Hillcrest Travel Guide
Tourist Guide
Visit Hillcrest
Popular places to visit
Monterey Bay Aquarium
Perched on the edge of the Pacific Ocean, you’ll find a spectacular window into life both above and below the waves.
Lovers Point
Enjoy a day of sun and surf at this beautiful beach, which is one of the few places on the U.S. west coast where you can watch the sun rise over the Pacific Ocean.
Point Pinos Lighthouse
Experience a piece of American maritime history with a tour of one of the oldest lighthouses on the West Coast.
Monarch Grove Butterfly Sanctuary
Enjoy a trip to Monarch Grove Butterfly Sanctuary and popular activities such as golfing in Pacific Grove. Attend a sporting event or simply enjoy the seafood restaurants while you're in the area.
Asilomar Dunes Nature Preserve
You can take time to visit Asilomar Dunes Nature Preserve during your travels to Pacific Grove.
Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History
Step into a field guide to the Californian Central Coast, packed with local birdlife, marine life and Native American culture.
Activities
Monterey: Whale Watching Tour with A Marine Guide
Monterey Bay: Whale Watching Tour
Monterey: Catamaran Sailing Cruise
Monterey Bay: Sunset Catamaran Sailing Cruise
Monterey: Treasure Hunt The Ride - Ticket + Power-Up Combo
Monterey's 17 Mile Drive Guided Electric Bike Tour, 3 hr
Our pick of the best Hillcrest Hotel Deals
Portola Hotel & Spa at Monterey Bay
"Beautiful place!! Can’t wait to come again"
Reviewed on 10 June 2026
Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa
"Beautiful hotel with incredible views! The staff was incredibly attentive."
Reviewed on 7 June 2026
Carmel Mission Inn
"Very clean hotel and nice workers. I enjoyed my stay very much and will definitely go again. Thank you !!! The pool is beautiful and they play great music"
Reviewed on 9 June 2026
The Monterey Hotel
"Positives: great location, convenient parking Cons: there is a very obvious musty smell throughout the entire hotel (worse on the historic side) including the rooms; fitness area is incredibly small with very poor equipment"
Reviewed on 9 June 2026
Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel & Spa
"Hate the BS charges. On top of a resort fee which is unnecessary, they charge for parking too, what a rip off."
Reviewed on 9 June 2026
Casa Munras Garden Hotel & Spa
"Casa Munras is very well located for visiting Carmel, Monterey, Cannery Row, Pacific Grove. It was very quiet, had a clean, comfortable room, plenty of parking and was reasonably priced. The pool looked nice, as did the restaurant, although we did not use them."
Reviewed on 10 June 2026
Our guide on where to stay in Hillcrest
Town Center
If you're spending some time in Town Center, Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History and Jameson's Classic Motorcycle Museum are top sights worth seeing.
Retreat
If you're spending some time in Retreat, Monterey Bay Aquarium and Monterey Bay are top sights worth seeing.
Beach Tract
While there might not be top attractions in Beach Tract, you can explore the larger area and discover places like Monterey Bay Aquarium and Cannery Row.
Grove Acres
Grove Acres might not have many top sights, but Monterey Bay Aquarium and Cannery Row are two attractions nearby that you can check out.
Asilomar Dunes
If you're spending some time in Asilomar Dunes, Monterey Bay and Point Pinos Lighthouse are top sights worth seeing.
