(1888PressRelease)
December 08, 2008 - MONTEREY COUNTY, CALIF. —The under pressure economy has made many Californians wary of travel this Holiday Season, but dropping gas prices could cause them to reconsider in time for Christmas. The good news is that hotels restaurants and attractions in Monterey County are rolling out the red carpets to welcome them.
Nationwide, the economic decline is causing air travel this year to take the biggest hit with a seven percent drop. But thanks to declining gas prices, car travel is still a viable and cost effective option. As gas prices continue to dip - a gallon of regular gas on average in California costs $2.11, compared to $4.58 in June - traveling by car this December is becoming an increasingly reasonable prospect.
"I think it would be safe to say that if gas prices continue to remain as low as they are or even drop further in the coming weeks," said Celeste White, spokesman for Monterey County Convention & Visitors Bureau, "that can only bode well for the Christmas drive travel market this holiday season. Travelers are focused on ‘staycations’ or ‘nearcations’ and because they offer the ease of travel, the lower gas prices will convince many the luxury of a much needed escape is an affordable prospect.”
Gas prices are not the only travel consideration, of course.
The economy is certainly in the forefront of everyone's mind. There are indeed factors that are contributing to the lower price of gas and most of that has a lot to do with investment values declining and state unemployment rising to 8.2 percent. The low gas prices have been a silver lining of sorts for many consumers. And while holiday car travel is down, it hasn't dropped nearly as much as holiday air travel which presents a unique opportunity for the holiday traveler.
“Traveling during the holiday season during economically challenging times also presents many opportunities to the savvy traveler,” states White. “Those willing to take the time and effort to shop around will find that there are many deals to be had right now, as hotels and attractions make grand efforts to fill rooms and seats, by offering packaged deals with room nights, golf, movie tours, aquarium visits, agventure tours, wine tasting, shopping, and holiday meals, all rolled into the timeless atmosphere with the famous backdrop of Monterey Bay.”
December – January, visitors can slip into this sanctuary without breaking the bank. Countywide, hotels from Big Sur to Monterey have stepped up with seasonal rates. Add to that the natural rush of nature on parade, world-class wine tasting and a stint with Santa and the season seems well… a bit more within reason. More info: www.montereyinfo.org . Come find the destination that is bursting with nature and adventures, traditional and non-traditional festivities and is the perfect place for a quick getaway.
Dec. 16, Brighten the Harbor. Boats decorated with lights parade from the Coast Guard Pier, past Cannery Row and back to the Monterey Harbor. Vessels are judged and the best-decorated (in multiple categories) receive trophies awarded at the yacht club after the parade. Monterey, CA
Dec. 31, New Year’s Eve Cap off your holiday celebration with a New Year's Eve to remember! First Night Monterey celebrates the lively arts scene in Monterey County. Live music ranges from classical to Irish traditional to experimental hip-hop. There will be dance performances, great food and lots of surprises!
Ongoing: Hit the ground running this winter via a free self-guided nature adventure at one of these top stops.
Bald Eagles Retreat at Lake San Antonio -One of the largest winter habitats for bald eagles in Central California, Lake San Antonio is also home to deer, rabbit, quail, and a variety of other wildlife. The lake covers 5,000 acres and birders can explore 40 miles of hiking, biking and equestrian trails and 60 miles of shoreline.
Ventana Wilderness Society- High tail it to Big Sur or the Pinnacles National Monument for a glimpse of the majestic California Condors overhead. Both parks are successful designated release areas for the recovering native species. Or, visit the Ornithology Lab at Andrew Molera Park in Big Sur to watch bird banding activities. Winter banding is weather dependent, but normally takes place on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Pt. Lobos State Reserve Hike the scenic trails of the 554-acre state preserve. See wandering deer, watch sea otters and sea lions frolic in the surf. Pt. Lobos is also a great picnic or day hike destination.
Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary, Pacific Grove- feast for the eyes, hundreds – sometimes thousands – of beautiful Monarch butterflies flutter in this protected shelter of eucalyptus and Monterey pine trees. Docents are available to answer questions and point out the ‘hanging butterflies’ as they rest camouflaged in the trees.
Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History, Before a visit to the Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary stop by this informative natural history museum to learn about the migration patterns of the wintering Monarchs, whales of Monterey Bay and other mammals, birds and wildlife of Monterey County.
