Two perfect summer days in Monterey County offer everything from exceptional accommodations to world-class dining.
Redwoods surround Alila Ventana in Big Sur.
Give us the two Ws—wine and woods—and we’re happy. Monterey County offers those two foundational elements of a great getaway and more this summer, including a jaw-dropping coastline with charming seaside towns, a vibrant dining scene and countless venues to nourish mind, body and soul. Bonus: The county stretches from Santa Cruz to San Luis Obispo and is an easy drive from the Bay Area.
DAY 1: SETTLE IN
Two Big Sur hotels recently received Michelin Keys: Alila Ventana (alilahotels.com/ventana) and the Post Ranch Inn (postranchinn.com). The adults-only Alila Ventana is nestled amid the beauty of Big Sur and offers 59 rooms overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Indulge in relaxation at the spa’s outdoor cabanas, where a breeze carries the scents of redwood forests and sea salt. Don’t miss invigorating therapies like hot-stone massages and body exfoliations infused with lemongrass, lavender and other essential oils, ensuring a blissful escape for mind and body.
Post Ranch Inn, which sits on 100 acres atop the cliffs of rugged Big Sur, features its acclaimed on-site restaurant, Sierra Mar, renowned for its newly unveiled seasonal menu. Reylon Agustin, the restaurant’s culinary director, and Il Hoon Kong, its executive chef, showcase classic Californian cuisine, reflecting the inn’s commitment to sustainability and community engagement. Menu highlights include sunchoke veloute, butternut squash risotto with hen of the woods mushrooms and crispy kale, and lion’s mane mushroom steak with garden pistou. Wine Spectator recently awarded Sierra Mar its Grand Award for its 3,200 wines and dazzling cocktail program.
Rooms at Post Ranch merge with the forest.
DAY 2: WINE & DINE
Nine American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) dot Monterey County, home to approximately 349 vineyards renowned for crafting award-winning pinot noir, chardonnay and over 50 other diverse varietals. Located on 15 acres of vineyards and lush gardens in Carmel Valley, Folktale Winery (folktalewinery.com) beckons guided tours and delightful lunches in the scenic Wine Garden (order a sparkling rosé, chardonnay or pinot noir). Carmel-by-the-Sea features 18 winetasting rooms, including Caraccioli Cellars (caracciolicellars.com), a family-operated gem offering brut cuvée, brut rosé and pinot noir sourced from the Santa Lucia Highlands.
Venturing downtown, discover The Annex (theannexcarmel.com), a cozy retreat offering Folktale wines by the bottle or flight, accompanied by artisanal charcuterie, cheeses and small bites on a firepit-warmed courtyard. Last year, Chalone Vineyard (chalonevineyard.com) unveiled its newest tasting, where wine enthusiasts sample the offerings of Monterey County’s oldest-producing vineyard. Look for pairings of caviar or cheese. Celebrated for its chardonnay and pinot noir, Chalone’s winemaker, Greg Freeman showcases his expertise through pinot blanc, chenin blanc, syrah and grenache varietals.
The adults-only Alila Ventana offers 59 rooms overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
In Pacific Grove, the Red House Cafe (redhousecafe.com) earns acclaim for its unassuming ambiance and standout dishes, including potato latkes crowned with delicately sliced salmon. We also love Paluca Trattoria (palucatrattoria.com), which inspired the fictional Blue Blues Cafe in HBO’s Big Little Lies. The eatery sits on Monterey’s wharf, where visitors savor locally sourced seafood delicacies like Monterey Bay calamari and artichoke-and-mascarpone ravioli.
The recently opened Chez Noir (cheznoircarmel.com), a Carmelby-the-Sea standout, earned its Michelin star just 10 months after its debut. The seafood-centric, Mediterranean-California fusion menu also boasts exquisite Monterey County wines. Meanwhile, Sarah and Boo Simms, twin sisters and co-owners of Los Angeles’ renowned Lady & Larder, returned to their Monterey roots to unveil their second outpost: The Carmel Valley Lady & Larder (ladyandlarder.com), a haven for artisanal cheeses, natural wines and delectable charcuterie boards.
Venturing inland to Salinas reveals a burgeoning dining scene worth exploring. The arrival of Heirloom Pizza Co.’s (heirloompizzapie.com) second location in Old Town Salinas last fall means deep-dish pies adorned with farm-fresh arugula, squash and spinach—a satisfying detour from the county’s coastal delights.
Post Ranch’s Sierra Mar restaurant features sustainable fare, including abalone.
Photography by: COURTESY OF BRANDS
