10 Best Nightlife Experiences in Monterey

Alvarado Street cuts right through the heart of Monterey. You'll almost certainly need to traverse it on your way to Old Fisherman's Wharf and the seafront, which is just a single block to the north. At night, there will be plenty of temptations to keep you around, though.

The historic Brewery is one of them. It's a well-known hangout that draws lovers of everything hops to a shady beer garden with fire pits and BBQ grills come the weekend. Flanking it, you'll also find soy-scented cookhouses with Cantonese stir-fries and British-styled pubs with hardwood seating and ales on tap.

A jaunt down Cannery Row makes a trip to Monterey complete. Made famous by the eponymous novel by John Steinbeck, the street is a hubbub of life both day and night. As evening nears, the action switches from sea lion watching on the shoreline to the gritty pubs and jazz bars that abound.

Among them is Cooper's Pub & Restaurant, where hearty English dinners are served with a side of cold beer, and the tasting rooms of the Carmel Ridge Winery, where you'll sample fine Central Coast tipples. Music lovers should mosey to the south side of Cannery, where Pearl Hour offers live gigs on the edge of San Carlos Beach Park.

Old Fisherman's Wharf, just as its name implies, is the place for an evening of marine-inspired eating in Monterey. Calling all seafood lovers, the wooden-built pier where you find it juts into the harbour of downtown, between the Monterey Bay Coastal Trail and the boat-bobbing docks. It's easy to find.

Once you're there, the hardest part will probably be in deciding which restaurant to visit. The timber-fronted Old Fishermen's Grotto has a vintage charm. Scales Seafood & Steaks offers upscale New American cuisine with views across the marina. But there are also long-time local favourites like Abalonetti Bar and Grill, where the Cali clam chowder is said to be second to none.

Lighthouse Avenue wiggles and weaves all the way from the centre of Monterey to the rocks of Point Pinos in the west. It's one of the main arteries of the city, linking up Cannery Row to the residential districts and grand Victorian homes of Pacific Grove. 

Lighthouse Avenue also has some enticing nightlife attractions – the bulk of them are wedged between Caledonia Park and Carmel Avenue. They run the gamut from casual cafes and independent coffee roasteries through to artisanal bakeries and chic wine bars. Foodies can also indulge in a truly multicultural array of dining – think sizzling Thai curries and jalapeno-topped Mexicana tacos alike.

Pearl Street might be just a turn of the corner from bustling Alvarado, but is a whole different story. Much quieter and noticeably residential, it's got just a peppering of little drinking holes and bars. Most of them are to be found on the western end of the road, close to Simoneau Plaza.

Head there and you can fill the evening hours with games of classic table billiards in historic Mexicana saloons. There are dive bars with gritty surf and biker paraphernalia. There are gastropubs touting menus of hearty burgers and West Coast surf and turf. Once you're done, oodles more venues await just a 5-minute stroll to the north on Alvarado itself.

Pebble Beach is largely dominated by the gorgeous holes of the iconic golf course that shares the area's name. But a short – and beautiful – 15-minute drive from Monterey can also help you discover the well-to-do establishments that dot this cypress-fringed corner of the California coastline.

They come in the form of The Bench, where Mediterranean dishes and cool white wines are served up to views of the 18^th hole. Or, there's the Stillwater Bar & Grill, which fields a menu of seafood dishes and organic meats cooked in ways inspired by California. Granted, it's not going to be a hedonistic night on the town, but it sure is romantic and indulgent.