Asilomar’s unique location on the tip of the Monterey Peninsula is in the heart of one of the top 5 birdwatching locations in North America. We’ve put together this 3-day birding itinerary, perfect for a long weekend, to help you plan your visit.
Bicycle rentals are sure to help you experience the beauty of Asilomar.
Day of Arrival
Explore the grounds
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BONUS ADVENTURE Traveling by land to Monterey from the greater San Francisco Bay area? Be sure to visit Elkhorn Slough on the way to Asilomar. |
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CHECK IN AT ASILOMAR HOTEL AND CONFERENCE GROUNDS Discover the unmatched Asilomar Hotel & Conference Grounds, where coastal dunes, rocky shores, inlets, and tide pools are teeming with thousands of plant, animal, and bird species. |
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CORNELL LAB RESOURCES Plan your birdwatching adventures by downloading the birding guide or Merlin App or see the list of bird sightings around Asilomar provided by our partners at the Cornell Lab. |
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EXPLORE BY BIKE Rent a bicycle at the park store and enjoy the 1.1 mile ride up Asilomar Avenue to the Pt. Pinos Lighthouse. After checking out the historic lighthouse, continue your ride up to Sunset Drive and take a left. While the Pacific Grove Links golf course itself is off limits to birders, birding locations along Sunset Drive include various seawatch points as well as South Gull Roost. Pacific Loons, California Gulls and Red Phalaropes are common in the area. Return your bikes to Asilomar. |
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RELAX TO A SUNSET Grab a glass of wine and some snacks from Phoebe’s Café and enjoy the sunset to cap off your day. |
The Monterey area offers some of the coastlines most spectacular bird watching.
1st Full Day
THE BIG DAY
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A HEARTY START TO A DAY Enjoy breakfast at the Crocker Dining Hall highlighting fresh regional and seasonal menus. |
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EXPLORE BEYOND THE SHORE Today you’ll get on the water and join one of the several options for sightseeing trips available in Monterey Bay. Keep in mind that even if birding-specific cruises aren’t available whale watching tours (available daily) will offer fantastic opportunities for seabird watching. Some choices include: |
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UNWIND FAMILY-STYLE Enjoy dinner and make new friends while dining family-style at the historic Crocker Dining Hall. |
Monterey Bay Aquarium offers a fun and unique look at a wide variety of birds.
Day of Departure
DON'T DIP OUT TOO SOON
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BEFORE YOU GO Enjoy a latte and grab-and-go breakfast from Phoebe’s Café |
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EARLY BIRDS Stroll down the boardwalk to the beach to enjoy a quiet walk during the early hours. Brandt’s Cormorant and Sanderling are commonly found along Asilomar State Beach. |
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STATE-PARK GUIDED TOURS Join the Asilomar Bird Walk tour offered for free by California State Parks Rangers (schedule varies.) These walking tours leave from the California State Parks desk in the Phoebe Apperson Hearst Social Hall and registration in advance is recommended by calling 831.646.6443. |
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MEMORIES TO LAST Stop in at the Park Store for any last-minute Asilomar mementos. |
Asilomar's natural beauty will have you taking a ton of wonderful photos.
