Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo discovered Monterey Bay on November 16, 1542, during a Spanish naval expedition. He named the area The Bay of Pines because of the large number of pine trees he encountered. Over 50 years later, in 1595, Sebastián Rodríguez Cermeño was appointed by King Phillip II of Spain to map the American West Coast. After crossing Monterey Bay, he decided to call it San Pedro Bay, in honor of Saint Peter of Verona. The present-day name of the bay was given by explorer Sebastián Vizcaíno in 1602. He was commissioned by Spain to travel to the area to create a detailed chart of the West Coast.
There are over a dozen communities located in the Monterey Bay area, including Santa Cruz, Capitola, Carmel, Seaside, and Marina. The population of all of the cities combined is well over 450,000 people.
Pay a visit to the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum to learn about the area’s rich surfing history. Explore the historic Steinbeck House, a Victorian-style home that was constructed in 1897. This well-preserved home still contains some of the Steinbeck family’s original furniture pieces.
The Monterey Bay region has no shortage of welcoming restaurants. The Crow’s Nest Restaurant in Santa Cruz provides a seaside experience and an extensive menu of delicious American-style meals. First Awakenings is the perfect place for a hearty breakfast meal. Menu items include fruit crepes, Greek omelets, and calamari steak.
Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park sits along the Big Sur River and stretches over 1,000 acres of land. This scenic park offers a variety of outdoor activities, including hiking, camping, and swimming.
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park is a 4,650-acre park that includes grasslands, redwood trees, sand hills, blue herons, coyotes, black-tail deer, and much more. Available park activities include horseback riding, picnicking, hiking, and swimming.
Sunset State Beach, which is located on Monterey Bay, measures 302 acres in size. While visiting this beautiful park, you can enjoy swimming, surfing, whale watching, and beach walking.
Monterey Bay Oktoberfest – Held during the month of September in Carmel-By-The-Sea, this lively event honors the German heritage with dancing, live music, and a beer garden party.
Santa Cruz Comedy Festival – This October festival is held outdoors and features two hours of food, fun, and laughter.
Good Old Days Festival and Parade – This unique event takes place during the month of May in Pacific Grove. The festival includes lives music, parading sheep, and a variety of food booths.
With a wide range of available storage facilities, you shouldn’t have any trouble storing your RV near Monterey Bay. SV Boat and RV Storage is a secure facility with lots measuring up to 40 feet in length. Prices start at $130 a month. Garage Unlimited of Monterey provides 24/7 access and units that measure up to 52 feet in length. Jenkins RV Storage is also available around-the-clock. Units range from 23 to 37 feet in length.
Pinnacles National Park is located just 49 miles outside of the Monterey Bay area. This gorgeous park spans over 26,000 acres and features towering pinnacles, grasslands, woodlands, and bat caves. You will also run into a wide variety of native animals, including eagles, wild turkeys, cougars, and prairie falcons. Hiking, rock climbing, camping, and bird-watching are just a few of the activities you can enjoy in this massive park.
Located 193 miles away, Kings Canyon National Park stretches over 461,901 acres of land. This immense park consists of large sequoia trees, including the enormous General Grant Tree. The park is also made up of streams, lakes, rivers, and peaks. Available activities include rock climbing, bouldering, fly fishing, and kayaking.
Channel Islands National Park is located about 263 miles away. Spanning nearly 250,000 acres, this gigantic park includes a total of five islands. The park boasts volcanic rocks, direct access to the Pacific Ocean as well as thousands of plant and animal species. You can enjoy a host of activities, such as camping, backpacking, scuba diving, and hiking.
Constructed in 1933, the Golden Gate Bridge boasts an impressive height of 746 feet. This California landmark is one of the most recognizable bridges in the world.
Alcatraz Island was once used as a maximum security prison. The prison housed several notorious inmates, including Al Capone, Bumpy Johnson, and Mickey Cohen.
The Monterey Bay Aquarium offers beautiful ocean views and features over 35,000 animals. African penguins, jellyfish, brown pelicans, and sea lions are just a few of the animals you may encounter during your visit.
Fernwood Campground and Resort is located less than 5 miles from Pfeiffer Beach. The campground offers water hookups, electrical hookups, Wi-Fi access, showers, and an on-site restaurant.
The Santa Cruz Ranch RV Resort sits near Santa Cruz Beach. Wi-Fi, water hookups, electrical hookups, and sewer hookups are available. You will also have access to water activities, a boardwalk, and laundry facilities.
Santa Cruz / Monterey Bay KOA Holiday is a family-friendly site that consists of an on-site camp store, a clubhouse, and two playgrounds. Showers and full hookups are available.
Motorhomes are divided into Class A, B, and C vehicles. On average expect to pay $185 per night for Class A, $149 per night for Class B and $179 per night for Class C. Towable RVs include 5th Wheel, Travel Trailers, Popups, and Toy Hauler. On average, in Monterey Bay, CA, the 5th Wheel trailer starts at $70 per night. Pricing for the Travel Trailer begins at $60 per night, and the Popup Trailer starts at $65 per night.
Do you need to be a certain age to rent an RV in Monterey Bay?Yes. The minimum age is 25 to be eligible to get an RV Rental in Monterey Bay from RVshare.
Does RVshare have emergency roadside assistance?Yes. Every RV rental booked through RVshare receives 24/7 emergency roadside assistance.
Does RVshare offer one way RV rentals in Monterey Bay?Yes. Prior to renting any RV, check with the owner since not all will offer this particular option.
