Salinas
Introduction
Salinas sits at the mouth of the Salinas Valley in Monterey County, California, where the valley opens toward the Pacific Ocean roughly eight miles away. As the county seat and the largest urban area in the county, it anchors the eastern edge of the Monterey Bay Area, just south of the San Francisco Bay Area and a short drive from the river's outlet to the sea.
Because the ocean is close, the city's climate is milder and more maritime than what you would find deeper inland, making it a practical base for exploring the surrounding valley and coast.
Before you go
Salinas has a cool summer climate, with fog and wind that can make even the warm months feel chilly, so pack layers you can add and remove through the day. Rain falls mainly in the winter months, when temperatures turn cold. The city sits inland from the coast, and its weather shifts with the marine influence off the Pacific. Plan for overcast mornings that may or may not burn off by afternoon, and bring a jacket you won't mind carrying.Getting there
By car, Veterans Memorial Hwy (US Hwy 101) runs through Salinas as a freeway, linking it north to Gilroy and on to San Jose, and south to King City and Paso Robles. CA-Hwy 68 offers a direct route from Monterey, entering town as Main St, while CA-Hwy 183 comes in from Watsonville through Castroville as W Market St. Old Stage Rd and Crazy Horse Canyon Rd form an informal beltway around town, though these are not designated state or US highways.
- From Gilroy: Veterans Memorial Hwy, about 38 mi
- From King City: Veterans Memorial Hwy, about 48 mi
- From San Jose: about 32 mi north of Gilroy via US Hwy 101
- From Paso Robles: about 54.5 mi south of King City via US Hwy 101
- From Monterey: CA-Hwy 68, about 19 mi (roughly 30 min), entering as Main St
- From Watsonville via Castroville: CA-Hwy 183, about 20.5 mi (roughly 29 min), entering as W Market St
By train, Amtrak's Coast Starlight stops daily at Salinas station on Station Place, running between Seattle and Los Angeles with stops including Portland, Sacramento, the Bay Area, San Jose, Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Burbank. By bus, Greyhound Lines and American Star Tours stop at Salinas Station and connect San Francisco to Los Angeles via Oakland, Hayward, San Jose, Gilroy, Salinas, King City, Santa Maria, Santa Barbara and Oxnard, with American Star Tours adding stops such as Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo and Grover Beach. International Bus Lines serves a stop on E Alisal St with buses from Tijuana to San Jose. Monterey-Salinas Transit runs regional service from its transit center at Salinas St and Central Ave, including routes to Monterey via Marina, to King City via Chualar, Gonzales, Soledad and Greenfield, and to Watsonville, where you can transfer to Santa Cruz Metro; note that direct MST connections to San Jose via Gilroy have been suspended, so use Greyhound or American Star Tours instead.
Getting around
Oldtown Salinas is very walkable, and it is where you will find many of the city's stores, restaurants and galleries. It is also the location of the Transit Plaza, which gives you access to the Amtrak train and the bus system, so you can base yourself downtown and reach the rest of the city and county without a car. Public buses from Monterey-Salinas Transit are plentiful and also provide access to the Monterey Peninsula; the Salinas Transit Center sits at the southwest corner of Salinas St and Central Ave, and the "Bus Shop" customer service office is on Salinas St. Useful connections include Route 21 to Monterey via Marina, Route 23 toward King City with a transfer to Route 84 for Paso Robles, Route 25 from CSUMB in Marina, and Routes 28 and 29 to Watsonville, where you can transfer to Santa Cruz Metro buses. Note that MST connections between Monterey County and San Jose via Gilroy have been suspended; to reach San Jose, use Greyhound or American Star Tours, or travel to Santa Cruz via Watsonville for the "17-Amtrak Highway Express" bus.
Getting around by automobile is easy, with parking plentiful and often free. Amtrak's Coast Starlight stops at the Salinas Intermodal Transportation Center, and Greyhound Lines and American Star Tours also stop at the Salinas Station; MST routes 44 and 49 connect that station to the Salinas Transit Center, while the nearest stops for other MST buses are on Lincoln and W Market St. International Bus Lines serves a stop on E Alisal St. Salinas has no commercial airport of its own: the practical option for air arrivals is Groome Transportation, a scheduled shuttle from SFO and SJC whose Salinas-area stop is the Prunedale Park & Ride, served from Salinas by MST route 29, and which also offers door-to-door pick-up by reservation.
