{"id":1870,"date":"2015-10-13T22:21:28","date_gmt":"2015-10-13T22:21:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.explorer1.com\/halfmoonbay1\/?page_id=1870"},"modified":"2015-10-13T22:21:28","modified_gmt":"2015-10-13T22:21:28","slug":"top-family-activities","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/explorer1.com\/monterey\/things-to-do-in-monterey\/recreational-activities\/top-family-activities\/","title":{"rendered":"Top Family Activities in Monterey"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\t\"Monterey,\n<\/p>\n

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\n\t\tTop Picks for Family-friendly Activities in Monterey  — From exploring local beaches to strolling along West Cliff Drive to building sandcastles on the local beaches, Monterey has many family-friendly activities that can cater to just about any age.   \n\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\tTo review our top picks for family activities, please scroll down the page or click on year round<\/a> or seasonal activities<\/a>.
\n\t\t   \n\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\n\t\t<\/a>Year Round Family Friendly Activities
\n\t<\/h2>\n

\n\t\t\"BuildingMonterey Parks and Beaches is our #1 Pick<\/a>
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\n\t\tPicnicking, swimming, building sandcastles, and kite flying are just a few of the activities that you will find at Monterey State Beachs .  \n\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\tMonterey Bay Aquarium is #2 Pick<\/a>
\n\t<\/h3>\n

\n\t\t886 Cannery Row, Monterey, CA (831) 648-4888\n\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\tThe Monterey Bay Aquarium in Monterey, California offers visitors nearly 200 award-winning galleries and exhibits. Explore the Monterey Bay Aquarium web site to learn about ocean life, take a virtual tour of the aquarium or plan a visit.\n\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\tGilroy Gardens is our #3 Pick<\/a> 
\n\t<\/h3>\n

\n\t\t3050 Hecker Pass Rd Gilroy, CA 95020 (408) 840-7100\n\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\tExcellent family oriented theme park — especially for families with younger children. The rides are pretty tame and there are lots of activities geared toward the little ones. \n\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\tAlthough the food at the park seems to be better than most theme parks, most families opt to bring their own snacks and drinks. It's healthier and a lot more cost effective.\n\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\tGilroy can be extremely hot in the summer, so make sure to take plenty of water and sun screen! bring their own snacks and drinks. It's healthier and a lot more cost effective.\n\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\tMonterey California State Beach is our #4 Pick<\/a>
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\n\t\tThe beach is a favorite place for surfers and tide pool watchers. Fishing is popular, too. The cities of Monterey and Seaside share the park, which has three separate beaches approximately a mile apart.\n\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\tMonterey County Youth Museum is our #5 Pick <\/a>
\n\t<\/h3>\n

\n\t\t425 Washington St., , Monterey  (831) 649-6444\n\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\tThis 8,500 square foot museum is packed with a variety of hands on exhibits, making each visit unique and exciting.\n\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\"DennisDennis the Menace Playground is our #6 Pick<\/a>
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\n\t\tEl Estero Park Complex, City of Monterey, CA   (831) 646-3866\n\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\tLocated in the El Estero Park Complex, it has been a destination for families with younger children for generations.  Lots of green space and plenty of fun playground equipment make this an ideal family pick.
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\n\t\t \n\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\tFamily Favorite Seasonal Activities
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\n\t\t\"Christmas<\/a>Christmas Tree Cutting<\/a>
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\n\t\tDuring the Holidays, you can create a cherished family memory by cutting your own tree at one of the Christmas tree farms<\/a> located in the Monterey Mountains.\n\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\t \n\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\"MontereyPumpkin Patches<\/a>
\n\t<\/h3>\n

\n\t\tA great Fall activity is to take the whole family up to a pumpkin patch and select the perfect pumpkin.  Most of the larger farms have other activities too that range from gigantic hay labyrinth to petting pens to pony rides and haunted houses.\n\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\t \n\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\"BerryBerry and Apple Picking
\n\t<\/h3>\n

\n\t\tDuring the Spring and Summer, many local farms between Monterey and Half Moon Bay open their fields to the public for berry picking.  This can be fun, educational, and yummy activity for the whole family!\n\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\t \n\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Top Picks for Family-friendly Activities in Monterey  — From exploring local beaches to strolling along West Cliff Drive to building sandcastles on the local beaches, Monterey has many family-friendly activities that can cater to just about any age.    To review our top picks for family activities, please scroll down the page or click on year […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"parent":1773,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"local-page-attractions.php","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1870","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/explorer1.com\/monterey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1870","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/explorer1.com\/monterey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/explorer1.com\/monterey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/explorer1.com\/monterey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/explorer1.com\/monterey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1870"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/explorer1.com\/monterey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1870\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/explorer1.com\/monterey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1773"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/explorer1.com\/monterey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1870"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}