PGIF: Summer Time and Traveling Is Easy!! Especially when it’s Free!

This summer in Monterey, avoid parking fees, traffic congestion and gas usage by taking the MST Trolley!!!  It’s free and the absolute best way to get around the city of Monterey.  The free MST Trolley operates on a daily basis starting Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day, 10:00 am to 8:00 pm. The route serves Downtown Monterey, Fisherman’s Wharf, Cannery Row and the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Look for the green MST Trolley signs to board along the route. 

The Pacific Grove Inn is one mile walk away from Cannery row and the Monterey Bay Aquarium.  Guests can choose to stroll along the bike path beside beautiful Monterey Bay or they can choose to wander down Lighthouse Ave where one can find numerous shops, restaurants and antique stores to peruse while heading toward Cannery Row.

Also, sure to check out the following exciting events happening in and around the Monterey/Pacific Grove area for the rest of July and August:

Now – July 28, 2012 – 75th Annual Carmel Bach Festival

Set in the heart of the magnificent Central California coastline, a visit to the Carmel Bach Festival is an experience of beauty in many forms-stunning natural landscapes, historic architecture, breathtaking ocean views, exotic flora, and of course, glorious music-making. Enjoy five-star lodging, award-winning restaurants, champion golf courses, spas, wine tasting, nature hikes, art galleries, and shoppingﾗplus the world-famous Monterey Bay Aquarium and Cannery Row. World-class music tops off this feast for the senses and the spirit!

July 19, 2012 – July 22, 2012 – Salinas Rodeo at the Salinas Sports Complex

The California Rodeo Association is a not-for-profit organization that strives to preserve and promote the traditions of the California Rodeo Salinas and the West.

July 25, 2012 – July 29, 2012 – Feast of Lanterns

For over one hundred years the citizens of Pacific Grove have celebrated its history and culture with a summer festival called the Feast of Lanterns. This Festival has evolved over its 100-plus year history from the ceremonial end to the Chautauqua Assembly with a lantern parade to the beach and fireworks over the bay to a multi-cultural community event filled with entertainment. 

July 27, 2012 – July 29, 2012 –  Red Bull United States Grand Prix featuring the MotoGP World Championship

MotoGP is the world’s premier motorcycling championship at the Mazda Raceway in Laguna Seca, with a season of 18 Grand Prix race weekends in 15 countries bringing together the world’s top motorcycle manufacturers like Yamaha, Honda, Suzuki and Ducati – plus an elite list of riders from every corner of the globe.

August 7th from 4pm to 7pm – Old Monterey Farmer’s Market

The Old Monterey Farmers Market, established in 1991, comprises of 3.5 city blocks and runs year-round rain or shine. During the summer it’s the largest gathering of people in Monterey County, attracting more that 10,000 locals and tourists in one location. You can travel the world in just three blocks, finding arts and crafts, handmade jewelry, furniture, clothing, international food, organic produce, flowers, and pastries.

August 13, 2012 – August 19, 2012 – Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance

Each year the Pebble Beach Concours dﾒElegance welcomes a host of visitors from around the world to its annual celebration of the automobile.

August 17, 2012 – PG Concours Auto Rally

Pacific Grove Youth Action, Inc. (PGYA) is a local non-profit organization which has put on the Pacific Grove Concours Auto Rally since its inception in 1995. Since that time PGYA has assisted the youth of Pacific Grove by sponsoring after school tutoring and programs at the PG Youth Center. Our fund-raising event is the Concours Auto Rally which is held on the Friday afternoon and evening of the Concours weekend.

PGIF: The weekend you’ve been waiting for

This is it! If you’re one of the many auto enthusiasts in town this weekend, you’re already set for one of the biggest car events of the year—the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Here’s a tour of the weekend’s festivities…

Rallies: There are more concourses this weekend than there are days to have them! Besides the world-famous Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance this Sunday, August 21, you might want to check out the Central California chapter of the German Marque Concours/2011 Legends of the Autobahn, celebrating German craftsmanship with BMW, Porsche, and Mercedes-Benz at the Rancho Canada Golf Ranch in Carmel Valley. The Concorso Italiano brings Italy’s finest to the Monterey area—automobiles, wine and dining, even a fashion show presenting some of Carmel’s best boutiques. This year highlights the Lamborghini Aventador, new Maseratis, and Fiats, as well as a display of classic Ferraris. And if you love Ferraris, there are plenty more to see tomorrow at the Annual Ferrari Event at the Barnyard Shopping Village in Carmel.

