Cannery Row is the Peninsula’s most famous street and its most misunderstood. Once a stinking, roaring stretch of sardine canneries, immortalized by Steinbeck, it is now a waterfront row of hotels, restaurants, and shops, and locals have a complicated relationship with it. Knowing what is worth your time is the trick.
The anchor is the Monterey Bay Aquarium at the far end, reason enough to come. Beyond it, the Row rewards the walker: the recreation trail runs its length with the bay on one side, the old cannery buildings and their history on the other, and the little pocket beaches and dive spots that locals actually use. The Steinbeck plaques and the bronze bust mark the literary history worth pausing for.
The middle stretch leans touristy, with candy shops and chain restaurants, so the local move is to walk through it to the water and the quieter ends rather than eat in the thick of it. Early morning, before the crowds, is when the Row is at its best, the light on the water and the sea lions barking below the pilings.
Parking is tight and paid, so use the garages or ride the free summer trolley from downtown, and wear a layer, since the waterfront runs cold and windy even on warm days. See what is happening along the water on our events calendar, and our getting around guide covers the trolley. For visitor details, See Monterey keeps a Cannery Row guide.
