Monterey Peninsula Sunshine

For families with kids ages 11 through 14, or who will eventually reach those ages, here's a list of every middle school in every Monterey Peninsula community. Carmel/Carmel Valley *Carmel Middle School (public) (4380 Carmel Valley Rd., Carmel-By-the-Sea, CA, 93923) *Stevenson School (private, pre-K-grade 8) (24800 Dolores St., Carmel-By-The-Sea, 93923) Marina *Learning for Life Charter School (public, grades K-12) (3180 Imjun Rd. Suite 110, Marina, CA, 93933) *Los Arboles Middle School (public) (294 Hillcrest Ave., Marina, CA, 93933) *Marina Christian School (private, grades 1-12) (160 Seaside Ct., Marina, CA, 93933) Monterey *Bay View Academy (private, grades K-8) (222 Casa Verde Way, Monterey, CA, 93940) *San Carlos School (private, pre-K-grade 8) (450 Church St., Monterey, CA, 93940) *Santa Catalina School (private, grades K-12, Upper School is all-girls) (1500 Mark Thomas Dr., Monterey, CA, 93940) *Walter Colton Middle School (public) (Toda Vista, Montere...

For those of us who hail from big cities, the Monterey Peninsula requires some adjustment where moviegoing is concerned. You won't find a theatre every few blocks the way you will in LA or San Francisco. Apart from film festivals and other special screenings that take place in various locations, a movie-lover on the Peninsula has four theatres to choose from. Fortunately, they're all good choices.

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...

Families new to the Monterey Peninsula have no shortage of elementary schools to choose from. Here's a complete list. Big Sur Captain Cooper Elementary School (public) (46861 Cabrillo Hwy, Big Sur, CA, 93920) Carmel *Carmel River Elementary School (public) (15th Ave. and Monteverde St., Carmel-By-The-Sea, CA, 93923) *Junipero Serra School (private) (3090 Rio Rd., Carmel-By-The-Sea, CA, 93923) *Stevenson School (private, pre-K-grade 8) (24800 Dolores St., Carmel-By-The-Sea, 93923) Carmel Valley *All Saints' Day School (private, preschool-grade 8) (8064 Carmel Valley Rd., Carmel-By-The-Sea, 93923) *Carmelo School/Child Development Center (public) (8460 Carmel Valley Rd. Carmel-By-The-Sea, CA, 93923) *Tularcitos Elementary School (public) (35 Ford Rd., Carmel Valley, CA, 93924) Marina *Crumpton Elementary School (public) (460 Carmel Ave., Marina, CA, 93933) *Learning for Life Charter School (public, grades K-12) (3180 Imjun Rd. Suite 110, Mari...

For families with teenagers moving to the Monterey Peninsula, or with children who will eventually be teenagers, here's a list of all the high schools in every community. Carmel *Carmel High School (public) (3600 Ocean Ave., Carmel-By-The-Sea, CA, 93923) Carmel Valley *Carmel Valley High School (public) (27335 Schulte Rd., Carmel-By-The-Sea, CA, 93923) Marina *Marina High School (public) (298 Patton Pkwy, Marina, CA, 93933) *Marina Christian School (private, grades 1-12) (160 Seaside Ct., Marina, CA, 93933) *Learning for Life Charter School (public, grades K-12) (3180 Imjun Rd. Suite 110, Marina, CA, 93933) Monterey *Monterey High School (public) (101 Hermann Dr., Monterey, CA, 93940) *Trinity Christian High School (private) (680 Belden Rd., Monterey, CA, 93940) *Santa Catalina School (private, grades K-12, Upper School is all-girls) (1500 Mark Thomas Dr., Monterey, CA, 93940) *York School (private, grades 8-12) (9501 York Rd., Monterey, CA, 9394...

If you happen to be in Carmel-By-The-Sea and want to go to the beach, but don't like the noisy crowds on the main Carmel Beach, then walk or drive a short distance away to find this smaller, quieter and more rugged yet equally beautiful alternative.

Learning where to shop for groceries is a must for every new resident of any place. Here's a quick, easy guide to the stores on the Monterey Peninsula that carry basic food, kitchen and cleaning supplies. This includes both the major chain markets (e.g. Safeway, Lucky, Trader Joe's) and the smaller, more expensive yet sometimes convenient market-delis found in each town, including the plethora of Asian markets found in Marina and Seaside. For those of us who buy groceries at Target, Walmart or Costco, locations for those stores are listed too.

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.

Few small towns are more beautiful than Carmel-by-the-Sea, and this spot of green at the corner of Ocean and Junipero Avenues its one of it most beautiful features.

At the exact geographical center of Carmel-By-The-Sea stands this picturesque United Methodist Church, more than a hundred years old yet still thriving.

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...