our beautiful garden. Tickets on sale now by clicking Purchase Tickets below, or by phone at 831-624-4447.

Saturday, September 9th | 1pm – 5pm

Chs & aia member price: $45, non-member price: $50, day of event price: $60.

Scroll Down to See Homes on the Tour

Pre-Tour Cocktail Party & Reception

Friday, september 8th | 5:30pm – 8:30pm.

Located at the incredible Odyssey residence.

Follow the link below for more information:

Homes on This Year’s  Tour

Casa felice, lincoln 3 se of 13th.

The architect Don Goodhue, here with his own home, aimed to capture the spirit of Carmel’s early 20th century cottages, realized in a contemporary statement. That historic vernacular used simple volumes, overlapping roof forms, dormer, and plain wall surfaces to produce an Arts and Crafts, Tudor expression. Today’s intent is to blend into Carmel’s wooded residential setting as did the early examples, and not to stand out. Openness, spatial contrasts, light and privacy, both inside and out, were primary considerations. The design starts with a simple rectangular gable-roofed form, with added bays, dormers and a stepped ridge dictated by volumetric restrictions. The interior entry progresses through a narrow low-ceilinged hallway to a 21 ft. high central living space; a loft extends the height back through a study and dormered bedroom. The site is approached by a series of stone steps framing varied garden spaces. Integral color plaster, wood shingles, concrete floors, board and batt interior walls and steel windows recall earlier Carmel cottages.

Whale Watch

Scenic road 2se of 8th.

Built in 1923, this remarkable home offers amazing views of migrating whales from the windows, along with sightings of dolphins, seals and otters. Originally a classic Carmel cottage, it was transformed into a mid-century home in 1963 and a major update was done in 2023, designed by architect Henry Runhke.

Now & Zen Tranquility

24620 lower trail.

This small, classic, mid-century modern home boasts large areas of floor to ceiling glass under an expansive flat roof and is set discreetly below the street in the Carmel Woods area. In 1999, the late, renowned architect, John Thodos, FAIA, designed a remodel of the residence by making this mid-century structure even more Modern. A new entry procession was created with a Corbusian ramp down to a zen-like garden to the front door. The floor plan was opened up and a new glass cube-topped, spiral stair was added to connect to an expanded lower level with bedroom, bath and wine cellar. Continuous, wood-board ceiling and soffits were installed to unify the main level from inside to out. The remodel was designed for a bachelor. So, in order to emphasize the openness of the layout, a compact cube containing shower, water closet and vanity each accessed from different sides, was set between the Living Room and the Master Bedroom. The new owner purchased much of the original Thodos-designed tables and Le Corbusier sofa and chairs which still provide the furnishings for the home.

Out of the Blue

24760 lower trail off valley way and carpenter.

This is a “Coming Home House,” located one block away from the owner’s childhood home. Built in 1946, this house had a full remodel/transformation, designed and built by the owner, architect Jim Zack of Zack/DeVito Architecture Construction in 2022-2023. This included an all new interior, with a modern urban sensibility. New features include a garden, deck, patio and interior creative details, many handmade by the Zack. This amazing remodel reflects the new owner’s modernist sensibilities and offers a retreat from their hectic life in San Francisco.

“Feels Wright”

Casanova 7 nw of ocean.

The recently completed two-story residence by architect Thomas Bateman Hood, AIA, takes its inspiration from the circa 1918 artist’s studio at the rear of this property that was part of a family compound. The Studio’s defining feature is a large north facing window that provided essential north light for the resident painter. This window has been meticulously reproduced in mahogany, and the interior and exterior restored and improved for use today as an accessory dwelling unit. The artist’s north window and the studio’s size and shape inspired the new house Living/Dining Room, Primary Bedroom Suite and Garage. Skylights illuminate the interior with views into the overhanging oak tree canopy. Cantilevers on the upper floor distance the house from the surrounding oaks. Clad in horizontal cedar with raised battens, the effect recalls the work of Frank Lloyd Wright evident in many of his now famous “Usonian” houses, thus giving the house the name “Feels Wright”.

