Ok don't know if this is the right spot for this but I wanted to bring up something that Monterey is famous for as a suggestion for a side activity- whale watching.
I've been several times out of Monterey and every time it has been a unique and amazing experience. Because of the deep sea trench, the amount of life seen on any given trip is nothing short of jaw-dropping. On previous trips I've seen Humpback whales, Blues, Minkes, White sided dolphins (including an albino), Rissos dolphins, Harbor & Dalls porpoise, common dolphin (a school of several thousand), jellies, turtles, sunfish, sharks, and of course tons of sea birds,otters, seals, sea lions, and elephant seals.
On one trip a humpback whale circled within a few feet of the boat for nearly an hour, rolling and sky hopping almost within arm's reach.
Not to mention that often orcas, basking sharks, right whale dolphins, fin whales and sperm whales show up depending on the season.
You can view the species list of what is seen on the website under sightings:
(
Monterey Bay Whale Watch - Whale Watching Trips)
Just a suggestion for a fun side trip.
-Chris