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Take the 17 Mile Drive. Scenic ocean views appear around almost every turn on this easy and fun way to spend the day exploring the natural and manmade wonders of the Monterey Peninsula. This memorable route winds from Pacific Grove to Pebble Beach, through a cypress forest, historical sites and world-famous golf courses. A red-dashed line down the middle of the road makes it impossible to get lost.

If you’re visiting between November and February, the Monarch Grove Sanctuary in downtown Pacific Grove is a natural wonder to behold. Admission is free. Just don’t touch the butterflies—you’ll risk a $1,000 fine.

Cartoonist Hank Ketchum was a longtime resident of the area. He was instrumental in designing and supporting this children’s playground in El Estero Park. It features huge slides, a giant rope bridge, zip lines and about a zillion ways to make sure the kids don’t get bored. It’s open 10 a.m. to dusk and closed on Tuesdays.

Stroll Old Fisherman’s Wharf for panoramic views of the bay. If you’re taking a whale-watching or fishing cruise, or kayaking excursion, this is where you’ll start. The free entertainment, complements of barking seals sunbathing nearby, is a treat. And if you’re lucky, you might also find a frisky sea otter floating by.

Follow Monterey’s military history—from the Spanish colonial era to today—at the Presidio of Monterey Museum. Admission and parking are free.