Casanova 2 NW of Ocean

Built in 1919, the house had many renovations over the years. When the current owners purchased the home in 2015, they began a major renovation, designed by John Mandurrago, to bring it back to a more authentic time period. Many rooms were remodeled and a Sun Room and guest Studio were added. The beautiful gardens were also completely re-done by the owners.

First Murphy House

Lincoln and 6th.

The Murphy House was constructed in 1902 by 17 year old Michael J. Murphy for his mother and sisters. It was the first of many cottages and notable structures designed and built by Murphy. He had a significant influence on the character and architecture of the village of Carmel during his career. In 1990, when the little cottage was in danger of being demolished, the First Murphy House Committee was formed under the auspices of the Carmel Heritage Society. The House was moved to its present site and completely restored.

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Exploring Monterey on a dime

A frugal traveler puts the California county, known for its exclusive towns and fancy golf courses, to the test, combining stunning nature with low-key hotels, small businesses and a few splurges

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My first view of Monterey Bay on California’s Central Coast was thrilling — a raft of 40-something sea otters — and free. The next time I would get close to them, at the Monterey Bay Aquarium , it cost nearly $60. That split between free access to outdoor wonders and investment-grade attractions epitomized my experience in the area.

Like so much of coastal California, the Monterey Peninsula, home to famous Pebble Beach golf courses and exclusive towns like Carmel-by-the-Sea (known simply as Carmel), connotes wealth. It is encompassed by Monterey County, a roughly 3,300-square-mile area, which includes Big Sur, where accommodations at luxury resorts like the Post Ranch Inn start at around $1,500 a night.

With a budget of less than half of that for three days, I put Monterey — the town and the county — to the frugal test. In January, a quiet and thrifty time of year, I trusted parks and preserves, unsung hotels and small businesses to keep things economical, even if sampling the variety of Monterey — ranging from historic cities to redwood forests, tide pools and vineyards — required renting a car ($175).

Seeking Steinbeck

My introduction to Monterey, John Steinbeck’s 1945 classic novel “Cannery Row,” describes its waterfront lined in sardine canneries as “a poem, a stink, a grating noise, a quality of light, a tone, a habit, a nostalgia, a dream.” It’s hard to find that gritty romance along today’s Cannery Row , which boomed in the 1930s and ’40s, before overfishing killed supply.

Now chains such as Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. and Sunglass Hut replace “weedy lots and junk heaps,” though a central plaza with bronze sculptures of Steinbeck and some of his characters pays tribute to the past.

Still, the spirit of the book’s protagonist, Doc — a marine biologist based on the real-life scientist Ed Ricketts — lives on at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, which is housed in the former Hovden Cannery. At $59.95 for admission, the aquarium is a worthy splurge, offering opportunities to encounter creatures large, small, wondrous and rare.

“We bring the ocean to people to inspire them with things they might not get to see otherwise,” said Madi Frazier, an aquarium naturalist, as she guided me to a kelp forest modeled on the one found just beyond the bayfront building’s glass walls.

A wing devoted to deepwater ecology held bright red bloody-belly comb jellyfish, stringy bioluminescent siphonophores and 4-foot Japanese spider crabs that inched along in the gloom. A dune-style aviary offered opportunities to observe a normally skittish red knot at close range. Bat rays glided beneath tentative fingers in shallow touch tanks.

A few blocks away, Katie Blandin named her 5-year-old cocktail bar Pearl Hour after “the hour of the pearl,” described in “Cannery Row” as “the interval between day and night when time stops and examines itself.”

We met during happy hour — 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday — when classic cocktails such as the Corpse Reviver No. 2 go for $10 (normally $13). Blandin plants the bar’s back patio in succulents, flowers and herbs, many of which make their way into her cocktails.

“I think even a cocktail should have a sense of terroir,” she said.

Old Monterey

The oldest part of Monterey — an outpost of Spain and then Mexico dating back to the 17th century — lies just over a mile south of Cannery Row in a pedestrian-friendly downtown where signs flag historic adobe buildings.

