Page 50 - 2025-2026 Travel Guide to California

PACIFIC GROVE
A Timeless Coastal Treasure
SCENIC, CHARMING,
HISTORICAL,
OLD WORLD
PACIFIC GROVE
CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE
pacificgrove.org
With Victorian vibes, pristine
beaches, and historic downtown,
Pacific Grove feels like it snuck in
from another era. Visitors are captivated by
stunning coastal views, a vibrant town, and
a sense of having found the good life. Rep-
resenting an authentic slice of the
Californian coastal lifestyle, Pacific Grove
invites you to slow down, follow the butter-
flies, and take it all in.
48 2025-26 TRAVEL GUIDE TO CALIFORNIA
B Y R O B I N E S R O C K
Victorian Vibes
Forest Avenue is an architectural time cap-
sule. Preserved Victorian homes line the
streets, adorned with intricate trims, tur-
rets, and pastel facades. Resembling scenes
from a vintage watercolor, these homes
belong to a community that treasures its
historical legacy. Dubbed “America’s Last
Hometown,” Pacific Grove exudes a quiet
charm and rich seafaring history. Many his-
toric clapboard houses have been converted
into stores, B&Bs and inns, proudly dis-
playing heritage plaques.
Butterfly Town U.S.A.
From October to February, thousands of del-
icate, orange-winged monarch butterflies
take up residence in Pacific Grove’s
Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary. Drawn by the
mild coastal climate, the forest transforms
into a fluttering kaleidoscope that is partic-
ularly popular with kids and photographers.
Outside butterfly season, Sandy the Gray
Whale, a life-sized whale statue at the
Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History
greets visitors year-round. For something
more awesome, tide pools along the shore-
line will delight budding marine biologists
with starfish and other coastal creatures,