Day trip to Monterey

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Patrice and I packed up my Pathfinder early this morning for our drive up to Monterey to check out the Monterey Bay Aquarium. We left really early at about 5am for the 4-5 hour drive up to Monterey. It was around 10am when we finally arrived and we headed straight for the Aquarium. It was not yet even noon and we were already sweating while standing in line waiting to be let in. We didn't really come dressed for the weather as it was quite overcast back home. Today in Monterey, the temperatures were going to climb into the upper 90's! We finally got in and spent the next 2 hours walking around the aquarium and checking out all the great exhibits and tanks. I've been here many times before but I always am fascinated with their huge kelp forest exhibit which includes sharks and a huge Ocean Sunfish. After checking out the aquarium, we wandered around Cannery Row to grab a bite to eat. The combination of today's scorching temperatures and the huge crowds was starting to put us in a bad mood. So we got back in our car and took a scenic drive along the coast. We drove along the famous 17 Mile Drive which winds along the coast of the Monterey Peninsula taking in the beautiful coastal scenery. The world renowned Pebble Beach Golf Course was along 17 Mile Drive, so we made a brief stop there before also stopping at another famous local landmark, the Lone Cypress. We ended in the town of Pacific Grove where we relaxed on the beach before heading to the small town of Carmel. While in Carmel, we wandered around all the shops, boutiques, and art galleries along Ocean Avenue before walking down to Carmel Beach City Park. The beach was crowded due to today's heat but at this time of day, the weather was much more comfortable. The sun was setting and the skies were clear making it a relaxing way to end such a long day.

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Photos

Pacific Grove
Patrice chillin' on the beach

The Lone Cypress
Driving along the famous 17 Mile Drive