Cannery Row, Monterey

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Like the title states this is tourist focused area. Nice to visit with some visit with some wonderful history of the fishing industry. Many shops for souvenirs and large restaurants. Many of the restaurants will have someone standing outside with samples of the food and offering a free "chefs choice" appetizer. A bit touristy for me but I enjoyed the historical aspect. There is an aquarium at the south end that is very good.

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there are mini beaches along the Cannery Row area of monterey where you can take pictures or videos and even stroll around and fish if you have fishing lines but swimming is not allowed due to the strong currents and there are no beach facilities like changing rooms and restrooms at the beaches and no life guards too. These mini Beaches are the Reeside Access near Monterey Inn, the mini beach beside the Bubba Gump Shrimp & Co Restaurant and beyond the Monterey Bay Aquarium Area, There are no admission fees and feel free to stroll around if you have time and savor the view and the smell of the sea.

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This famous street, formerly known as Ocean View Avenue, became world famous due to the Famous Novel of John Steinbeck called Cannery Row that also became a movie. In 1958 it was renamed into Cannery Row in honor of the Novel and Film. It was before a long line of Sardine Canneries, which was the main business along the street but the last one closed in 1973. Due to the Novel and film, the place became famous and Tourism Related Activities started to pick up and the tourism related establishments like restaurant, shops, hotels, the Monterey Bay Aquarium began to sprout and many of which are located in former cannery buildings, and a few historic attractions. Some privately owned fishing companies still exist on Cannery Row, housed on piers located a short distance from the historic district frequented by tourists.

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We went to Cannery Row to the Aquarium. We found out that there was a motorcycle race and that was why we had trouble getting a hotel room, and Cannery Row was blocked off to cars for the race. We walked down there and had lunch

According to the internet: Events on Cannery Row are nothing short of spectacular and always free. The summer season kicks off with the annual Cannery Row Block Party, a lively family favorite with kids' games, food, music and entertainment. When motorcyclists roll into Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca for the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix in July, more than 2,000 riders show off their bikes at Race Night on the Row. Cannery Row is the home of September's Cherry’s Jubilee, when gleaming classic cars line the street. The day after Thanksgiving, head down to Steinbeck Plaza for the Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony and holiday festivities.

The only photos I have of it are from the early 60s

The Taste of Monterey is hidden in the back of the building in this pic (ocean side). Once you find it on the 2nd floor (tehre are signs leading you to it), you'll be amazed by the view. Behind the tasting bar are huge picture windows looking out on the bay. The staff is super-friendly and knowledgable.
The tastings are usually about 8 local wines that they choose, for $5 a person. But you get a $5 voucher towards a bottle of wine. Many bottles there are $10-$15. They change the list of wines every Friday.
And here's the real bargain: They'll also give you a list of local restaraunts that don't charge a corkage fee if you bring in a wine from their shop. So for as little as about $12, your whoe group can share a bottle of wine over dinner!

People came to Monterey because of the whaling. When the whaling industry disappeared, the sardine industry started to rise such as John Steinbeck in Cannery Row and Sweet Thursday. However, the sardine industry also could not survive. By the 1950s, Cannery Row was a ghost town of empty warehouses and canneries.

For more story and photos, check the website

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You cannot come to Monterey and not take a walk down the Wharf!
Gift shops and art galleries, boat rides and whale watching tours, live theatre and free parrott shows, restaurants and icecream. People having fun.
It was busy but not too crowded when we were there, in fact the restaurants seemed to be short of customers and most were offering free samples of their fish chowder, some even with a couple of chips/fries. It was a sunny, warm day with a fair breeze. None of the vendors hassled us even George with his parrot seemed happy for people to take photos, though I think anyone who held one for a photograpg was expected to make a donation.
We did not sample any of the gift shops or jewellers, but one particularly good chowder sample resulted in a very good light, lunchtime meal.

Located along the touristy Cannery Row is Scheid Vineyards’ tasting room. Scheid Vineyards is a Monterey County winery with vineyards in four distinct local regions. They produce a variety of both red and white wines.

The tasting room is open to the public and offers a nice diversion for Cannery Row visitors. They charge a tasting fee. However, the fee is credited against any wine purchases. So if you buy a bottle, the fee is basically waived. You can also share a tasting with a friend if you so desire.

The tasting will included several varieties. They did have a nice Chardonnay. But their Claret Reserve was excellent. Scheid Vineyards’ tasting room is definitely worth a stop if you enjoy wine tasting.

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If you are a fan of John Steinbecks- I recommend that you visit Cannery Row, Monterey.
There is a museum, plaques and statue of the great writer here to commemorate his life and work. His book 'Cannery Row' was published in 1945.
Cannery Row (named 13 years after publication after Steinbecks famous book ) was the epicentre of the fishing & whaling industry, and Steinbecks book captures all the drama and pathos of the boom and bust cycle that the many immigrants had to endure.
For many years the area was forgotton and neglected- but the book revived interest. Today it is one of the most popular areas to visit in Monterey.. The area is a marine sanctuary and houses a large population of California sea lions. There are privately owned and operated fishing companies at Cannery Row, housed on piers located a short distance from the lively entertainment district frequented by tourists.
In the 1960s some cannery buildings burnt to the ground, signalling what could have been a death knell for this historical site. There was, with the re-opening of sardine cannery, a revival in the late 60's, and Cannery Row was transformed from a street of abandoned canneries into a welcoming waterfront where one could soak up the atmopsphere of a bygone era.
Even if you are NOT a Steinbeck fan- this is worth a visit. Have lunch on the dockside- there are an array of various resturants. We had a great lunch at Bubba Gump (recognise that
name?)

The Wax Museum: John Steinbeck sitting around and drinking with friends is worth a visit.There is 450 years worth of Monterey history here, with 100 realistic wax figures, depicting a number of scenes throughout time.- amongst them figures of old cannery workers, prostitutes and Indians. This is one of the newer attractions in Cannery Row and a great place to bring the family. Admission: $4.95 adults; $2.95 kids 7-12.

Made famous by John Steinbeck's 1945 novel Cannery Row, this was a loud industrial street mainly in the business of canning sardines. The commercial fishing activities ended in the early 20th century, and today Cannery Row is known as the hot spot with over thirty restaurants, clubs and pubs, all within walking distance. Hundreds of shops line the street as well art galleries, and the wonderful Aquarium is at the west end. Some of the buildings you see in the area were used in Steinbeck’s novel. If you are interested in the history of the area, there are various signs around Cannery row that you can stop and read. Shopping is not high on my list of things to do, but we did spend a little time walking around the area, stopping in a few of the shops. We also ate a couple of good meals here. My favorite thing, however, was the Aquarium. The photo was taken by my husband.