On the jagged, rocky coast at the southern tip of Monterey Bay, America’s Last Hometown awaits discovery. Also known as Butterfly Town, USA, because of the migrating Monarch butterflies that overwinter here, there’s a small-town vibe that is friendly and welcoming.

This is a city filled with old-fashioned charm, too. There are more Victorian houses, per capita, than anywhere else in America; take a walking tour and see them all. Pt. Pinos Lighthouse, the oldest continuously-operating lighthouse on the West Coast, has been guiding visitors for more than 150 years. A walk along the recreation trail takes you past Lover’s Point, home to the annual Feast of Lanterns celebration that began 100 years ago.

Pacific Grove is also a gathering place for artists – John Steinbeck lived here; Robert Louis Stevenson stayed for awhile; en plein air artists, poets, ceramists, woodworkers, sculptors all create in this amiable, inviting town.