Cheap Flights To Monterey (MRY)

The picturesque city of Monterey is located in Central California, on the southern edge of Monterey Bay on the Pacific coast. Orbitz.com can help you book cheap flights to Monterey, a seaside gem with spectacular natural assets. Along with such notable qualities as having the largest population of sea otters on the California coast, the city hosts popular annual events, such as the Monterey Jazz Festival.

Arriving in Monterey

Travelers can fly into Monterey Regional Airport, located 3 miles southeast of the city center. The airport offers direct flights from San Francisco, San Diego, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Denver, Honolulu and Las Vegas on United Express, US Airways, Allegiant Air, Alaska Airlines and American Eagle. Ground transportation options from the airport include taxi service and rental cars. A taxi coordinator is available at the airport to assist you. No reservation is needed, but the airport adds a $3 surcharge to taxi services. Seven rental car companies have desks at the airport for your convenience.

Things to Do in Monterey

Monterey has a mild Mediterranean climate. Temperatures do not vary much, with winter temperatures around 60°F and summer temperatures around 72°F. The city experiences rainfall generally from November through April. The Monterey Peninsula is a popular destination due to marine wildlife visible from the shoreline. Seals, sea lions and sea otters frolic in the ocean and by the shore throughout the year, and migrating whales can be seen in the fall and spring. Visitors also enjoy visiting Alvarado Street in downtown Monterey. This area offers excellent restaurants, bars, and unique shops. Other area attractions include Monterey Bay Aquarium and Monterey State Historic Park. The world-famous coastal stretch known as 17-Mile Drive begins just outside Monterey and runs through Pacific Grove and Pebble Beach.

Hassle-Free Travel Planning

Monterey offers some of the best visitor attractions California has to offer, focusing on the beauty of the natural environment. The area also has boutique shopping, excellent restaurants and an active nightlife. Orbitz.com can help you find cheap flights to Monterey, convenient accommodations and budget ground transportation, so you can concentrate on enjoying your visit to this seaside city.

The Monterey Peninsula is blessed with fairly constant, refreshingly cool weather and an average year-round high of 68 degrees and a low of 51 degrees. Though there are distinct high and low seasons, festivals and weekends draw visitors to Monterey all year, so advanced planning and reservations are always key.

From July through early September, peak season kicks into full swing with warmer temperatures and an influx of crowds. July brings average highs ranging from 52 to 66 degrees, and both the California Rodeo Salinas and the MotoGP World Championship, featuring elite motorcycle riders from around the world. Car aficionados love to visit in August, when the area’s Classic Car Week rolls into town. Highlights include the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, which spotlights decades of iconic cars, and the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, where 200 of the best collector cars in the world show off on the 18th fairway of Pebble Beach. September is typically the warmest month in Monterey, with an average high of 70 degrees; it’s also when the two-day Monterey Jazz Festival is held.

You can still sneak in a good deal if you visit Monterey during shoulder season, which can see Indian summer days from late September through October and sunny breaks in the weather from April through June. In fact, many Californians consider fall and spring the best times to visit for comfortably cool weather and fewer crowds. In the spring, several worthwhile events shine under the sometimes-fickle skies, including the breathtaking Big Sur International Marathon in April and the environmentally sustainable Cooking for Solutions at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in May.

Low season falls from November through March, when temperatures dip and rainfall increases (January is the rainiest on average). This is still a fantastic time to see Monterey, with average highs ranging from 58 to 61, plus the best deals on accommodations. More festivals across the Monterey Peninsula also make the journey worthwhile: February’s historic AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am golf tournament and April’s Pebble Beach Food & Wine festival, a huge event featuring hundreds of wineries and chefs.