Among several modestly priced hotels there, I booked the Hotel Abrego , where my $130-a-night room included a Keurig coffee machine and spacious glassed-in shower. Its $20 nightly resort fee, included in the room total, covered parking, a hot breakfast buffet and a glass of wine.

It was easy walking distance to lively Alvarado Street, lined in restaurants and shops. A 19th-century complex, the Cooper Molera Adobe , includes an orchard, barn and house museum (free) behind its walls, and the Alta Bakery and Cafe , where I sipped coffee ($3) on the tranquil patio.

Down the block, Ad Astra Bread Co. sells aromatic loaves of sourdough ($10 each) from Ron Mendoza, the former pastry chef at the Michelin-starred Aubergine in nearby Carmel.

“For the last five years, some of our leading chefs have abandoned fine dining and opened artisanal food businesses,” said Deborah Luhrman, the editor and publisher of the food magazine Edible Monterey Bay , who recommended both bakeries.

The brewpub Alvarado Street Brewery was buzzing when I stopped in for a quinoa bowl ($16) and a Mai Tai tropical IPA for $8. Nearby, my favorite cheap find, El Charrito Express , served substantial barbacoa wraps stuffed with marinated beef, beans and rice for $6.99.

Chancing it in Carmel

From the outset, it felt like a losing bet to take my penny-pinching budget to chic Carmel-by-the-Sea, the 1-square-mile seaside town where actor Clint Eastwood was once mayor.

Even getting there comes at a price: 17-Mile Drive , the coastal scenic route, costs $12 to drive. Fortunately, it’s free to cyclists, which helped take the edge off the cost of the bike I rented to explore some of Monterey’s celebrated cycling routes .

From the bike shop Mad Dogs & Englishmen in Monterey, I rented an electric bike ($40 for four hours) to assist in the long ride — about 28 miles round-trip — and its hills. The deal included free valet parking for my car at the adjacent Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa.

On a cool January morning, frothy aquamarine waves broke on the granite rocks that barricaded the coast, tempting me to stop every half-mile or so to admire their churn. A thick fog blew in as I reached the area’s renowned shorefront links, dramatizing their sand bunkers and wind-shorn cypress trees. I passed a landscape painter and jaw-dropping Pebble Beach mansions before coasting into Carmel.

Amid luxury retailers like Tiffany and Bottega Veneta I found the new Korean restaurant Jeju Kitchen in the outdoor Carmel Plaza . My salmon rice bowl was not cheap at $26, but it was delicious, substantial and only a few dollars more than food truck options at the Carmel Farmers Market across the street.

Monarchs, redwoods and waterfalls

It was far easier to stretch my budget seeking nature in Monterey, home to 99 miles of coastline.

I started at the 2.4-acre Pacific Grove Monarch Sanctuary , where mature Monterey pine trees attract overwintering butterflies that are known to cluster in groups of up to 1,000 from November through February (free).

Using binoculars, I spied bright orange monarchs catching early-morning rays from the tips of pine boughs like mini-solar panels. A pair of deer grazed in the shade below while a set of acorn woodpeckers chattered in the treetops. The abundant bird life drew the attention of two red-shouldered hawks, which glided in silently.

Continuing south along the coast, I spent a sunny afternoon at Point Lobos State Natural Reserve (admission $10). The craggy headland has been the setting for classic Hollywood films, including Alfred Hitchcock’s “Rebecca,” and attracted photographers Edward Weston and Ansel Adams .

The reserve, which has a special conservation status within the state park system, was created by a land donation to protect its cypress grove, according to Kathleen Lee, the executive director of the nonprofit Point Lobos Foundation , which supports the park with fundraising and docent training. In a phone interview, she directed me to the forest, noting that it is “one of only two native Monterey cypress groves remaining in California.”

Atop vertiginous cliffs, a trail wound bravely through the wind-sculpted trees. Below them, harbor seals appeared in the backwash of coves. A short drive south, I scrambled over wet rocks at Weston Beach — named for the photographer — to find tide pools filled with sea stars, anemones and hermit crabs.

