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Welcome!

Welcome to Monterey Peninsula Sunshine, a blog devoted to shining a light on everyday life on the Monterey Peninsula. Here you'll learn all the perks and practicalities of living in each of the Peninsula's communities.

Carmel

Carmel Valley

Monterey

Pacific Grove

Pebble Beach

Big Sur

Seaside, Sand City and Marina

For new citizens and visitors to each of these areas, this blog is a guide to help you feel truly at home.

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Popular posts from this blog

El Estero Park Complex & Dennis the Menace Playground

A block from Monterey Bay is the most popular park in downtown Monterey: El Estero Park, home of the famous Dennis the Menace playground.

Carmel Beach (Carmel-by-the-Sea)

Walk or drive straight down Ocean Avenue, from the Cabrillo Highway to Scenic Road, and you'll find yourself at the glorious Carmel Beach. Stretching from Carmel Point and Frank Lloyd Wright's iconic Walker House on the northern end, to the Pebble Beach Golf Links on the southern end, this mile-long stretch of sand and surf is the chief reason why Carmel has been labeled "One of America's Top Beach Towns." Its size is comparable to big commercial beaches like those of Santa Cruz or Santa Monica, but its atmosphere, with its rocks, driftwood and lush surrounding greenery, is more akin to the countless small rustic beaches that dot the California coast. Both for people who prefer the natural beauty of those rustic beaches and for those who prefer the width, breadth and sheer fun of the big ones, Carmel Beach truly provides the best of both worlds. Picnic, surfing, swimming, volleyball, sandcastle-building, relaxing on towels... anything you can imagi...

Fast Food on the Monterey Peninsula

We all crave fast food now and then. Some of us rely on it. Some of us have kids who refuse to eat anything else. But on the Monterey Peninsula, it's not always easy to find. In both Carmel and Pacific Grove, most fast food chains have been banned – the one McDonald's (predating the ban) that once stood in Pacific Grove closed in 2016. Fortunately for lovers of McDonald's, Burger King, Taco Bell, and all the other classic chains, the cities of Monterey, Seaside, Sand City and Marina have no such ban. Below is a list of all the places you can go to get your favorite speedy burgers, tacos, fries, shakes, et al. Carmel *Subway (26135 Carmel Rancho Blvd., Carmel-By-The-Sea, CA, 93923) ( in the Carmel Rancho Shopping Center ) Monterey *McDonald's (601 Del Monte Ave., Monterey, CA, 93940) ( The only McDonald's in the world with black arches – Wikipedia even mentions it ) *Carl's Jr. (902 Lighthouse Ave., Monterey, CA, 93940) *Taco Bell (321 Alva...