Don’t forget our own Concours Auto Rally here in Pacific Grove this afternoon, a fun family celebration with a cavalcade of classics, some raffles, and a delicious barbecue dinner. This is a special year for the rally, honoring the 50th anniversary of the Jaguar E-Type. The concours benefits Pacific Grove Youth Action, Inc. and has raised over $134,000 for local non-profits.

And don’t miss The Quail, a Motorsports Gathering at the Quail Lodge Resort and Golf Club in Carmel. A unique, sophisticated gathering involving much more than just automobiles, guests here can even try out some of the modern luxury cars on display. With four spectacular events packed into one day, it may be hard to choose!

Auctions: To buy or not to buy. RM Auctions, Mecum Auctions, the Pebble Beach Auctions, Ruso and Steele Auctions at the Marriott…the choice is yours and the sky’s the limit.

Racing: After almost forty years, the thrill still hasn’t left the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca for the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion. With 17 racing groups and all kinds of collectibles from every drive of life, this event is a must for racing fans of any age. And after a hard day’s work racing around the famous track, these autos clean up nice too—you may see some of them at the Pebble Beach Concours on Sunday.

Dining: A whole new take on drive-through dining. Dine in DiVine at the Chateau Julien Wine Estate is a chance to take in an elegant display of classic cars as well as dine the way nature intended—in the vineyard, by starlight.

But what about the auto un-enthusiast? Not to worry. Monterey offers something for everyone, every day of the week. Annie the Musical is playing now through September at the Outdoor Forest Theater in Carmel, part of the Pacific Repertory Theatre, which is the only professional theater on the Peninsula. Or shop to the rhythm at the Del Monte Shopping center. Spend the day finding great buys at their Sidewalk Sale, then catch some dinner at any of the mall’s great restaurants, from California Pizza Kitchen, Islands burgers, to LALLA Grill, and enjoy the Music on the Mall series every Saturday this month. For a great family day trip, head to Salinas for Summer Harvest at The Farm, tomorrow starting at 10:30am, with hay rides, a watermelon eating contest, and much more summer fun.

No matter who you are or what you love, the Monterey Peninsula has it covered. Do you have a favorite MP summer event? We’d love to hear about it!

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Check out a couple of our favorite websites for more fun things to do in Monterey!

See Monterey
Monterey Info Center

Chrome, steel, and classic wheels: The Concours d’Elegance 2011

In Monterey, August may well be “Automobile Month.” Thousands of car collectors and enthusiasts from all over the world flock to the coast on the third Sunday of the month for the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, an extravagant automotive event held on the world-famous Pebble Beach Golf Links. With approximately 200 classic cars and motorcycles of all shapes, colors, makes, and models covering the lush fairgrounds, the Concours has been called the Super Bowl of car shows. The New York Times even hailed it as the Olympics of the automotive universe.

It all starts up in Washington today with the Pebble Beach Motoring Classic, which begins near Seattle and traces the coast along its way south to the next event, the Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance on August 18. This tour traditionally follows parts of the famed 17-Mile Drive, passing through Carmel-by-the-Sea, where bystanders encounter a striking view from Ocean Avenue.

Begun in 1950, the Concours d’Elegance has grown from a small social event to a full-scale weekend of chrome competition, ceremonies, and champagne. Last year was a milestone for the Concours, which has raised more than $14 million dollars for charity in its 60-year history. The event draws numerous celebrities, including talk show host Jay Leno, who raised over $50,000 last year with an offer to give anyone who donated to the event a tour of his garage and tickets to The Tonight Show.

Other don’t-miss events in August include the Carmel-by-the-Sea Concours on Ocean Avenue on August 16, and a memorable weekend of rare four-wheeled gems at RM Auctions, the world’s largest auction house for vintage and collector cars. For the adrenaline junkie and to experience the excitement and energy of Monterey racing history, check out the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion at the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

And Pacific Grove has its own community auto events. August 17 is “The Little Car Show,” the second annual event to benefit the Pacific Grove Library and Youth Center. You can even stop by to meet writer Tad Burness and car collector Jack Passey and get signed copies of their books. We also have our own Concours, the 17th Annual Pacific Grove Concours Auto Rally on August 19.

Wherever you are in Monterey, you’re sure to do at least one double-take on the highway this month. So keep your eyes open—you may find yourself part of a caravan on your way to Pebble Beach.