The Area, Pacific Grove

What started as a Methodist summer retreat has evolved into a small, sleepy beach town and tourist Mecca. Although Pacific Grove has been dubbed “America’s Last Hometown,” the main thoroughfare (Lighthouse Avenue) thrives with bistros, boutiques, and galleries, almost entirely locally owned. A visit to Grove Market reiterates the small-town feel as everyone from the butcher to the bagger knows every customer’s name. Homespun festivals like the Festival of Lanterns and Good Old Days are a cause for community celebration, and no Victorian mansion is spared from decoration. Wildlife lovers should stop at the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History. Kids can pose out front by Sandy the Whale, a lifesize bronze sculpture. If you are in town for the annual wildflower show, do not miss it!

Between October and March, thousands of monarch butterflies migrate to the Butterfly Sanctuary, to flutter and frolic among the pine and eucalyptus trees.

Drive or bike along the paved coastal trail from nearby Lover’s Point to Asilomar State Beach and explore the tidepools or the Julia Morgan-designed buildings across the street at Asilomar Conference Grounds. If you golf, be sure to tee it up at Pacific Grove Golf Links, known locally as “PG Muni.” After a nondescript front nine, the course takes players toward the Pacific and Point Pinos Lighthouse.

GUESTLIFE DON'T MISS

Coastal Creativity

The Pacific Grove Art Walk is one of the best local events for meandering, seeing art, and making new friends. One Friday each month, galleries and retail stores stay open late offering wine and the latest creations from the area’s up-and-coming artists. Lisa Coscino Gallery often pushes the envelope with high-profile, one-person shows, while Red Mill Studio and Gallery specializes in original watercolors covering Southwest and Americana.

The Pacific Grove Art Center, a nonprofit organization that has served the community for 37 years, houses four galleries, two classrooms, and 17 artist studios, and always has something worthwhile to offer art aficionados in its 10,000 square feet of space. If you’re interested in exploring the art scene, there’s no better place to start. For a small town, the Pacific Grove Art Walk is a savvy cultural event that draws enthusiasts and serious collectors alike.

Information: www.pgartwalk.com