The 10 Best Historical & Heritage Tours in Monterey, California (CA)

March 22, 2022 Madelene Haan

Think picnics on gorgeous, uncrowded beaches, fabulous seafood restaurants, and great hotels overlooking beautiful Monterey Bay… Monterey is a great place for a romantic getaway. Nature buffs can explore the bay by kayak for a close-up look at sea lions, seals and otters.
Restaurants in Monterey

1. Wild West 5-Day Tour from LA: Santa Barbara, San Francisco, Yosemite, Las Vegas

6333 W 3rd St, Los Angeles, CA 90036, USA Empire Vacations Day Tours
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5.0 based on 2 reviews

Visit some of the Wild West's most popular attractions on this 5-day tour from Los Angeles. Visit Santa Barbara, Cruise San Francisco's bay, tour Yosemite National Park and more! Round-trip transportation, continental breakfast and 4-nights accommodations are included.

Inclusions: Professional tour guide, Breakfast, Breakfast, Breakfast, Breakfast, Transport by air-conditioned bus or van, 4 nights of hotel accommodation including tax and continental breakfast, Bay cruise in San Francisco, Sightseeing in Santa Barbara, Carmel, San Francisco, the Las Vegas Strip, and Hoover Damn

Exclusions: Gratuities, Food and drinks (unless otherwise specified), Hotel pickup and drop-off

Reviewed By makaylabm_

As a return guest, I cannot reccomend Empire Vacations highly enough! With affordable tours, and excellent guides, they always make travelling fun and easy. In a jam-packed 5 day tour from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, Hoover Dam, Sedona, Monument Valley, Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon, you will experience some of the best attractions the USA has to offer. As you journey through California, Nevada, Arizona and Utah, you will see some of the desert's most photogenic landscapes, and learn the natural and cultural history of each region. Monument Valley and Antelope Canyon were the highlights with both offering exceptional, local Navajo guides to educate visitors on the history of two of the places. This tour offers the perfect balance of scheduled tours at attractions and free time to explore the cities at your own pace. The accommodation in each location was clean and the complimentary breakfast was tasty but simple. On our tour we had two guides - Jacob and Dino. Both were knowledgable, professional, humourous, flexible, and made the trip memorable. Suitable for people of all ages, I recommend this tour to families, couples, and solo travellers alike. If you are seeking the adventure of a lifetime, this is the trip for you.

2. The Original Monterey Walking Tours : Guided Tours of Cannery Row

Monterey Walking Tours Cannery Row tour start, Wave / Cr1 Parking Garage, Monterey, CA 93940, USA The Original Monterey Walking Tours
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5.0 based on 9 reviews

Walk in the footsteps of Steinbeck's characters as we explore the Monterey waterfront and Cannery Row, from the breakwater to the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Inclusions: Guide

Exclusions: gratuities

Reviewed By shoffman0518

We found the tour very informative and didn't realize all the history in Monterey or the sights. Tour guide was very friendly.

3. Carmel Point: Discover its rugged coastline on an audio walking tour

Clinton Walker House - Frank Lloyd Wright, 26336 Scenic Rd, Carmel-By-The-Sea, CA 93923, USA VoiceMap Monterey
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5.0 based on 2 reviews

This self-guided, self-paced audio walking tour will explore the rugged Carmel coastline where you will have stunning views of Point Lobos, Carmel Beach and Carmel River State Beach. The tour winds its way through the charming tree-lined streets of Carmel Point where you'll discover a number of the unique homes built on this one-time windswept treeless bluff. Along the way, you'll hear about Carmel's famous houses, its flora and fauna, the movies filmed on the point, and the first softball league in the US. You'll come across some colorful characters from the past such as Jean Arthur and Robinson Jeffers. The tour is ready whenever you are. The tour begins and ends at the Walker House Cabin on the Rocks. So start your tour with the VoiceMap app, put your phone in your pocket, and let us direct you on this adventure of Carmel-by-the-Sea Carmel Point Walking tour. Happy Adventures!

Inclusions: Lifetime access to this tour in English, VoiceMap App for Android and iOS, Offline access to audio, maps, and geodata

Exclusions: Tickets or entrance fees to any museums or other attractions en route, Smartphone and headphones, Transportation, Food and drink

Reviewed By 658johnq

I’m still not even sure what I paid for. I could’ve just downloaded the audio from the app. I basically just have you $40 for no reason.

