Everyone has their drink of choice. Some prefer the smooth taste of beer while others prefer to and enjoy a glass of wine. It is always nice to take a day to relax, and enjoy your favorite drink. A fan of both beer and wine? Even better! If you will be lodging in Monterey CA this June, there are two events to check out: The Monterey Beer Festival and The Monterey Wine Festival.

The Monterey Wine Festival will be celebrating its 37th year of bringing wine lovers together in one place. It will take place June 7th and 8th at the Monterey Custom House Plaza. The festival gives guests a chance to socialize and bond over something they are all passionate about. What makes the event even better is the beautiful location near the ocean. On Friday, pair your wine with some delicious cheese or some of the best calamari around, made by the Kings of Calamari. Saturday will be filled with more wine tasting as well as the 4th annual West Coast Chowder Competition. Professional chefs will gather to see who can make the best clam chowder and take home the Best of Show award. There will also be food and music throughout the event. For more information and to purchase tickets, please click here.

The Monterey Beer Festival is sure to be a great night out. If you are interested in trying different types of beer, you will not be disappointed. There will be over 80 breweries at the festival and some will even debut new types of beer! Some of the breweries that will be in attendance include Sierra Nevada, St. Killian, Speakeasy, Grand Teton Brewing, and Peter B’s. Live music will be performed all day and various food booths will be set-up throughout the festival. Admission for the event covers all beer tasting.  Purchase a VIP Pre-Party ticket if you want to enter the event an hour early and  sample beer without the lines. The festival will take place Saturday, June 15, 2013. For more information and to purchase tickets, please click here.

Almost everyone has read a John Steinbeck book, whether it was for school or just for leisure. Though his books are world famous, how much do you know about John Steinbeck the person? If you will be staying in one of the hotels in Monterey, CA the first week of May, take a trip to Salinas to learn all about the life of John Steinbeck at the 33rd annual Steinbeck Festival.

John Steinbeck truly loved his home of Salinas, California. The endless fields and beautiful landscapes inspired his writing and were even the settings of some of his works. The National Steinbeck Center opened its doors in 1998 with the goal of celebrating Steinbeck’s works, philosophy, and life. The Center has the largest collection of Steinbeck archives in the United States within its walls. Aside from its Steinbeck theme, the Center also wishes to encourage the arts, literature, agriculture, and education.

The Steinbeck Festival does not solely take place at the museum. There are different events within the festival that you can purchase tickets for. Want to learn more about the town that Steinbeck grew up in? Take the Tour of Salinas Rodeo where you will learn all about the history of the town. Want to experience history first hand? Take the Tour of Old Town Salinas where not only will you see the town, but you will receive an oral history lesson from local community members who have lived in Salinas their entire lives. After a tour, take some time to relax during the Books & Beer by the Bay reception where you can choose from over twenty different beers to enjoy while watching the sunset on the bay. These are just a few of the many activities to take part in at the festival!

Bring the whole family to the Steinbeck Festival for a fun learning experience. For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.

Event Details

Times: vary by day

Parking: $4

Location: National Steinbeck Center

Who is the Best of the West? Find out at the 7^th annual Monterey Rock & Rod Festival this May 17-18 in Monterey County. The event celebrates both classic and custom cars and trucks of the 1950s and 60s and is a great event for the whole family. There will be hundreds of vintage cars – customs, classics, hot rods, street rods, muscle cars, trucks, and more! The Monterey County Fairgrounds will be bustling with car-lovers of all sorts! Attendees can also enjoy the Best of the West competition where trophies will be awarded to some of the best classic and custom cars within each division. As is true with most awesome events, there will be a large variety of food, shopping, and entertainment throughout the entire weekend!

Live rock and roll kicks off the event on Friday night with a fun Sock Hop at the Monterey Room. All day Saturday will be the car and truck shows and of course there will be live music on multiple stages all day and night long! One of the bands performing will be the famous Gary Lewis & The Playboys. The event will stretch across the fairgrounds’ beautiful lawn so attendees can enjoy the beautiful spring sunshine and warm evenings with their friends and family in the perfect ambiance  One of the greatest things about the Rock & Rod Festival is that it benefits the Gateway Center of Monterey County and helps developmentally disabled adults of Monterey County. These beneficiaries will receive a stimulating environment where they can adequately achieve their goals and overcome obstacles they never could before. What a great cause!