Waning light chased me from the park as I set out south, eager to make the drive down famously curvy Highway 1 in Big Sur before dark. The rugged coast of towering redwoods and mountains that plunge into the ocean was named El Sur Grande , or the Big South, by Spanish colonizers as an unmapped wilderness.

Twenty-two miles south of Point Lobos, Ripplewood Resort got its start when the highway was being built in the 1920s. I booked a rustic but comfortable cabin there for $135 a night and woke to find it ideally located just a few miles north of Big Sur Bakery , a beacon of artisanal baking that seemed impossible in such a remote location (a cheddar-and-chive scone cost $5.50).

Ripplewood also lies close to a series of coastal parks, including Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park , where the 4-mile Buzzard’s Roost Trail ascended amid redwoods to ridge-top ocean views (admission, $10, good at all state parks for the day). Nine more wiggly miles south, McWay Falls cascades onto a pristine beach at Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park . Between them, I stopped at frequent turnouts to scan for migrating gray whales exhaling telltale spouts.

A safari and a tasting

The survival of southern sea otters in California is a comeback story. Hunted nearly to extinction for their thick pelts, sea otters managed to hang on in the most remote coves and crags of Big Sur, where a few individuals were discovered in 1938. Now numbering about 3,000, the endangered marine mammals are some of the most charismatic residents in the Central Coast’s kelp beds.

They also thrive in Elkhorn Slough , a coastal wetland preserve in Moss Landing, about 27 miles north of Monterey. There, I boarded an electric catamaran from Monterey Bay Eco Tours to troll the calm waters on a 90-minute cruise ($45).

Within minutes, we spotted harbor seals hauled out on muddy banks shared by marbled godwits, black-necked stilts and whimbrel, some of the park’s more than 300 species of birds. Mother otters fed their babies sea cucumbers, gave them swimming lessons and carried sleeping pups as they floated on their backs.

“Elkhorn Slough is a low-stress environment for them,” said Cindy Rice, a naturalist guide leading the tour.

The drive to my last stop — Monterey’s vineyards — took me through the agricultural flats surrounding Salinas, which grows 70 percent of the nation’s salad greens, some 20 miles to the Salinas Valley , which nurtures pinot noir and chardonnay grapes in the foothills of the Santa Lucia range.

Attracted by vintage tractors, I turned into the family-owned Rustiqué Wines and found its convivial tasting room lodged in a former dairy barn filled not with hushed aficionados swirling and evaluating wine, but with a sociable crowd enjoying glasses of estate pinot noir and oaked chardonnay in the spirit of happy hours everywhere.

Winemaker Chad Silacci and two other family members worked the bar and the crowd. The winery, established in 2006, has built a following through concerts, events and warm hospitality (tastings cost $20, waived with a two-bottle purchase).

“We want it to be comfortable,” Silacci said, indicating the tasting room’s sofas and chairs arrayed around a wood-burning stove. “It’s kind of like walking into our family’s living room.”

I finished an earthy pinot, thinking the investment, like so many in Monterey, paid unanticipated returns.

Glusac writes for The New York Times.

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• Elkhorn Slough
• Fremont Peak State Park
• Laguna Seca Recreation Area
• Lake San Antonio
• Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary
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• Royal Oaks Park
• San Lorenzo Park
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Point Sur Lighthouse, Big Sur

Destinations, food & drink, point sur lighthouse.

Point Sur Lighthouse, a California State Historic Park on the National Register of Historic Places, sits on a volcanic rock 361 feet above the Pacific Ocean. Erected in 1889, this Big Sur lighthouse has stayed in continuous operation since, and is the only complete lighthouse of its era open to the public in California.

A very popular Big Sur attraction, Point Sur Lighthouse is a unique part of California history and can be seen on scheduled guided tours.

