| By Car tips and advice posted by real travelers and Monterey locals. • 21 Photos
• 13 Reviews
See all Monterey Transportation |
 | Monterey By Car Reviews | 1 - 10 of 13 |  |
Parking in downtown Monterey can be a pain for newcomers, but once you get used to it, their system makes a lots if sense and is pretty easy. Some spots are 3 minutes, some are 24 minutes, some are an hour, some 90 minutes, and none I have seen are more than two hours. These time limits usually apply from 9am to 6pm everyday but Sunday, so you can get drunk Saturday night, take the taxi home, and come back to pick up your car Sunday afternoon. When the time limit expires, you are required to move your car at least 150 feet to a new spot...They actually have a high-tech way to enforce this called AutoVu Mobile Parking Enforcement System which tracks license plate numbers.
Spots downtown and around Cannery Row are metered and strictly enforced, but within walking distance of these areas I've had good luck finding no-fee spots on the street. The same time limits typically apply for metered and non-metered slots.
The on-street meters cost a quarter dollar for a quarter hour and accept change as small as a nickel (3 minutes), while the metered spaces in parking lots and garages usually cost just $0.50 per hour. A hidden secret for locals who park downtown often are the city's "Parkcards" for use in the electronic slots on the meters. These come in various denominations from $5 to $100 and give you a 10% discount on parking. It also saves you from carrying a ton of change. They are available at one location only: the city Parking Division Office in the West Custom House parking garage, 340 Tyler Street (831.646.3953) near Fisherman's Wharf. Leave a Comment
|
 | |  |
Visiting Monterey?
Read reviews about Monterey Hotels
Real Reviews from Real VirtualTourist Members.
There are two lots that are very close to the Warf and offer reasonable priced all day or short term parking. Waterfront Lot #1 is located between Washington Street and Fisherman’s Warf. This is the closest parking for the Warf. Waterfront Lot #2 is located between Washington Street and Figueroa Street, and is also excellent. Leave a Comment Theme: Car/Motor Home
|
California State Highway 1 is known in southern California as the Pacific Coast Highway, in the central part of the state as the Cabrillo Highway, and in the north as Shoreline Highway. It traverses some of the most beautiful parts of California's Pacific Coast including Monterey Bay. From the north, Highway 1 hugs the coast around Monterey Bay hitting Santa Cruz, Marina, and the edge of Monterey, before cutting off the Monterey Peninsula for a few miles (skipping Pacific Grove, Pebble Beach, and much of Carmel) to , then it's back along the ocean. In Monterey and Carmel, there are plenty of exits to allow you to get in and out of town. Your Primary Monterey exits are Del Monte Ave and Fremont Ave for downtown, Hwy 68 towards Salinas for the airport, Munras for the mall, and Hwy 68 west for Pacific Grove.
Driving north you can take Hwy 1 to San Francisco and beyond, along the way passing through beautiful towns like Santa Cruz, Half Moon Bay, and Pacifica and great parks such as Natural Bridges State Beach, Año Nuevo State Park, and Pigeon Point Lighthouse State Historic Park.
South of Monterey is Carmel, Carmel River State Beach, Point Lobos State Park, and Big Sur country with its plethora of beaches, parks, and the famous & historic Bixby Bridge. Leave a Comment Theme: Car/Motor Home
|
| | |
 by Monique_TLeave a Comment Theme: Other
|
Drive a car or motorcycle! The various routes to this area can be beautiful and enjoyable, especially Highway 1 from north or south. If you're coming from the San Jose area, you might consider Hwy 17 to Hwy 1; or for something different, take Hwy 101 to Gilroy, then take Road 152 over Hecker Pass to Hwy 1. These aren't the fastest routes, but enjoying the scenery can be part of the fun.
Drive a car or motorcycle! Riding a bicycle is nice along the shoreline -- rent or bring one. Leave a Comment Theme: Motorcycle
|
Visiting Monterey?
Read reviews about Monterey Hotels
Real Reviews from Real VirtualTourist Members.
If you fly in and are planning on renting a car from Monterey airport, consider an off airport location. You can save $30-50 per day compared to the airport location rates!
I got a compact rate of $23.99 at Hertz on Del Monte in Seaside (4 miles away) and they came and picked us up "off airport" at the corner of the airport entrance where there is a Comfort Inn (Olmsted Dr). (They pick up but cannot advertise they do as it's Nationals catchphrase) A two minute walk from the MRY airport terminal. A compact rate was $25.99/day.
Short walk, big savings! Leave a Comment Theme: Car/Motor Home
|
If you're heading to Cannery Row or Fisherman's Wharf, you'll find more than enough expensive parking. But here is a tip to saving some cash in Monterey - there is always free parking! Here are some good spots to look...
Downtown Monterey/Fisherman's Wharf: the streets around Jack's Park have 2 hour street parking. The streets behind the Monterey Institute for International Studies have 2 hour parking and a block behind that is free no-limit residential parking (no permit needed there).
Cannery Row: Go up the hill in New Monterey a block or two up from Lighthouse Ave., the first block has 2 hour parking and the blocks beyond that are no-limit.
Some warnings: Be careful in the neighborhood between NPS and El Estero park, you need a resident permit to park for more than a couple hours. For all street parking, make sure you are on the correct side of the street and the appropriate distance from intersections, police patrol parking violations like these more during the summer tourist months.
The City of Monterey website has maps of paid as well as open free/timed parking areas.
|
| | |
There are parking meters all around town. (And a few free spots along the streets.) The standard price is $1/hour. However, there are signs that tell you the max time you can park there (some as little as 12 minutes, for instance) and these are strictly enforced. It's also GOOD TO HAVE LOTS OF QUARTERS, but some lots, like Fisherman's wharf have a machine where you can use a credit card.
There are also a few PARKING GARAGES if you plan to explore the town for more than an hour or so. They're all priced a little bit differently; the website has maps and costs.
|
Drive! There's no other way.
Drive! There's no other way. Leave a Comment Theme: Car/Motor Home
|
 | 1 | 2 |  |
|
More Monterey Car Rental Deals Dollar Rent A Car
Book direct with Dollar and save! Always great rates. Book now. Cars From Only $9 A Day
Find Car Rental Deals from $9 A Day Compare Deals from Top Companies! Auto Rental
Save on All Major Brands at Expedia Get Our Best Rate Guarantee. Sponsored Links
- Best Western Victorian Inn
487 Foam Street, Monterey, CA - Rodeway Inn Monterey
2041 Fremont Street, Monterey, CA - Travelodge Monterey Downtown
675 Munras Ave, Monterey, CA - Days Inn Monterey Fisherman's Wharf / Aquarium
1288 Munras Avenue, Monterey, CA - Casa Verde Inn
2113 North Fremont Street, Monterey, CA - Quality Inn Munras Avenue
1058 Munras Avenue, Monterey, CA - Bay Park Hotel
1425 Munras Ave., Monterey, CA - Econo Lodge Monterey Fairground
2042 N. Fremont St., Monterey, CA - Cypress Gardens Inn
1150 Munras Avenue, Monterey, CA - Holiday Inn Express Monterey
443 Wave St., Monterey, CA - Monterey Plaza Hotel
400 Cannery Row, Monterey, CA - Motel 6 Monterey
2124 North Fremont Street SR 1/Cabrillo Highway at the Casa Verde Way exit, Monterey, CA - Best Western Monterey Inn
825 Abrego Street, Monterey, CA - Mariposa Inn
1386 Munras Ave., Monterey, CA - La Quinta Inn Monterey
2401 Del Monte Avenue, Monterey, CA
|
