Situated on the stunningly scenic southern edge of Monterey Bay on Central California’s beautiful Pacific Coast, Monterey is truly a picture-perfect destination known for its excellent art and music scene, friendly people, and outdoor beauty. Situated three hours from San Francisco, it’s close enough to enjoy all that a big city offers to see and do, while still also offering the benefits of a more laid-back, coastal, lifestyle. Even better, it’s an LGBTQ-friendly city where all can feel welcome and at home.
A Look at Monterey’s History
Monterey was initially occupied by Spain, and subsequently by Mexico from 1777 to 1846, and the Spanish-Mexican influence is still clearly seen in the architecture of the area. The city still boasts the oldest stone Spanish mission in California – the Presidio Chapel, which was built in 1877. Since becoming part of the United States, Monterey has been a very popular tourist destination due to its stunning coastal beauty – but it has also played an important role in agriculture and natural preservation, not to mention having a thriving art and music scene. Truly, Monterey is a city with much to offer!
A Few Fun Facts About Monterey
Read more fun facts about Monterey here.
Monterey’s LGBTQ Community
Monterey is a city that loves and supports its LGBTQ community with a variety of resources, including:
PFLAG Santa Cruz County is the area’s local chapter of the national PFLAG organization, which is the largest grassroots organization of its kind in the country. PFLAG is well-known for its mission of supporting LGBTQ people, friends, family, and allies across the country in a wide variety of ways. With 500 chapters and more than 200,000 members in the United States, PFLAG plays a critical and important role in providing advocacy, support, and resources to the LGBTQ community.
Monterey Peninsula Pride regularly holds events for the LGBTQ community throughout the year, as well as hosting the annual Monterey Peninsula Pride Festival in June. It's a great way to get involved with the LGBTQ community in Monterey, and to feel supported, connected, and celebrated while helping others to do the same.
What's the Weather Like in Monterey?
Temperatures in Monterey are fairly mild year-round, with short, dry, and comfortable summers, and cooler, partly cloudy winters. Over the course of the year, the temperature typically ranges from around 44ºF and 66ºF. Those who live in Monterey can expect Monterey receives an average of 18 inches of rain on average, per year, and no snow.
Can’t-Miss Events in Monterey
The Monterey Jazz Festival is a very popular annual music festival that has been taking place in Monterey since the 1950s. For three days each year, some of the best jazz talent from around the world comes to Monterey for the festival, and it's definitely a can't-miss event for anyone who loves music or simply having fun with friends.
Monterey Peninsula Pride is the area’s annual LGBTQ pride celebration, and it’s one event that you’ll definitely want to put on your calendar. If you love parades, parties, family-friendly activities, and opportunities to connect with a community where all can feel celebrated and encouraged to be who they are, the Pride celebration is one event that you’ll definitely want to put on your calendar.
The Best Neighborhoods in Monterey
Unlike some larger cities, Monterey doesn’t have one specific “gayborhood” – but this isn’t a negative. Instead, it simply means that there are many wonderful areas of the city to choose from, all of which are friendly and welcoming. Although once a more rustic and rural community, Monterey is now a popular destination for the rich and famous, and its housing prices reflect that. The current average listing price for a home in Monterey is $1.2 million, and the average price per square foot for properties in the area is $604.
Arts and Entertainment
Cannery Row was once an area known primarily and named for its fish canning factories, but which is now a sophisticated area full of restaurants, galleries, cafes, and more. It’s the perfect place to spend a beautiful day in Monterey.
Steinbeck Spirit of Monterey Wax Museum
Monterey has a long and distinguished art history. It was home to many famous contemporary California painters from the 1950s and 60s, as well as being home to several writers, including Henry Miller, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Robert A. Heinlen. Visiting its art galleries is a great way to enjoy (and perhaps purchase!) beautiful art from local and nationally known artists. It is also home to the interesting and unique Steinbeck’s Spirit Monterey Wax Museum, which features wax models of Nobel Prize-winning author John Steinbeck interacting with other wax models in more than 100 scenes from Monterey’s past.
Parks and Recreation
Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary
The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary is a beautiful oceanic area protected by the United States government, which extends 276 miles from the coastline. The sanctuary is home to many rare species of plants and animals and is a short drive away from nearby Big Sur, which also offers stunning natural coastal beauty for visitors to enjoy.
In an area full of beautiful beaches, Pebble Beach is a particularly beautiful and well-known stretch of beach in the Monterey area. also well-known for its 8 golf courses, which are considered by many to be some of the most beautiful in the world.
Monterey Nightlife
While not specifically a gay establishment, the Hula's Island Grill is a fun, tiki-style restaurant with a vibrant, colorful atmosphere, making it a very fun place to grab a drink or a bite to eat with friends. It's also known for being very supportive of the city's LGBTQ community.
The Crown and Anchor is a nautically-themed pub with a very laid-back, chill atmosphere with an excellent selection of regional and international beers on tap, as well as great food, and a nice outdoor patio for enjoying a beautiful Monterey evening with friends.
Contact a Monterey Gay Realtor Today
If you're ready to make a move to Monterey, at www.gayrealestate.com, we're here to help you take the first step toward finding an agent who knows and loves the community, and who can help you find a home and a neighborhood you'll love. We're proud to have a network of excellent realtors in Monterey, and we would love to help connect you with the right one. Contact a Monterey gay realtor today for a free, no-obligation consultation!