There are always a number of family-friendly activities occurring in Monterey, CA and the Ramada Monterey has frequent specials, such as Monterey Aquarium packages that give you free tickets to the Monterey Bay Aquarium! The fairgrounds are commonly home to some of Monterey’s best events so if you’re looking for something to do in the area, check out the fairgrounds and see what’s going on. In the meantime, plan ahead now for the Monterey Rock & Rod Festival and find out who truly is the Best of the West!

Event Details

When: Friday-Saturday, May 17-18, 2013

Admission: Prices vary

For more information, visit the Monterey Rock & Rod Festival website.

For tickets, buy them online here!

The premier sports car racing championship, the American Le Mans Series, returns to Monterey’s Mazda Raceway this year from May 9-11, 2013. If you are unfamiliar with this iconic race, it is unique because of the cars’ advancements with environmentally-friendly technology and green initiatives. Car manufacturers are encouraged to try out their new & latest advanced tech innovations and show off their new advancements on the racetrack. The American Le Mans Series is known to be very energetic and is not your typical standard race – there’s constant passing and battles between cars throughout the entire four-hour endurance race.

New automotive technology is tested by all the giant car brands you’ll recognize – Acura, Porsche, Mazda, Corvette, and more. On top of the feature race, the support races will include the Mazda MX-5 Cup, Simraceway Formula 3 West Coast Series, Cooper Tires Prototype Lites powered by Mazda, and the IMSA GT3 Cup challenge. Throughout the weekend, there will be autograph sessions, race simulators, tech talks, and of course much other entertainment including food and drinks, thanks to Patrón! The Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca is home to many races, both with cars and motorcycles, and is famous for its “Corkscrew” turn that has proved to be a challenge for many drivers. Other races over the next few months include the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix, and the FIM Superbike World Championship, to name a couple.

If car racing is not quite your thing, no need to worry because there are always so many events in which to take part in Monterey! Enjoy some of the beautiful wildlife while whale watching, and don’t forget about our Monterey Bay Aquarium packages! There are also many parks and beaches to visit as the weather gets warmer, not to mention great shopping and historic attractions.

Event Details

Dates: May 9-11, 2013

Admission: Prices & packages vary

For more information, please visit the Mazda Raceway website, or buy tickets here.

Spring is a great time to stay in lodging in Monterey CA, as the weather is sunny, and the whole family can find something fun to do during the Volkswagen Sea Otter Classic from April 18-21. Along with mountain, road and recreation ride races, there is a festival and expo to celebrate all things cycling. Come out to this four-day cycling festival for a weekend of excitement and action!

If you love cycling, Sea Otter Classic has a weekend of races for you! Athletes can ender in mountain bike races in the categories of cross country, short track, downhill, dual slalom, road bike, road circuit, road criterium, cyclocross, Giro d’Italia Gran Fondo and MTB Gran Fondo. Registration price varies for each sport. For more information on races, visit www.seaotterclassic.com.

The Sea Otter Festival has activities for kids of all ages. The Sea Otter Egg Hunt will have your little ones looking for eggs all around the lawn. Some eggs even have prizes inside! The Egg Hunt will be held at 10am on Friday, Saturday and Sunday to kids ages 8 and under at the middle of the 200 block. Kids Races will also be held at noon on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, open to ages 12 and under. Kids will maneuver through a course designed to stretch skills and build confidence in racing. All finishers will receive a medal. There is also the Specialized First Gear Kids Zone for those who want to try out their skills on an obstacle course. The zone is open from 9am to 4pm on Thursday-Sunday. Sea Otter Village will hold a carnival of bouncing, sliding, climbing and fun open every day from 9am to 4pm. There is no charge for any of these activities! For more information, click here.

