Salinas, CA Road Trips

1 National Steinbeck Center, 1 Main St, ☏ +1 831-775-4721. Every day 10AM-5PM. Has exhibitions about author John Steinbeck, his work, and life on the California Coast. $10.95 for Monterey County residents, $5.95-14.95 for people who don't live in Monterey County. Admission for children 5 and under is free. 2 Harvey Baker House, Central Ave and Salinas St. Thought to be the oldest standing structure within the Salinas city limits, is available for tours. 3 First Mayor's House, 20 Station Place (next to the train station at West Market St and Main St), ☏ +1 831-809-7175. The I. J. Harvey House is the home of the first mayor of Salinas and his family. Learn about the history of early Salinas. Tours are available by appointment. $7 for adults, $6 for seniors (age 60+) and $5 for kids under 18.

First Fridays Art Walk, Oldtown Salinas (start at Main and Gabilan, look for balloons). 5-8PM. On the first Friday of every month, stores and galleries in Oldtown Salinas throw open their doors. Over 50 venues are usually involved, and there are also many outdoor performances. See live music, dance, and other performances and consume light food and beverages while checking out the art. Look for the balloons on the sidewalk, denoting which venues are open. Oldtown Salinas Farmer's Market, 100 Main St (parking lot across from Steinbeck Center). Saturday 9AM-2PM. Organic and conventional produce vendors set up shop alongside sellers of clothes, jewelry, soap and other items every Saturday morning. Busier in summer than winter. Wild Things (Vision Quest Ranch). Home to a number of animal "movie stars" and over 100 other wild and exotic animals. Sherwood Hall. Adjacent to Salinas Sports Complex, hosts plays and live musical performances including the Monterey County Symphony. The Western Stage, 411 Central Ave (parking lot is on Alisal, across from San Vicente Ave.), ☏ +1 831-375-2111. Monterey County's largest professional theatre organization. California Rodeo. Salinas Sports Complex, North Main St, adjacent to Sherwood Hall. Held in the third week of July in the heart of Salinas. Locals will correct you if you refer to the ROW-dee-oh; the preferred local pronunciation is row-DAY-oh. Twin Creeks golf course. Offers players world class golf and pristine scenery. Twin Creeks is a 9-hole course, consisting of four par four holes and five par threes.

The Steinbeck House, 132 Central Ave (two blocks west of the National Steinbeck Center). Tu-Sa 11:30AM-2PM. A luncheon restaurant in John Steinbeck's boyhood home. 1 Tico's Tacos, 901 S Main St, ☏ +1 831-758-8064. (updated Nov 2015) First Awakenings, 171 Main St, ☏ +1 831-784-1125, [email protected]. Daily 7AM–2PM. Popular breakfast spot, with friendly service. Growers Pub (Pubs Prime Rib), 227 Monterey St. 11AM - 9PM. Prime rib, steaks, Santa Lucia wines American family cuisine $25. El Charrito, 122 W Market St, ☏ +1 831-424-9446. Popular and affordable Mexican takeout spot, specializing in burritos. There's often a line out the door and around the building on weekends. $4. (updated Jul 2022) 2 Salinas City BBQ, 700 W Market St, ☏ +1 831-758-2227. (updated Dec 2025) 3 Elli's Great American Restaurant, 1250 S Main St, ☏ +1 831-759-8455. (updated Dec 2025) 4 Waffles Breakfast & Lunch Restaurant, 1465 N Main St, ☏ +1 831-442-8880. (updated Dec 2025)

A Taste of Monterey. Oldtown Salinas. Sample Monterey County wines. Gold Leaf Spice & Teas, 8 West Gabilan St, ☏ +1 831-753-7700. Tea bar where you can try 105 fresh loose leaf teas, 149 spices and herbs and 12 flavored olive oils.

1 Best Western Hanns Inn, 175 Kern St, ☏ +1 831-784-0176, fax: +1 831 772-0292. (updated Jan 2026) Best Western Salinas Valley Inn & Suites, 187 Kern St, ☏ +1 831-751-6411, fax: +1 831 751-6890. 2 Courtyard Salinas Monterey, 17225 El Rancho Way, ☏ +1 831-775-0491, fax: +1 831 775-0493. (updated Jan 2026) 3 Motel 6 Salinas North - Monterey Area, 140 Kern St, ☏ +1 831-753-1711, fax: +1 831-424-5187. (updated Jan 2026) Motel 6 Salinas South - Monterey Area, 1257 De La Torre Blvd, ☏ +1 831-757-3077, fax: +1 831 424-5185. Residence Inn Salinas Monterey, 17215 El Rancho Way, ☏ +1 831-775-0410, fax: +1 831 775-0411. 4 Holiday Inn Express & Suites - Salinas, 195 Kern St, ☏ +1 831-737-1160. (updated Jan 2026)

Veterans Memorial Hwy passes through as a freeway from Gilroy at 38 mi (61 km) to the north and continues 48 mi (77 km) south to King City. It's another 32 mi (51 km) north of Gilroy to reach San Jose and 54.5 mi (87.7 km) south of King City to Paso Robles on US Hwy 101. Josh to Main St Hwy 68 provides a direct 19 mi (31 km) (30 min) from Monterey to Salinas. It enters town as Main St and ends at Josh St and US Hwy 101. to W Market St From Watsonville, through Castroville, it's 20.5 mi (33.0 km) or 29 min to reach Salinas. CA-Hwy 183 enters town as W Market St and ends at its intersection with Salinas St. Old Stage Rd & Crazy Horse Canyon Rd serve as a 'beltway' around town from Spence Rd (7.5 mi (12.1 km) south}} to its intersection at San Juan Grade Rd north of town. Old Stage Rd becomes Herbert Rd at San Juan Grade Rd. Travelers continue on Crazy Horse Canyon Rd from San Juan Grade Rd to US Hwy 101 in Prunedale, 11 mi (18 km) north of Salinas. These roads are not designated as a US or state highway. 1 Salinas station, 11 Station Place. (updated Oct 2023) Amtrak, ☏ +1 215-856-7924, toll-free: +1-800-872-7245. Operates train service around the United States of America. (updated Mar 2022) Route stopping in Salinas: Coast Starlight operates daily between Seattle and Los Angeles.

Oldtown Salinas is very walkable. It has many stores, restaurants and galleries. It is also the location of the Transit Plaza, providing access to the Amtrak train and the bus system. Public buses from Monterey-Salinas Transit are plentiful. They also provide access to the Monterey Peninsula. Getting around by automobile is easy. Parking is plentiful and often free.