Monterey Bay Aquarium
Mission Ranch
A B Seas Kayaks of Monterey
National Steinbeck Center
The Wine Trolley
- This renowned aquarium is devoted to the rich marine eco-system that lies just beyond its windows and terraces. While the entire aquarium accommodates 3,000 attendees for strolling receptions, smaller groups will find more intimate spaces such as the Portola Restaurant, which seats 80, and the Outer Bay Wing, where 100 guests can enjoy a sit-down banquet with a fish-eye view of sharks, tunas and sea turtles inhabiting a million-gallon exhibit. www.mbayaq.org
Mission Ranch
- Clint Eastwood saved Carmel’s historic Mission Ranch from demolition when he purchased the property, which dates from 1856, back in the 1980s. Now a hotel and restaurant, the property offers two event spaces: the Patio Party Barn, with a wall of wood-framed glass doors opening onto a brick patio with views of meadows rolling down to Carmel Beach, and the more expansive Large Party Barn. Both offer dance floors and stages for live music. www.missionranchcarmel.com
A B Seas Kayaks of Monterey
- Kayaking in Monterey Bay is a chance to come face-to-face with sea lions, otters, harbor seals, and other creatures that abound in the bay. It’s also a great way to observe birdlife, including pelicans, cormorants, egrets, surf scooters, and other migratory shorebirds. Tours, which can accommodate up to 100 people at a time, include instruction and safety orientation and are two to three hours long, with use of the kayak included after the tour. www.montereykayak.com
National Steinbeck Center
- The National Steinbeck Center celebrates the life and times of author and Salinas native John Steinbeck with innovative exhibits that depict settings from novels such as The Grapes of Wrath, East of Eden and Cannery Row. Artifacts include the camper truck that Steinbeck drove around the U.S. while writing Travels with Charley. Another wing, Valley of the World, is devoted to the historical and agricultural heritage of the Salinas Valley. A variety of spaces accommodate events for 25 to 600 people. www.steinbeck.org
The Wine Trolley
- The biodiesel, 24-passenger Hattie the Magnificent Trolley takes corporate groups on half-day excursions from Monterey into the Carmel Valley wine region for wine tasting. The trolley is also available for private charters or for customized tours of Pebble Beach, Big Sur and other areas on the Monterey Peninsula. www.toursmonterey.com