As part of the festival, Sierra Nevada will host a Beer & BBQ Garden especially for ages 21 and up open all weekend. To see more of what Sea Otter Classic has to offer, visit www.seaotterclassic.com today!

Event Details

Location: Laguna Seca Recreation Area

Admission: FREE to $35

For more information on this event, visit www.seaotterclassic.com.

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• Enjoy a one night stay at the Ramada Limited Monterey or Ramada Limited Monterey Carmel with a complimentary continental breakfast.
• Receive 2 tickets of your choice to the Monterey Bay Aquarium valid for two consecutive days.
• Additional Monterey Bay Aquarium tickets valid for two consecutive days are available at the front desk.

Price:  Discounted Monterey Bay Aquarium Package Rates starting at only $99!

Offer Valid: 12/20/2012 to 12/31/2013

Disclaimer: Subject to availability.

Those staying in hotels in Monterey CA in February can attend the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am in Pebble Beach. The mission of the tournament is to stage a competition that brings the community together with global leaders in sports and entertainment to raise funds for charity. The 2012 tournament set a record by raising over $10 million for charity. Since the tournament’s inception in 1937, the Monterey Peninsula Foundation has raised over $100 million for charity.

The 2013 schedule has practice rounds on Monday, February 4 to Wednesday, February 6, with the rounds starting on Thursday, February 7. February 6 is also Military Day and Celebrity Challenge Day. Celebrities that will be participating this year include Carson Daly, Kenny G, Andy Garcia, Bill Murray, Ray Romano and Chris O’Donnell.

The Charity Shoot-Out will take place on Tuesday, February 7^th between the San Francisco Giants and San Francisco 49ers. A total of $100,000 in charity contribution is at stake. The 49ers have all-stars Harris Burton & Dwight Clark, Jerry Rice & Brent Jones, and Alex Smith & Jim Harbaugh competing against Giants team Mike Krukow & Dave Flemming and Matt Cain & Will Clark. The fun begins at 1:30pm. Tickets are $30 until February 4 and $30 after with all proceeds going to charity.

Birdies for Charity is a program designed for charities to raise money through the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. Communities take part in a pledge drive based on the number of birdies made by PGA TOUR professionals during the tournament. Donors will pledge an amount per birdie or a flat donation. 100% of pledges will go directly to the soliciting charity with an additional up to 20% match. Charities are also invited to compete to earn the opportunity to be represented by the San Francisco 49ers or Giants in the Charity Shoot-Out on February 5, and earn up to $50,000 additional funds. Donors can also be entered in a raffle to win the grand prize, which varies every year.

Be sure to make it out to see one of the rounds this year!  Tickets are $50 before February 2 and $60 after. You can also by season passes here.

Monterey is one of the most beautiful areas to spend the holidays in California. If you are staying in Monterey CA discount hotels, there are plenty of ways to get into the holiday spirit during your time here. You can go ice skating by the bay coastline, visit Santa’s Workshop or attend the Holiday Tree Lighting in Carmel. Read more about these fun holiday events below!

Ice Skating By the Bay, November 17-January 6

There may be no snow or ice, but you can still enjoy the winter pastime of ice skating at Ice Skating By the Bay. The Custom House Plaza in Monterey will be hosting a seasonal ice rink behind the Portola Hotel & Spa. You can skate amidst the scenic coastline of Monterey! The rink is open Monday through Saturday from 11am to 10pm and Sunday 12pm to 8pm. On Christmas and New Year’s Day, the rink is open from 12am to 8pmAdmission is $12 for adults and $10 or children 12 and under. Skate rental fee is $3. You can buy a season pass for $60 for the entire season not including skate rental.

Santa’s Workshop in Carmel, November 23-December 30

Santa’s Workshop is open from now until December 30^th with gift wrapping, festive events, and a toy drive provided by Convictions of the Heart Foundation. Proceeds and toys will be donated to the Salvation Army and Carmel Firefighters Toy Drive. Gift wrapping is $5. The workshop is open six days a week from 11am to 7pm and closed on Tuesdays. For more information on this event, click here.

