This fall, Monterey County Convention and Visitors Bureau (Monterey County CVB) is inviting travelers to give themselves a “permission slip” to break away from the ordinary and indulge in a customized field trip in the stunning California central coast destination.
Known for its extraordinary experiences – from exploring the Monterey Bay’s tide pools and hiking lush terrain to immersing in the area’s rich agricultural offerings, visitors can choose from a variety of journeys to reinvigorate the soul.
“We all remember the sense of wonder and excitement with the anticipation of a field trip, which is what we are hoping to evoke with this fall-timed campaign,” said Rob O’Keefe, president and CEO of Monterey County CVB. “Peoples’ lives and routines have changed drastically in the past several months, and we want to encourage them to write their own permission slip to get away responsibly. Whether it’s for a weekend or an extended stay, travel can be just the therapy we need right now.”
Leveraging the flexibility of working and schooling remotely, Monterey County CVB has collaborated with its partners to curate options that make quick (or extended) getaways to the area seamless. From hands-on educational activities and virtual experiences to creative packaging, the offerings include a little something for everyone:
Permission to Live & Learn
Skip the marine biology lesson and view sea life up close with a whale watching tour or by kayaking Monterey Bay alongside its famous sea otters. Bring history to life with a walking tour of the area’s iconic downtown. Take gym class to the stunning backdrops of Pinnacles National Park, Ford Ord National Monument or Garland Ranch Regional Park to hike the amazing trails, or bike along the Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail to get your heartrate pumping.
Many of Monterey County’s lodging properties are offering unique experiences to make remote work and school from the destination a no brainer. A few examples:
- Monterey Plaza Hotel’s Plaza Explorers Program offers a discovery kit for each little one at check in, equipped with an educational tide pool bingo card, binoculars and exploration gear. Kids can even earn prizes for completing activities during their stay.
- Carmel Valley Ranch is offering extended stays at its 500-acre “playground” resort, which also doubles as the coolest classroom ever. Month-long rentals include one- and two-bedroom suites with kitchenettes; weekly two-hour enrichment classes on natural science topics like apiary, botany, geology and astronomy; reserved poolside cabanas throughout the stay, and more.
- Quail Lodge & Golf Club is giving remote workers an opportunity for a change of scenery this fall, with a package including upgraded Wi-Fi, breakfast and printing credits, in-room work supplies, and more. All guestrooms offer a private patio or balcony.
Virtual Learning Tools & Resources
For those not able to travel to Monterey County this fall, there are a variety of ways to experience the destination – in an educational way – from afar:
- Although the world renown Monterey Bay Aquarium is not yet open to the public, fans can access from home everything from online courses to curriculum and activity ideas for remote schooling to crafts and printables.
- Bookworms can take a virtual tour of the National Steinbeck Center, or check out the museum’s new YouTube channel featuring videos by archivist Lisa Josephs. You can also read “Cannery Row” and its sequel, “Sweet Thursday,” both of which are set in Monterey County – the place author John Steinbeck called home.
- The Monterey Museum of Art’s virtual free family fun days are perfect for budding artists. Next up is a Halloween-themed art day on Saturday, October 24. Make mosaic monstrosities, salt dough pumpkins and join a live art lesson featuring mixed media haunted houses at 1 p.m. PST.
For more information on Monterey County and to find inspiration for a future trip, visit www.SeeMonterey.com.