WALKING TOURS

Walking tours of Point Sur Lighthouse are held year-round as one of the most popular Big Sur attractions. There are 3 hour walking tours on Saturdays at 10am and Wednesdays at 1pm. Arrive early and park north of the entrance gate at the side of Hwy 1 (19 miles south of Rio Rd). In April 2022, Point Sur Lighthouse will add a Sunday 10am tour. Cost is $15 adults; $5 ages 6 to 17; 5 and under are free. Tours are first come, first served, so make sure to arrive early!

There is also a Saturday 10:30am walking tour (2 hours long) at the adjacent Naval Facility, where you can get the inside scoop on the secret work that took place there during the Cold War. Cost is $10 adults; $5 ages 6-17: 5 and under are free.

The walk to Point Sur Lighthouse is a half-mile, with a 360-foot rise in elevation and two stairways between 40 and 60 steps high. Call 831-625-4419 for tour information, or refer to the Point Sur website for a tour schedule.

OTHER MONTEREY COUNTY LIGHTHOUSES

If you're a fan of historic lighthouses, don't miss Point Pinos Lighthouse, just 27 miles north in Pacific Grove .

From Rio Road in Carmel , drive 19 miles south on Route 1. From points south, drive 1/4 mile north of the Point Sur Naval Facility. You will see Big Sur's lighthouse just off the coast.

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VIRTUAL HOME TOURS

Experience 3D Walking Tours of Our Most Popular Home Designs

It’s the next best thing to being there in person. In fact, it’s better because within a matter of minutes, you can take virtual walking tours of dozens of incredible home designs. Explore houses room by room, and find the perfect design for you.

To get started, choose your state and select a thumbnail to launch your virtual walking tour!

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Welcome to monterey's #1 rated ghost tour.

Hidden in the mists of Monterey Bay, nightmares of Old Cali’s past roam free. Take a Monterey ghost tour to uncover the deadly truths lurking in the depths of California’s First City.

Monterey Ghosts dives deep into the terrifying and authentic stories of shocking events that date back before the Mexican-American War of 1846. Are you ready to walk through the dark and sinister past that can only be found in California’s Cradle of History?

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Monterey Ghost Tour

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THE EXPERIENCES YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT

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Welcome to Monterey Ghosts

Mystery, murder, mayhem and misfortune..

Monterey remains a city full of beautiful nature, resorts, and marine life. However, while countless creatures swim under the surface of the ocean, an untold number of otherworldly creatures hide beneath the surface of this idyllic town. The deep, dark and twisted history of the European settlement and Indigenous people was only a foreshadow of what was to come. In 1846, Americans raised the U.S flag over the Old Custom House, a site left haunted from two gruesome murders.

As you pass through these dark historic sites at night, you’ll feel the chill creep down your spine from real stories of both vengeful killers and their tragic victims, the tales of which riddle Monterey’s unsavory past. These ancient battlegrounds will reveal dark truths that will change the way you see this haunted coastal paradise. History junkies and thrill seekers alike will be on the edge of their toes as they venture into the heart of the unknown.

What You Will See On This Tour

Encounter the unexplained in abandoned theaters and haunted hotels.

Walk through areas where real killings and unexplained activity have been consistently researched and recorded. Experience the utter horror of ghastly stories from old jails, abandoned theaters, and haunted hotels that remain home to more than just unexplained terrors. If you’re looking for a night of fear and fun, this experience is one you’ll never forget, in your wildest dreams or most chilling nightmares.

Keep your eyes peeled for a sighting of an imposter doctor who practiced on his victims until tragedy struck his own family and he decided to take his life. Learn of the high society hotel that housed the rich and elite, and still counts centuries-old ghosts as guests who wander the halls and travel the stairs with the current occupants.

Learn the Untold History of Monterey Through Tragic Tales and Bone-Chilling Ghost Stories

Whether you’re exploring Monterey for the first time, or call the Bay your home, you’re guaranteed to learn something new and terrifying about its tumultuous and sordid history! This tour walks you through the perfect blend of colonial Spanish history, ghost stories, and thrilling accounts of unexplained phenomenon. Experience the Mysteries of Monterey as you see this dark city in a new and haunted light. Encounter ghosts killed by the first American Mayor who was judge, jury, and executioner to anyone who decided to cross him.

