“I’m taking a trip to the Monterey Bay Aquarium and am looking for things to do that evening. Any recommendations on how to spend a couple hours in Monterey?”

In the AM, plan on taking the Movies Made in Monterey Tour, which starts from the downtown convention center in Monterey. The MMMT takes you throughout Monterey and nearby cities, including Pebble Beach and its 17 Mile Drive with all its mansions (including one owned by Clint Eastwood). This is an excellent way to find out what there is to offer as well as see where many famous movies were made. You’ll be back by lunch time.

After the movie tour, plan on having lunch at First Awakenings, a great restaurant in Pacific Grove just a walk around the corner from the aquarium. First Awakenings is inside a large building that houses factory outlet stores. It is the best site in all of Monterey for brunches…their Benedicts are to die for.

After lunch, plan on 2-4 hours in the aquarium. You will want to take in their new otters of the world exhibit. They are fun critters to watch. Also the gorgeous jelly fish are captivating. After the aquarium, walk around Cannery Row and look over some of the old canneries made famous by Steinbeck. There are also good restaurants in that area if dinner time rolls around. Bubba Gumps is a fun place for shrimp…what else?