Monterey

 

Monterey is a city on California’s rugged central coast. Its Cannery Row, one-time center of the sardine-packing industry, was immortalized by novelist John Steinbeck. Today, it's a popular strip of gift shops, seafood restaurants and bars in converted factories. Monterey was once a leading fishing and whaling port, but its economic mainstay is now tourism. The offshore Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary protects more than 30 species of mammals, more than 300 species of fish, and nearly 100 species of birds; many tourists visit the sanctuary to watch migratory whales. Also famous is Monterey Bay Aquarium, with thousands of marine animals and plants on display in underwater and interactive exhibits.