Wild Things- Lions, tigers and…reindeer. Take a walk on the wild side and meet 110+ wild animals that have been trained to appear in films, television and advertising. Kangaroos, primates and reptiles round out the two-hour visit led by a trainer/naturalist. During the holidays, Christmas flashlight tours are a fun way to celebrate the season with the kids and cash in on a photo with Rudolph -- a real, live reindeer! Couples can opt for an overnight stay in a safari tent with breakfast delivered by a resident pachyderm.
Monterey Bay Aquarium -Dive in for a day of play at the nation’s top-rated aquarium, home to 250,000+ animals and plants representing more than 500 species of invertebrates, mammals, reptiles, birds and plants. Book a Morning Rounds: Behind-the-Scenes Tour for a rare opportunity to interact with the aquarium’s exhibit animals as an aquarist would with the daily sea otter feeding and training session, rare look at food preparation and chance to feed some of the animals in the aquarium’s Discovery Lab classrooms.
Elkhorn Slough Safari - All aboard this thrilling pontoon ride scouting some 1,400 acres established as a Globally Important Bird Area. Reaching nearly seven miles inland from the coast, the slough’s freshwater wetlands and marshes are home to some 340+ types of birds, 400 plant species and 80 species of fish. This is an excellent tour for birders.
Grapevine Express - Don’t feel like a drive, take the hassle out of it and hop on Monterey-Salinas Transit’s Grapevine Express year round and spend all day wine tasting. The Grapevine Express transports passengers from downtown Monterey through Carmel Valley’s wine corridor and on to Carmel Valley Village where clustered tasting rooms invite guests to stroll at their leisure. Buses circulate every hour.
Whale Watching -Nutrient-rich and naturally wonderful, the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary is the United States’ largest protected region and a prime viewing area for exotic species including blue, humpback, minke and orca whales. Winter delivers the magnificent California Gray Whales on their annual migration south from Alaska to Baja, California. Or check out Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park (Weekends throughout January): Don’t miss these California State Parks ranger-guided whale watching presentations. Celebrate the migration of the California gray whales off the Big Sur Coast. Meet at the vista point on Highway 1 at mile marker 37, just north of Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park.
Prefer to enjoy the outdoors from a spa suite? The holiday season is the perfect excuse for a rejuvenating spa day or sensual foot massage after all that ground-pounding for gifts.
Allegria Spa at Ventana Inn-Beat it to Big Sur’s Ventana Inn’s Allegria Spa for the El Sur Grande Hot Stone Therapy, a combination of nature’s heated basalt stones and massage to release stiff muscles and relieve joint pain. Hot stone therapy may be performed in the Zen Garden (upon request, weather permitting).
Spa on the Plaza -The Rain Drop Therapy treatment at the Portola Plaza Hotel’s Spa on the Plaza begins with a cleansing sea salt aromatherapy bath followed with a soothing aromatherapy treatment of organic essential oils to relax and revitalize the body. In the tradition of Monterey County’s Esalen Indians, the body is saged with a Californian sage “smudge stick” for enhancing the body’s etheric shield.
The Spa at Bernardus Lodge - The spa at Carmel Valley’s Bernardus Lodge offers an Ancient Volcanic Ritual treatment designed to purify, revitalize and tighten the skin. The ritual begins with a geranium grape seed body scrub then aromatic botanical mask made from volcanic ash and china clay, two of nature’s most powerful detoxifiers. This ritual is completed with a moisturizing geranium lotion application.
Indulge in the County’s rich abundance of yuletide cheer this year, full schedule at www.montereyinfo.org.
VISITOR INFO.
Monterey County is located 120 miles/192 km south of San Francisco and 345 miles/552 km north of Los Angeles along the classic California corridor. The region boasts 99 miles of prime Pacific Coastline, the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, three historic missions, 40,000 acres of premium vineyards, 25 golf courses and nearly 200 lodging properties. Monterey County includes the Monterey Peninsula, Big Sur, North County and the Salinas Valley. The Monterey Peninsula Airport (MRY), just three miles from historic downtown Monterey and minutes from the area’s major attractions, is served by non-stop flights to and from Denver (DIA), Salt Lake City (SLC), Las Vegas (LAS), Phoenix (PHX), Los Angeles (LAX and ONT), San Diego (SAN) and San Francisco (SFO). Visitor info: www.montereyinfo.org.
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