Where to stay
Salinas keeps its lodging clustered along a few main strips rather than in a single historic core. The densest choice sits around Kern Street, where you'll find a run of familiar chain properties: a Best Western Hanns Inn and a Best Western Salinas Valley Inn & Suites, a Motel 6 Salinas North, and a Holiday Inn Express & Suites. If you'd rather be near the highway and the Monterey road, look to El Rancho Way, home to a Courtyard Salinas Monterey and a Residence Inn Salinas Monterey.
A second Motel 6, Salinas South, sits out on De La Torre Boulevard, useful if your plans take you toward that side of town. Between the Kern Street cluster and the El Rancho Way pair, you can pick by whether you want to be in the middle of things or closer to the route out toward the coast.
Food & drink
For a sit-down lunch, you can eat in John Steinbeck's boyhood home at the Steinbeck House, a luncheon restaurant a couple of blocks from the National Steinbeck Center. First Awakenings is a popular breakfast spot with friendly service, and Growers Pub serves prime rib, steaks, and Santa Lucia wines in an American family-cuisine setting. For something quicker, El Charrito is a popular, affordable Mexican takeout spot known for burritos, with a line that often stretches out the door and around the building on weekends; Tico's Tacos is another option. You'll also find Salinas City BBQ, Elli's Great American Restaurant, and a waffle-focused breakfast and lunch spot. To drink, head to Oldtown Salinas, where A Taste of Monterey lets you sample Monterey County wines. Gold Leaf Spice & Teas runs a tea bar where you can try a wide range of fresh loose leaf teas, spices and herbs, and flavored olive oils.What to see and do
For a sense of Salinas and the California Coast that shaped John Steinbeck, start at the National Steinbeck Center on Main Street, where exhibitions cover the author, his work, and life in the region. History buffs can tour the Harvey Baker House, thought to be the oldest standing structure within the city limits, or arrange a visit by appointment to the First Mayor's House next to the train station, the home of Salinas's first mayor and his family, to learn about the early days of the town. Oldtown Salinas is the focus of much of the city's activity. On the first Friday of every month, stores and galleries open their doors for the First Fridays Art Walk, with outdoor performances of live music and dance and light food and drinks; look for the balloons on the sidewalk that mark which venues are participating. On Saturday mornings, the Oldtown Salinas Farmer's Market sets up in the parking lot across from the Steinbeck Center, with organic and conventional produce alongside clothes, jewelry, and soap, and it draws bigger crowds in summer than in winter. For live entertainment, Sherwood Hall hosts plays and musical performances, including the Monterey County Symphony, while The Western Stage is Monterey County's largest professional theatre organization. Animal lovers can visit Wild Things, home to a number of animal "movie stars" and other wild and exotic animals. Golfers have Twin Creeks, a nine-hole course with a night-lighted driving range, practice green, and sand bunker, as well as Salinas Fairways. Families should note Tatum's Garden in Sherwood Park, a large, free, wheelchair-accessible playground with rubber pathways, adaptive swings, picnic tables, and restrooms. In the third week of July, the California Rodeo takes over the Salinas Sports Complex on North Main Street; locals will gently correct you if you say ROW-dee-oh, since the preferred pronunciation here is row-DAY-oh.Three days in Salinas
Day one: Arrive in Salinas and get your bearings in the Monterey County seat at the heart of the Salinas Valley. From Gilroy, San Jose, Watsonville, Monterey or King City you can reach the city by road, and Amtrak's Coast Starlight stops at Station Place for those coming from as far as Seattle. Once settled, take a walk along Main St and Market St to see the downtown core, then use the city as your base for the wider Monterey Bay Area.
Day two: Head out into the Salinas Valley, the long agricultural corridor that runs southeast toward King City and Paso Robles. If you are driving from the San Francisco Bay Area, the approach via US Hwy 101 through Gilroy and San Jose brings you down into the valley, while Veterans Memorial Hwy and Old Stage Rd offer alternative routes through the surrounding farmland. Plan around the weather: rain can arrive in winter, so keep a flexible schedule and save indoor stretches of downtown Salinas for the wettest hours.
Day three: Use Salinas as a jumping-off point for the coast and nearby towns. Monterey, Castroville and Watsonville are all within reach, and the Pacific Ocean at Monterey Bay Area gives you a cooler, breezier change from the inland valley heat. Crazy Horse Canyon Rd and CA Hwy 101 connect you back toward the San Francisco Bay Area when it is time to leave, or you can return to Station Place and continue your journey by rail.