Pacific Grove, California

Pacific Grove is a town in Monterey County, California, with a total population of 15,522 as of the 2000 census.

Related Topics:
Monterey County, California - 2000

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The town sits between its two better-known neighbors, Pebble Beach and Monterey. Carmel-by-the-Sea is the next town over, and Big Sur is a few miles further south. Pacific Grove is a favorite vacation getaway for Silicon Valley and San Francisco residents, located on the ocean about 60 minutes' drive south from San Jose or about 2.5 hours south from San Francisco.

Related Topics:
Pebble Beach - Monterey - Carmel-by-the-Sea - Big Sur

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For a capsule history of the City, which began as a Methodist summer camp in 1875, see this page on the City of Pacific Grove's website: http://www.ci.pg.ca.us/misc/history.htm, or http://www.93950.com/history.htm.

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Pacific Grove is cute and quaint without being too cute. It's home to more Victorian houses per capita than anywhere else in America, many of which have been turned into tasteful B&B inns. Each of Pacific Grove's four square miles all face on the coastline; the town does not allow development on the water-side of the ocean-front street, so all the beaches and scenic points are unobstructed and easily accessible (development plans for the ONE private residential parcel on the waterside of the street about 1/2 mile north of Asilomar State Beach was the center of extreme local controversy several years ago.)

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Pacific Grove is known for its Victorian homes, its proximity to Pebble Beach golfing and the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and the annual migration of the Monarch butterflies. The black-and-orange butterflies spend the winter in the local eucalyptus trees from Halloween until Valentine's Day each year.

Related Topics:
Monterey Bay Aquarium - Monarch butterflies

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The city is also known as the location of the Point Pinos Lighthouse, the oldest continously-operating lighthouse on the West Coast. The Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History, located in historic downtown, is also a popular destination for visitors and residents alike.

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