4. Historic Cannery Row: Explore John Steinbeck's Monterey on an audio walking tour

The Sardine Factory, 701 Wave St, Monterey, CA 93940, USA VoiceMap Monterey
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4.7 based on 3 reviews

This self-guided, self-paced audio walking tour will explore Cannery Row in Monterey California and the surrounding area as well as a number of hotels and historic sites. There's a separate admission charge for entrance to Monterey Bay Aquarium. On this tour, you'll hear how the area served as the industrial heart of Monterey in the first half of the 1900s. Its seemingly inexhaustible number of Pacific sardine attracted fishermen, investors and inventors from around the world seeking their fortune. But, (spoiler alert!) overfishing would decimate the industry by the 1950s. You will also discover the connection between John Steinbeck and this area as you meet some of the colorful characters that were immortalized in his novel Cannery Row and its sequel Sweet Thursday. Finally, you'll discover the incredible story of how Cannery Row quite literally rose from the ashes to what is now a welcoming waterfront of world-class hotels, wine rooms, restaurants and shopping opportunities.

Inclusions: Lifetime access to this tour in English, VoiceMap App for Android and iOS, Offline access to audio, maps, and geodata

Exclusions: Tickets or entrance fees to any museums or other attractions en route, Smartphone and headphones, Transportation, Food and drink

Reviewed By 658johnq

I’m still not even sure what I paid for. I could’ve just downloaded the audio from the app. I basically just have you $40 for no reason.

5. The Original Monterey Walking Tours: Guided Tours of Historic Monterey

Portola Hotel & Spa at Monterey Bay, 2 Portola Plaza, Monterey, CA 93940, USA The Original Monterey Walking Tours
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4.6 based on 10 reviews

This highly rated guided tour of historic Monterey explores the cradle of California, up close and on foot.

Inclusions: An engaging, personable and knowledgeable guide

Exclusions: gratuities

Reviewed By shoffman0518

We found the tour very informative and didn't realize all the history in Monterey or the sights. Tour guide was very friendly.

6. Carmel-by-the-Sea: A Self-Guided Audio Tour Off the Beaten Path

Pine Inn, Ocean Ave &, Lincoln St, Carmel-By-The-Sea, CA 93923, USA VoiceMap Monterey
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4.5 based on 4 reviews

This self-guided walking audio tour explores off-the-beaten-path areas of Carmel-by-the-Sea. You will walk through Carmel’s quiet and charming northwest side of town, which is home to artist Mary Austin’s Rose Cottage. Discover the hidden Jane Powers Walkway, named after an early Carmelite artist, and hear her fascinating story. You will visit Carmel’s historic Pine Inn where you might decide to visit the bar for a cocktail or a snack. There will be the opportunity to see First Murphy House, a museum of early Carmel history. Operating hours are Tuesday – Thursday 12pm to 3pm. Then the tour takes you to the north end of Carmel Beach where you will see the gorgeous Pebble Beach Golf Links. The tour passes by the early homes of Robinson and Una Jeffers where you will hear the story of this famous Carmel couple. The tour is ready whenever you are. It plays automatically at exactly the right time and place using your smart phone’s GPS and the VoiceMap mobile app, which works offline.

Inclusions: Lifetime access to Carmel-by-the-Sea: Off the Beaten Path tour, VoiceMap Application, Offline access to audio, maps, and geodata

Exclusions: Smartphone, Transportation, Food/Drink, Tickets or entrance fees to any museums or other attractions en route

Reviewed By 658johnq

I’m still not even sure what I paid for. I could’ve just downloaded the audio from the app. I basically just have you $40 for no reason.

7. Downtown Carmel-by-the-Sea: A Self-Guided Audio Tour

Carmel Plaza, Ocean Avenue &, Mission St, Carmel-By-The-Sea, CA 93921, USA VoiceMap Monterey
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4.3 based on 6 reviews

This self-guided, self-paced audio walking tour will explore Historic Downtown Carmel-by-the-Sea. This 60-minute tour is designed to keep you on the move while walking at a reasonably slow pace, and still see all of the main sites. You can pause the tour at any time to get a bite to eat or a refreshing drink to quench your thirst. This tour will cover about 15 square blocks of the downtown Carmel to give you a “lay of the land”. You'll explore some of Carmel’s quaint courtyards and passageways and walk by a number of wine rooms, art galleries, restaurants and hotels. You'll also learn about Carmel’s founding fathers, distinctive architecture and storied past and provides numerous photo opportunities. The tour begins and ends at the Carmel Plaza. En route, you'll pass two public restrooms and four ATM’s. So start your tour with the app, put your phone in your pocket, and let us direct you on this adventure of downtown Carmel-by-the-Sea.

Inclusions: Lifetime access to this tour in English, VoiceMap App for Android and iOS, Offline access to audio, maps, and geodata

Exclusions: Smartphone and headphones, Transportation, Food and drink, Tickets or entrance fees to any museums or other attractions en route

Reviewed By 658johnq

I’m still not even sure what I paid for. I could’ve just downloaded the audio from the app. I basically just have you $40 for no reason.

