Top Historical Places in Monterey

Are you looking to explore the history of Monterey through the ages? There are a number of historical destinations in Monterey including the time-honored buildings, monuments, palaces, and parks where you can learn about the glorious past of Monterey. The presence of these historical sites and museums will take you on a walk through Monterey ‘s rich history.
If you are willing to have an in-depth historical information about Monterey, we recommend that you take a wonderful guided tour to cover the major historical attractions. Also, check the opening and closing time for each so that you can organize your time. Make sure that you go through the complete list of historical places in Monterey for a great trip!

Let's witness the history of Monterey with these top historical places - monuments and landmarks:

  1. Carmel Mission Basilica

    4.5 (3080 Votes)
    Carmel Mission Basilica

    Church, Religious Site, Museum, Landmark

    Listed on the National Register of Historic Places and a U.S. National Historic Landmark, this was California’s second mission, and it played a significant role in California’s late 18th century power struggles. The church is today one the most authentically restored churches, with an original bell tower that survives to this day. As such, it’s more than a place of worship; th...Read more
  2. Monterey State Historic Park

    4.5 (1679 Votes)
    Monterey State Historic Park

    Church, Garden, Historical Site, Monument

    The Monterey History and Art Association must be saluted for what they did for this place. It is nothing short of fantastic. Along a two mile path lie 55 historic buildings, this self-guided tour is marked by the yellow tiles set into the sidewalk. An informative and interactive map of the tour can be found online for those who want to do this by the book. Among the most important building here...Read more
  3. Museum Of Monterey

    4.3 (521 Votes)
    Museum Of Monterey

    Art And Culture, Museum, Beach, Historical Site

    Opened in 1992, this delightfully free attraction has thousands of Monterey related artefacts. It’s all about seeing the history of the city through the lens of it’s relationship with the bay. This cannot be helped, especially as its collections were started off the sailor Allen Kinight in the early 20th century. The exhibits are spread out over three floors: The ground floor has a ...Read more
  4. Colton Hall Museum

    4.6 (564 Votes)
    Colton Hall Museum

    Museum, Landmark, Historical Site, Entertainment

    Initially built to function as a school, in 1849, this building saw California’s first constitution drafted, which makes it one of the most important buildings in the state. In 934, it was registered as a Historical Landmark, and is still the important public office building in Monterey County still in continuous use. The museum, which covers these important events is on the second floor....Read more
  5. Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail

    Beach, Trail, Park, Aquarium

    The South Pacific Railroad once ran the length of this trail. The Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District saw this abandoned railroad and figured this is no way to waste the beautiful views of this 29-mile route. Along with the cities of Pacific Grove and Seaside, Monterey joined the park district in restoring this pride and joy. In 1986, they gifted this beautiful trail to the world to pedes...Read more
  6. 17-Mile Drive At Pebble Beach

    17-Mile Drive At Pebble Beach

    Beach, Golf Course, Scenic Drive, Historical Site

    17-mile drive at Pebble Beach was everyone’s favourite reason to visit Monterey. Breath-taking coastal views along the Pebble Beach and Pacific Grove as well as sections though historical areas make this unmissable. There are four primary monterey 17 mile drive entrance to enter main highway entrance at California State Route 1, and entrances in Carmel and Pacific Grove. Now, along this r...Read more