* This is a walking tour and we do not enter privately-owned buildings or private property *

Preview The Most Haunted Locations In Monterey

Colton hall museum and jail.

As California’s first American political leader, Walter Colton held an unruly amount of power that came at the cost of lives. Though he was a respectable man, he danced on the line of morality. He served as the first American mayor, to which he then shared his power as sheriff, prosecutor, judge, jailer, coroner, and tax man. All of the convicts locked up in the city were put away by this man. Their fates were directly tied to his discretion where he would decide if they would join the labor force, or face the noose that hung off the second story landing on the front of the building. Sounds of choking and gasping can still be heard by visitors.

Stokes Adobe

British sailor, James Stokes, abandoned his merchant ship with several trunks full of medicine, surgeons’ instruments, and a devious plan to pose as a doctor. Stokes served patients until they would die with nothing tracing back to James. His popularity rose as a doctor. Though his patients would die, he would continue to make money  from his fake profession. Eventually, he bought a house and married a widow with four children. His malpractice eventually came to an end when his wife died and the oldest son drowned. The combination of grief and stress sent him into a downward spiral until he poisoned himself years later. The property went on to serve as a variety of other businesses, but the ghost of James Stokes and his family can still be seen in the Adobe restaurant.

Monterey Hotel

This building is one of the most charming and grandest accommodations in Monterey… It’s also one of the most haunted. Built in 1904, this hotel encompasses the grandeur and high society of the early 20th century. Women in petticoats and men with top hats was the understood dress code. The paranormal activity here is just as bustling as the guests were back in the day. Many staff and visitors have had spiritual sightings of people in out-of-date fashion in the stairwell. Even a former worker named Frank can be heard mumbling about fixing the stairs. It seems even ghosts complain every now and then.

6 Reasons to Book the Monterey Ghost Tour Right Now!

1:  you’re looking for a different kind of city tour..

Monterey Ghosts will give you an experience you’ve never had before! Late at night, when the shops close down, these ghost tours are just getting started. Though walks around this seaside city are common, it’s a whole different town at night and these tours will breathe life into some of Monterey’s darkest moments in time.

2:  You’re want to learn history that’s told in interesting, exciting, and fun new ways.

From Indigenous people to Europeans and Americans, this city has had its fair share of explorers. This walking tour will give you an interactive and informational experience you’ll enjoy much more than any history book! Our tours perfectly compliment history and entertainment. Each site is deeply researched, and our guides exquisitely recount the events of real hauntings that were birthed by the tragic events of each historical site..

3: You want to gain a new perspective as you see the darker side of Monterey

People travel to Monterey for a variety of reasons – from Old Fisherman’s Wharf, to Cannery Row, or maybe they’re usually just passing through. Whatever the reason is for your stay, we can guarantee an experience that is unmatched by conventional ways of portraying the city. You’ll experience distinctive allure of Monterey first hand and learn about a dark history that is sure to translate into unforgettable memories, and nightmares.

4:  You’re intrigued by ghosts and tales of the dead.

Maybe you believe in ghosts, or maybe you don’t. Regardless, you ended up here… and you’re intrigued. This tour isn’t designed to make you some crazy ghost hunter, but we will share many fascinating and true stories about Monterey’s gruesome past. The curiosity will only intensify as you walk through the haunted streets on a dark, deserted night with only your friends and the echoes of ghosts before you.

5:  You’re seasick from the Whale Watching tours.

We can’t promise this tour won’t leave you with a pit in your stomach, but at least it’s on land. The grueling history and hauntings that take place will not only entertain, but leave you and your friends shocked by the tragic and unbelievable history of this little city.

6:  You want a little more thrill and a lot more adrenaline.

As much fun as Monterey is, if you stay long enough, you’ll be itching for a bit of heart-racing thrill. This tour is the perfect addition of excitement to your night in this fisherman’s town. Each bit of bizarre and shocking history you learn will make the rest of your trip that much more exciting as you’ll bring the haunted history along with you, and maybe even have some ghosts tag along when you return home!

