Complete Dog and Toddler-Friendly Long Weekend Monterey Itinerary
Traveled in April 2022
Monterey has everything you need for a fun and relaxing family vacation with a dog and toddler – wildlife, hikes, beaches, and stunning coastal views. Monterey is where we go when we want a quick escape to slow down and enjoy some family time together. Although it is doable as a day trip from the Bay Area, we like staying the night to allow more flexibility for nap time. There are plenty of kid-friendly activities in Monterey, but not all of them welcome dogs. If you are like us and like to bring your dog to share the fun, here is an itinerary full of the best dog-friendly activities in Monterey that toddlers will also enjoy. Enjoy your family time on the coast with this long weekend dog and toddler-friendly Monterey itinerary!
- Long Weekend Dog and Toddler-Friendly Monterey Itinerary
- When to Go
- How to Get There
- Where to Stay in Monterey (Toddler and Dog Friendly)
- Long Weekend Dog and Toddler-Friendly Monterey Itinerary at a Glance
- Day 1: El Estero Park
- Day 2: Monterey Bay Coastal Trail
- Book Your Family Getaway to Monterey Today!
- Day 3: Moss Landing
Long Weekend Dog and Toddler-Friendly Monterey Itinerary
When to Go
Monterey is right on the California coast, so fog is a pretty constant fixture. Usually the best bet for sunny weather is not the summer, but actually in September and early October. However, Monterey is still fully enjoyable even if it is foggy, as long as it is not too wet outside. The fog is part of the mood in Monterey, and when the sun shines through it makes it that much more beautiful. Since Monterey is so close to the Bay Area, we consider Monterey to be a year-round destination. The weather is pretty similar to what we experience in the Bay Area so it is not usually a deterrent for us. We do try to avoid Monterey when there is a festival (like the Monterey Jazz Fest, Car Week, Wine Festival, or the Concours d’Elegance car show) just because hotels are more expensive and book up quickly.
How to Get There
Monterey is a 2 hour drive south of San Francisco and 1 hour drive south of San Jose (longer with traffic). If flying to the Bay Area, the most convenient airport is the San Jose airport (airport code SJC). There is also a small airport in Monterey (airport code MRY). It is usually more expensive to fly into the Monterey airport than to San Jose. But if time is precious, then flying into Monterey may be worth the extra cost to save on driving time.
Where to Stay in Monterey (Toddler and Dog Friendly)
We love staying in Pacific Grove when visiting Monterey for its charming, small-town feel and scenic coastal views. Pacific Grove is filled with cozy inns and B&Bs, perfect for those getaway vibes. Monterey, on the other hand, has larger hotels that can be more budget-friendly. Our favorite hotel when traveling with the whole family is the Portola Hotel and Spa, because it has the ideal mix of perfect location and dog and kid-friendly amenities. Both towns are dog-friendly, with many pet-friendly accommodations to choose from. And since they’re just a short drive apart, you’ll have easy access to all the best spots in both towns no matter where you choose to stay!
Check out our favorite dog and kid-friendly places to stay in Monterey!
Booking tip: because traveling with a toddler is so unpredictable, I always look for refundable bookings. That way I can book way ahead of time for my peace of mind, but also have the flexibility to cancel without losing any money if our plans should change.
Long Weekend Dog and Toddler-Friendly Monterey Itinerary at a Glance
| Day | Activity | Sleep In |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dennis the Menace Playground in El Estero Park | Monterey or Pacific Grove |
| 2 | Monterey Bay Coastal Trail and Asilomar Trail | Monterey or Pacific Grove |
| 3 | Sea otter spotting in Moss Landing |
Day 1: El Estero Park
The drive from the Bay Area takes 1-2 hours, depending on traffic and where you are driving from. After that long drive, I’m sure both your dog and kid will need to burn off some pent up energy. For our sanity, our first stop is the park! If you need a snack before play, swing by Cafe Guarani in Pacific Grove first for some empanadas to go! Or for a coffee and pastry pick me up, we love the oat milk lattes and toasts at Captain + Stoker, just a couple blocks away from the playground.