8. Carmel-by-the-Sea's Fairytale Houses: A Self-guided Audio Tour

Ocean Avenue, Ocean Ave, Carmel-By-The-Sea, CA 93923, USA VoiceMap Monterey
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3.8 based on 12 reviews

Explore the Historic Hill District of Carmel-by-the-Sea and enjoy a self-paced, self-guided audio tour of Carmel’s famous Comstock Fairy Tale cottages. This walking tour will lead you past eleven of the more famous fairy tale style homes in Carmel. You will learn about the history behind these homes, the architectural style and the builder, Hugh Comstock. This walking tour, which offers numerous photo opportunities, is less than one mile and will take under one hour to walk. The tour begins and ends at the Carmel Plaza on Ocean Avenue and Junipero Street, where you will find the Carmel Visitor’s Center, an ATM, a public restroom, numerous unique shopping options, restaurants, as well as three wine tasting rooms. So start the tour, put your phone in your pocket, and let us direct you on this adventure of the Fairy Tale Homes of Carmel-by-the-Sea. The tour plays automatically at exactly the right time and place using your smart phone’s GPS and the VoiceMap mobile app works offline. Please note: Gretel is currently undergoing renovation, so unfortunately for the time being, the view of both Hansel and Gretel is blocked by fencing.

Inclusions: Lifetime access to Fairy Tale Houses of Carmel-by-the-Sea tour, VoiceMap Application, Offline access to audio, maps, and geodata

Exclusions: Smartphone, Transportation, Food/Drink, Tickets or entrance fees to any museums or other attractions en route

Reviewed By hsalinas007

I booked this because the pictures painted a quaint little town with interesting looking buildings. It wasn’t. It was your typical small town with high end shops. Definitely a lot of art galleries, however, they were not inviting or welcoming. Waste of two hours for sure. We ended up at cannery row which was a lot more fun and less crowded.

9. 7-Day Tour to Yosemite, Las Vegas, Sedona, Monument Valley from San Francisco

Civic Center, San Francisco, CA 94102, USA Empire Vacations Day Tours - New York
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3.5 based on 2 reviews

Experience some of the most well known sites of the West Coast on this 7 day, 6 night tour from San Francisco. Visit California, Nevada, and Arizona to visit Yosemite National Park, Las Vegas, Sedona, Antelope Canyon, and Horseshoe Bend and more! One way transportation, continental breakfast and 7-nights accommodations are included. Tour concludes in Las Vegas.

Inclusions: Professional tour guide, Breakfast, Breakfast, Breakfast, Breakfast, Breakfast, Breakfast, Lunch, Transport by air-conditioned bus or van, 6 nights of hotel accommodation including tax and continental breakfast, Bay cruise in San Francisco, Jeep tour in Monument Valley and lunch

Exclusions: Gratuities, Hotel pickup and drop-off

Reviewed By lorik902

I understand that we are all dealing with Covid 19 during this stressful time. However we decided to take this tour and booked many weeks ahead. The tour was cancelled as we were boarding our flight to fly out west and left us stranded. No hotels. Just sent a little email saying I hope you get this email that the tour is cancelled. Extremely unprofessional. Didn’t offer to try to help us make other arrangements. Will definitely hesitate to book on Viator again.

10. Monterey Bay Audio Driving Tour: From Del Monte Beach to Cannery Row

The Home Depot, 1590 Canyon Del Rey Blvd, Seaside, CA 93955, USA VoiceMap Monterey

This self guided audio tour of Monterey I take friends and family on, when they come to visit. Monterey’s story is as beautiful as its scenery. When European explorer Juan Cabrillo first laid eyes on the bay 500 years ago, he was astounded by it, and he wrote such a glowing description that other explorers followed. Eventually, Monterey became a city. Whether this is your first time here or you visit the Peninsula regularly – and even if you live here – you’ll discover something new on this tour of California’s second oldest city. After all, there are more historical buildings in Monterey than any other city west of Santa Fe, New Mexico. You’ll see both sides of Fisherman’s Wharf, take in the actual locations in John Steinbeck’s Cannery Row and end the tour at the Monterey’s most visited attraction, The Aquarium.

Inclusions: Lifetime access to this tour in English, VoiceMap App for Android and iOS, Offline access to audio, maps, and geodata

Exclusions: Tickets or entrance fees to any museums or other attractions en route, Smartphone and headphones, Transportation, Food/Drink

Reviewed By 658johnq

I’m still not even sure what I paid for. I could’ve just downloaded the audio from the app. I basically just have you $40 for no reason.

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