Further Reading

Sea Otter Classic: Living the alternative…

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Sports Local Sports

Sea otter classic: living the alternative cycling life, dog and all.

Alexey Vermeulen had a six-figure contract, he was living in Girona, Spain, riding at the top level of road cycling and he was 21 years old.

“I was stoked; life is good,” said Vermeulen reflecting on his fast-tracked career that started nine years ago. “But when I moved back from Europe, I was living with my parents. I hadn’t gone to college. I didn’t know what I was going to do.”

Vermeulen’s career path is not uncommon. Plenty of talented young American riders have gone to Europe, signed with top-level teams and then abruptly no longer had what they had dreamed about since first cycling as youngsters.

In Vermeulen’s instance, LottoNl-Jumbo, the Dutch-based team, didn’t renew his contract after two seasons. He rode one season for Interpro Cycling Academy, a Japan-based, second-level pro team for which he won a stage of the Tour du Maroc in 2018.

But the Tennessee native who lives in Boulder, Colorado, has found a place to ride his bike. For the third straight year, he’s competing in the Life Time Grand Prix. It’s a several-month-long series of varying types of mountain bike races for men and women professionals.

Vermeulen, second overall the past two years, was among the field of 30 pro men the Fuego XL 100K. It was the season-opener at the seven-event series and highlighted Friday’s second day of the Sea Otter Classic at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. A field of 30 pro women also competed separately.

“Beyond making more than what I make now, what I learned in the last three years is what I want to do post-career. I never thought I would. I thought I would have to go back to college. I am now learning a bit about self value and pitching yourself and meeting people in the industry or outside of the industry.

“The Grand Prix has brought in so many different people; that’s probably the biggest thing beyond me doing well at the race. At the end of the day, that’s cool. You make some money, but I am not going to retire at the end of my career racing bikes. I no longer feel like I am not stuck not going to school. I learned how to prepare myself.”

Vermeulen has positioned himself as an individual rider, known as a privateer, to earn what he formerly earned as a European-based pro.

Last season, Vermeulen, who learned to ride with his father and grandfather, won the Chequamegon MTB Festival (Wisconsin) and Rad Dirt Fest (Colorado) before taking second at Big Sugar Gravel (Arkansas).

While known in the cycling community, the Grand Prix series is far removed from the legacy of the sport Vermeulen once knew. He rode in more than 125 races in two seasons throughout the world. Included were events known as the Classics or Monuments, Flèche Wallonne to Liège-Bastogne-Liège and the Abu Dhabi Tour to the Tour de Romandie.  He also rode in the Tour of California, which often passed through the Monterey Peninsula.

“It was early, too early sometimes,” said Vermeulen of his former road career. “But that’s also how life works. I feel like what I went through was too early. But I had to make a decision and I did what was best for me at the time.

“At the end of the day what I feel like I left was racing in the Tour (de France). You grow up idolizing this thing (the Tour de France) and also always the Olympics. From age 13 I made choices around bike racing and they were all made around watching the Tour and Lance (Armstrong) and Jan Ullrich (the Tour de France winner from Germany). I still have goosebumps going back and watching the ’09 and 2000 Tours.”

Part of Vermeulen’s new career is his sponsorship associations, some of which have been accelerated by the cyclist’s travel companion, a dachshund named Sir Willie. The dog he shares with his girlfriend, a professional triathlete, often accompanies Vermeulen in a backpack during training rides. The 5-year-old dog slept on Vermeulen’s lap for most of the pre-event press conference.

While focusing on mountain biking, Vermeulen also plans to compete in the individual time trial at the National Championships next month in Charleston, West Virginia. At stake is a position on the U.S. Olympic team for the Summer Olympics in Paris.

Unlike on the World Tour where teams have chefs, staff carrying suitcases and massage therapists ready after events, Vermeulen is on his own, often assisted only by family and friends.

“I loved racing in Europe and that’s why I tried following that route,” Vermeulen said. “But I am racing for myself and that’s fun. I get to decide where I go and do the things that as a human you want to be in control of.”

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