The Dennis the Menace playground in El Estero Park has play structures for all ages and plenty of places to climb. There is a parking lot right outside the playground. Dogs are not allowed in the Dennis the Menace playground, but are allowed in the rest of the park on leash. As per usual when we visit a playground, one parent holds the dog in the periphery of the playground while the other parent follows the kiddo around. After the kiddo gets tired out at the park, it’s the dog’s turn with a walk around the lake.
This playground is a huge and a kids’ paradise. There are couple of different play structures, a giant rolly slide, a huge wooden bridge, and slides galore. We got a workout just trying to keep up with our toddler.
Day 2: Monterey Bay Coastal Trail
We’re usually up early with a toddler, so we’re always on the hunt for breakfast places. The Red House Cafe is solid for brunch. There are some tables outside that welcome well behaved dogs.
The Monterey Bay Coastal Trail stretches from Castroville to Pacific Grove, but you can join the trail at any point and walk as long as you like. We usually like to park on Ocean View Blvd (past the aquarium) and walk down the Monterey Bay Coastal trail towards Lovers Point. The trail is a paved coastal trail with beautiful views so it is an easy walk. Dogs allowed on leash.
Eventually the trail goes around the peninsula and connects to the Asilomar trail. If you don’t want to walk all the way to the Asilomar trail, you can also drive there. I would recommend parking on Sunset Drive at Arena Ave or Pico Ave and walking between those two points. The section between Arena Ave and Pico Ave is pretty stroller friendly, since it is a flat packed sandy trail interspersed with raised boardwalks. There are a great boardwalk section just after Pico Ave. There are also many easy-to-climb rock outcroppings in this section for kids to feel the spray of the ocean without giving parents a heart attack. Or if it’s warm enough, there are a couple small beaches here for kids to splash around.
Another option is to start the Monterey Bay Coastal Trail at Fisherman’s Wharf. Make sure to walk towards the Coast Guard Pier to do some sea otter and sea lion spotting. And if your kiddo gets bored with the animals, there are coast guard and fire department boats there too!
If you wind up here around lunchtime, we really enjoyed our sandwich at Piccolo. They have a cute dog-friendly patio with views of the harbor to keep kids entertained while eating. Or if you’d rather grab a sandwich to eat on the trail, we loved the sandwiches at Ad Astra.
For a meatier option, the sandwiches from The Meatery in Seaside are butchery grade.
Many restaurants in Monterey have dog-friendly patios. Some of our favorites are:
- To warm you up after being out in the fog all day, have some clam chowder at Vivolo’s Chowder House in Pacific Grove. They have outdoor seating that is dog-friendly, or you can get take out.
- For a twist on classic Italian, we loved our meal at Rudolfo’s. The burger was divine and the homemade oxtail and short-rib pasta was so hearty and delicious. We even got some focaccia to soak up all that yummy sauce. They have a couple dog-friendly tables outside, or you can order take out online if it’s too cold.
Day 3: Moss Landing
We love a good bakery, and there are some good choices in Monterey. Alta Bakery and Cafe and Parker Lusseau are solid options for a good pastry and coffee to start your morning!
Dogs aren’t allowed at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, but that doesn’t mean that you have to miss out on seeing sea otters on this trip! Moss Landing is a great place to spot rafts of sea otters floating around and being cute. You can usually find the sea otters in Elkhorn Slough or the Moss Landing Harbor. Drive north up Highway 1 and turn left on Jetty Road.
If your kid is over 5 years old and your dog is chill, you can even rent a kayak and get out on the water to seek the sea otters with the whole family! We loved doing this kayaking tour in Elkhorn Slough before having a family. The Monterey Bay Kayaks company allows dogs in their rental kayaks.
To make a full day of it, you can take a detour for a redwoods hike on the way back to the Bay Area. The Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park is about 30 minutes north of Moss Landing. While the Redwood Grove Loop trail is not open to dogs, the Pipeline Road is a dog-friendly trail and still gives you plenty of opportunities to see the majestic redwoods. From the Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, it is a about a 40 min drive to San Jose and 1.5 hour drive to San Francisco.
As an alternative for older kiddos, a whale watching boat tour would be super exciting last morning in Monterey activity! The best part is, your dog can come along too! The Monterey Bay Whale Watch has whale watching tours that are led by marine biologists, and they welcome well-behaved dogs on their boats.
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