Located about 115 miles south of San Francisco and 350 miles north of Los Angeles, Monterey is easily considered one of the Pacific coast's most beautiful cities. The rocky coast dotted with wind-swept trees gives the area a rugged and instantly identifiable charm. Nicknamed the "cradle of (California) history," Monterey also has deep roots in the Spanish colonial period. "Monte Rey" bay was named December 1602 by explorer Sebastaian Viscaino.  The town of Monterey was established in 1770, when the Presidio, a fort, was founded to protect Spanish territory. In 1776, Spain named Monterey the capital of Lower and Upper California. After Mexico became independent in the early 1800s, California pledged allegiance to it. California became a US territory as a result of the Mexican-American War in 1846.

Monterey was known for its sardine fishing, a heritage still seen by visitors to Cannery Row, made famous in Nobel prize-winning John Steinbeck's novel by the same name.  Artists and writers have been drawn to the picturesque location over the years. Today, a world-class aquarium, renowned postgraduate institution for the study of foreign language, many art galleries, and its location near central coast wineries and nearby Carmel and Pebble Beach golf courses make Monterey a popular tourist destination.