M onterey is one of the most scenic places along the California coast. Representing the best of fine living, Monetery enjoys a rich tradition in the arts, wine, and golf. Monterey County stretches from the dynamic coastline of Big Sur, the romantic burg of Carmel, the international golf destination of Pebble Beach, and the fertile agricultural lands of the Salinas Valley. Many of the area's attractions conjure instant imagery...whether its Tiger Woods teeing off at Pebble Beach Golf Course, or of Nobel Prize winning author John Steinbeck's Cannery Row.

Monterey is at once a family friendly environment, and one of the most romantic destinations in America. It is also widely considered the most historic city in California. Its rugged beauty has drawn a diverse population to live within its borders. It seems that each one of its lighthouses and mission bells have a story to tell. Well-known residents of the Monterey Peninsula have come here to do just that, including author Robert Louis Stevenson, photographer Ansel Adams, playwright Henry Miller and musician Sammy Hagar, to name just a few. Indeed, there is something inherent about this area that continues to delight and inspire.

There are nearly 30,000 residents here, with a median age of 36 years old. The average annual household income in the area is around $52,000 per year. Home values reflect the desirability of the area, and have continued to appreciate at a steady pace. The median value of a home in the Monetery area is $575,000. The majority of residents here, nearly twelve percent, are employed in the retail sector. The area's second largest sector, employing nearly nine percent, is professional services, the sciences and technology. Information services rounds out the top three, employing just over five percent of Monterey residents.

There are over 200 events and festivals held here every year. The Old Monterey Market Place is the largest weekly farmers' market in California, held every Tuesday. Food and wine lovers have a plethora of cooking contests and harvest festivals to choose from. Perhaps the most well known is the Stinking Rose, a celebration of garlic; there's also the Artichoke Festival and Salsa Festival. Monterey has golf tournaments, rodeos and races. And the area celebrates the best of fine living like no other community. Check out the annual Wine Festival held every spring. The world renowned Monterey Jazz Festival is in September. And the best of the region's natural offerings are celebrated at the Monterey County Fair in August.

Monterey continues to honor its rich traditions in the arts. You will find public art throughout the peninsula, from the 800-pound Great Blue Heron sculpture to the great grizzly sculpture on the lawn of Colton Hall. The Youth Arts Collective is an after-school and summer arts studio for young people. Here, students can work in professionally equipped studios, while they hone their skills in drawing, painting, photography, sculpture, or drama. The Art in Public Places program brings these students' work to the forefront, exhibiting their work for the community.

The Monterey region has additionally elevated food, wine and dining to a level of pure art as well. Quite simply, the region is a haven for epicureans, offering seafood from the Monterey Bay, fresh produce from the Salinas Valley and fine wines from throughout the region. The area offers a cornucopia of five-star and award winning restaurants, and over forty wine tasting rooms to choose from. Regional specialties of the area include artichokes, steamed or blended into a soup, and calamari plucked out of the Bay. You can also sample abalone, a once-abundant but now rare shellfish. While you probably won't find it on the menu in other parts of the country, Monterey is home to the nation's only abalone farms, producing fresh, ocean raised specimens.

The Monterey Peninsula is simply one of the most exquisite places in the world. It offers a breathtaking array of scenic beauty, from rugged coastline to old-growth forests. The area is home to folks who are friendly, educated, and passionate about good living. If you are thinking about moving, consider a move to Monterey, California, and request our free relocation packet today!