Holiday Tree Lighting & Carmel Plaza Open House, December 7

You may have noticed the towering Christmas tree at the crossroads of Junipero Street and Ocean Avenue. The tree will come to life at the Holiday Tree Lighting on December 7 at 4:30pm. Choirs from local schools will sing to get your family into the holiday spirit. There will also be a theatrical reading of “’Twas the Night Before Christmas,” appearances by city dignitaries, and free hot chocolate and treats. Immediately following the lighting, Carmel Plaza will host an open house.

Happy Holidays in Monterey!

If you are spending New Year’s Eve in cheap hotels in Monterey CA, you won’t want to miss First Night Monterey! In its 19^th year, the event is will bring a spectacular group of performers and visual artists for the whole family. This year’s celebration will feature audience favorites such as the Black Irish Band, I Cantori, Grumbling Ginger, and the Octopus’s Garden.

Thousands of families will come together to celebrate and enjoy nine hours of visual performing arts in Monterey during First Night. Over 75 performances will take place all night! The day starts with the recycled drums at 3pm. At 5:30pm, you can see the Twilight Procession of artists, stilt walkers, dancers, giant puppets, marching women and many other neighbors. The Grand Finale will be held in the Serra Ballroom in the Conference Center. At 11:15pm, Jonathan Broadway Tucker, the Sambahemians and the Junk Man will kick off the New Year. There is limited seating so be sure to pick up your free finale ticket at the Portola Plaza ticket booth! For a full schedule of the night’s events, view the program here.

Those wearing First Night buttons will be able to get a free ride on Monterey-Salinas Transit lines operating after 2pm. You can park at the Del Monte Shopping Center or Macy’s Home Furniture store. The last buses depart after midnight. You can also park at Del Monte Center and ride free from 2pm to 1am.

To be admitted to First Night Monterey, you must purchase buttons online or at information kiosks on Alvorado, Portola Plaza and Colton Lawn. Special family packs are available before December 28. Online buttons will be available on “will call” at the kiosk at Portola Plaza. Tickets are $20 for adults or $22 on the day of the event and $12 for youth or $15 on the day of the event.

Event Details

Dates: December 31, 2012

Times: 3pm to midnight

Location: Historic Downtown Monterey

Alvarado Street

Monterey, CA

Admission: $12-$22

For more information, please visit www.firstnightmonterey.org.

If you’re in Monterey this weekend, you have the opportunity to witness the car festival of a lifetime! Those staying in affordable Monterey CA hotels can see the stars of the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car series at the Continental Tire Sports Car Festival powered by Mazda. You can be part of the season-ending race this weekend!

As part of the festival, GRAND-AM will be visiting four of North America’s most historic road circuits to crown the 2012 champions. The event kicks off on Thursday, September 6 with Promoter Test Day, Welcome Reception and Charity Twilight Bicycle Ride. The race itself will be held on Saturday, September 8 at 5:30pm. A total of 61 cars will be racing in two classes, Ground Sport and Street Tuner. The finale of the season will be held at Lime Rock Park on September 29.

For 2012, the Daytona Prototype of the GRAND-AM series has been updated with new shapes and proportions. The class has redefined prototype racing in the United States for high-performance, production-based sports car racing. GRAND-AM has added racing versions of the Ferrari 458 and Audi R8 to its lineup in 2012, along with BMWs, Porches, Corvettes, beefed up for fans’ viewing pleasure.

You can bring the kids to the Kids Fun Zone in Yamaha Marketplace for activities all weekend. Kids can participate in painting, designing patterns, building magnet sculptures, cars and houses. You can also visit the Grand-Am Fan Zone and take the Pole Position challenge, have your photo taken with model cars and compete in the Pit Stop Simulator.

Advance purchase admission is $20 per day or $60 for three days. General admission and paddock is free for children 12 years old and under with a paying adult. Free parking is available on-site and VIP parking is available for $25. Gates open at 7am.

Hope you can make it out to the raceway this weekend!

Event Details

Dates: September 7-9, 2012

Times: 8am to 6pm

Location: Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca

Monterey, CA

Admission: $20-$300

For more information, please visit www.mazdaraceway.com.