Along the bay in Monterey - Monterey, California

Sunset, March, 1995 by Lora J. Finnegan

In 1878. SOUTHERN Pacific built a branch line that carried coachloads of tourists from San Francisco to Monterey s handsome Del Monte Hotel. The line followed the curve of the bay, serving up scenery to the tourists as well as profits to the railroad's Big Four founders, who built the hotel as the cornerstone of their plans to turn the sleepy seaside village into a popular resort.

Their dreams for Monterey tourism came true. especially along the old railroad line. now bordered by hotels. restaurants, Cannery Row, and the inevitable clusters of T-shirt shops. While the Del Monte has since been pressed into service as the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School. you can follow in the train's tracks on Monterey Recreation Trail' a biking and hiking path that overlays a section of the old railroad grade. Along the way you can sample not only some splendid views of Monterey Bay but also an array of new attractions.

A good place to jump on the trail for a shore tour is at the newly renamed Monterey Bay Park (1 on map), just across Del Monte Avenue from El Estero Park. The park has a white sweep of beach and unobstructed views across the water that give you a good perspective on Monterey Bay.

From the park, you can hike or bike west on the recreation trail to Fisherman's Wharf (2). where a new tour lets you get into the bay without getting wet. Seated topside on Nautilus VI, a semi-submersible ship, you motor out past fishing boats and brown pelicans and sea lions perched on the jetty. When the ship moors off Cannery Row, you go below to peer through windows in the vessel's hull into the nutrient-rich and sometimes murky depths of Monterey Bay. The boat's crew includes camera-equipped divers who send live pictures of the colorful bay-bottom creatures to big television monitors on the ship. They also bring some lively specimens right up to the windows. Trips last about an hour and run from 10 to 3 daily; tickets cost $18, $14 students, $12 ages 5 through 12. For reservations, call (800) 6561580 or (408) 647-1400.

Back on the recreation trail, turn left into Custom House Plaza to find rows of historic adobes in Monterey State Historic Park and a peaceful new haven called a sensory garden next to the Casa del Oro (3). The garden was developed by the Monterey History and Art Association with the needs of the disabled in mind, though it also appeals to other crowd-weary visitors looking for a quiet little space away from the bustle of the plaza and the wharf. Seven ornamental flower and herb beds are raised to allow people using wheelchairs to get close to the plants. For the sight impaired, plants that stand out for their aroma and texture were chosen. Follow your nose to the lavender and rosemary; close your eyes and touch the soft lamb's ears and spiky native grasses.

After your respite, continue on the recreation trail to the Coast Guard Wharf for a look at more boats and sea lions on the jetty. If your shoreside touring has left you with an appetite for fish, stop at Bradley's Harbor-Front Restaurant (4; 32 Cannery Row, second floor), the only restaurant to overlook this section of harbor and the Coast Guard pier. The menu always has four or five types of fresh fish (the cornmeal-crusted swordfish was a standout on a recent visit). Bradley's is open for lunch and dinner daily except Tuesdays: call (408) 655-6799.

The next stop is the famed Monterey Bay Aquarium (5; 886 Cannery Row). where a new exhibit called Deadly Beauties will open March 17. The exhibit covers the ocean's most poisonous animals, including deadly sea snakes, stonefish, and cone snails. The sea otter habitat draws big crowds, especially around feeding times (10:30, 1:30, and 3:30), and a new video presentation on the sea otters gives you fresh insight on these playful creatures. Though the aquarium has been open since 1984. it's still the biggest attraction on Cannery Row: visit on a quieter Monday or Tuesday if possible. Hours are 10 to 6 daily; admission costs $11.75, $9.75 seniors and students. $5.75 ages 3 through 12.

After passing through Cannery Row, the recreation trail slips into Pacific Grove and hugs a small ledge just above the waves before ending at Lover's Point (6), a rocky hook of land projecting into the bay. In spring, look for sea otters and birds such as pelagic cormorants, surf scoters, and Pacific and common loons in breeding plumage. After Easter, a company called Adventures by the Sea (408/372-1807) will begin renting kayaks at Lover's Point for $25 per day. From the point, it's an easy paddle out to a nearby seal rookery.

MORE TRAIL NEWS IN PEBBLE BEACH

A few years after Southern Pacific's branch line opened, the Big Four's Pacific Improvement Company created 17-Mile Drive and Pebble Beach, then a buggy ride away from their Del Monte Hotel. The Pacific Grove entry gate to 17-Mile Drive is a short drive from Lover s Point. where the separated path of Monterey Recreation Trail ends. It costs $6.50 to enter 17-Mile Drive, but once inside you can freely sample four new self-guiding nature trails through the lands of the Pebble Beach Company.