Where to start? It's a short (10 min) drive to three parks for hiking or biking. There are at least ten more parks for hiking within 15 miles. Monterey Peninsula has a unique climate. It's rare to get temperatures over 80F (27C), and the humidity is low. So it's a perfect place to enjoy the outdoors. The Pacific Ocean is 11 miles from our house. The water is too cold to swim in without a wetsuit, but it offers pleasant beaches and great views. A perennial favorite is the drive south along Highway 1 towards Big Sur. Monterey is a smallish town, but it has a world-class aquarium, many restaurants, and a few concert centers and theaters. The "cottages" and shopping in Carmel are definitely worth a day of their own. Pacific Grove has a very nice natural history museum. A bit further away is the Ano Nuevo Park where you can see huge elephant seals.