Perched at the tip of the Monterey Peninsula, Pacific Grove (pop. 16,117) is a quiet throwback to old-time tourism, dating from the late 1880s when the area was used for summertime Methodist revival meetings. The revivalists’ tents and camps later grew into the West Coast headquarters of the populist Chautauqua educational movement, based in upstate New York. The town still has a curiously midwestern feel, from its many small churches to the rows of well-maintained Victorian cottages lining its quiet streets. Besides the many fine old buildings, the best reason to come here is the beautiful, fully accessible shoreline, which boasts some of the coast’s best tidepools, sunset views, and endless opportunities for winter whale-watching.
Pacific Grove’s main street, Lighthouse Avenue, runs through the 15-mph commercial district of galleries, movie theaters, and cafés like Toastie’s (831/373-7543), a comfy breakfast and lunch place at 702 Lighthouse Avenue. Nearby Pepper’s (831/373-6892), at 170 Forest Avenue, serves very good, fresh Mexican food, while a range of fairly priced fish dishes are on the menu at The Fishwife (831/375-7107), overlooking Asilomar State Beach at 1996 Sunset Drive.
Places to stay in Pacific Grove are more reasonably priced than in Monterey or Carmel: Andril’s Fireplace Cottages ($90–150; 831/375-0994), is a lovingly maintained set of old-fashioned motor-court cabins, all with fireplaces and just two blocks from the ocean at 569 Asilomar Boulevard. Rustic Asilomar Conference Center ($95 and up; 831/372-8016), at 800 Asilomar Boulevard, has a modern lodge and some lovely woodsy, Julia Morgan–designed cabins, but the former YWCA summer camp is often filled with church groups or convention-goers. For a romantic getaway, it’s hard to beat the jointly-run pair of Victorian-era B&Bs overlooking the Pacific from Lover’s Point: Grand View and Seven Gables ($175 and up; 831/372-4341), at 555–557 Ocean View Boulevard.
