Monterey GoCar Tour: Cannery Row & Pacific Grove at your pace

Drive your own open-air route past the aquarium, lighthouse, and monarch butterflies.

A self-guided GoCar tour of Monterey lets you steer an open-air GPS-narrated vehicle past Cannery Row, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and Pacific Grove's coastal landmarks for 1 to 3 hours at your own pace. You control the stops and the speed while the car's audio guide shares stories and directions. The route passes the Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary, Point Pinos Lighthouse, and scenic beaches, with optional pauses at tide pools and family parks.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Monterey Bay and Pacific Grove

• Drive past Monterey Fisherman’s Wharf
• View Monterey Bay scenery
• Pass through historic Cannery Row
• See Monterey Bay Aquarium from road
• Stop at San Carlos Beach tide pools
• Drive along coastal trail to Pacific Grove
• Pass Lover's Point Park
• Visit Pacific Grove Butterfly Sanctuary
• Stop at Point Pinos Lighthouse
• Drive by Asilomar State Beach
• Pause at Dennis the Menace Park

The experience

You pick up a GoCar (a sleek, open-air two-seater with a built-in GPS guide), and the orientation covers safety and the basics. The car does the navigation. You do the driving. Roll down Cannery Row at whatever pace suits you, pause for photos of the Monterey Bay Aquarium's waterfront building, and cruise toward Pacific Grove's dramatic shoreline. The GPS narration points out where to spot sea otters in the kelp beds and explains what you're passing: the historic wharf, the bay's marine sanctuary, the shops and restaurants lining the Row.

The route threads through Pacific Grove's quieter side, where the Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary sits free and open, from October through February, thousands of orange monarchs cluster in the trees, and the grove stays peaceful the rest of the year. Point Pinos Lighthouse, the oldest continuously operating lighthouse on the U.S. West Coast since 1855, sits on a windswept point nearby and worth a stop for photos and a quick self-guided tour inside. Along the coastal trail, you can pull over at San Carlos Beach to peer into tide pools or watch scuba divers in the kelp beds offshore. Dennis the Menace Park, a sprawling lakeside playground near downtown, works as a pit stop if kids need to burn energy.

You choose how long to spend: a 1-hour sprint hits the main sights, a 2-hour coastal explorer lets you linger at a few stops, and a 3-hour ultimate loop covers everything without rushing. The map, helmet, and a tank of gas come with the rental. Drivers must be 18 with a valid license. Children as young as 7 can ride along if an adult is driving. The car seats up to two passengers, so couples and small families book one vehicle. Larger groups make separate reservations.

What’s included

• Rental of a GPS-guided GoCar with audio narration in English.
• a safety orientation and helmet.
• a map.
• and a tank of gas to start your tour.

Options for this experience

4 options

Monterey Bay Sprint, 1 HR10 departure times: the first at 10:00, the last at 19:00A one-hour Monterey Bay Sprint from the wharf to the aquarium in a GPS-guided GoCar, with bay views, Cannery Row stories and photo stops.

Save Big by Waking Early!10:00Early Bird Tour: a two-hour tour for the price of a one-hour tour.

2-Hr Coastal Explorer9 departure times: the first at 10:00, the last at 18:00A two-hour Coastal Explorer from the aquarium to Pacific Grove, Lovers Point and Asilomar, with tide pools, butterflies and sweeping shore views.

3-hr Ultimate Loop7 departure times: the first at 10:00, the last at 16:00A three-hour Ultimate Loop covering Monterey Bay, Cannery Row, Pacific Grove, Point Pinos and the Monarch Sanctuary, an immersive coastal ride.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Information

Lasts 1h–3h, runs every day, 10 start times, from US$ 99 per group, as a private tour and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery day except Saturday: 10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 13:00, 14:00, 15:00 and 16:00Saturday: 10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 13:00, 14:00, 15:00, 16:00, 17:00, 18:00 and 19:00

GroupPrivate1 group tour ›

Audio guideEnglishOther languages ›

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Book up toStart time

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 7 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by GoCar Tours

Is this one for you?Choose the 1-hour sprint if you have a free afternoon and want to hit the main sights without lingering, the 2-hour coastal explorer to pause at a few stops like the lighthouse or tide pools, or the 3-hour ultimate loop if you want to see everything (Monarch Sanctuary, beaches, parks, and the full bay route) without rushing. Drivers must be 18 with a valid license, and the car seats two passengers, so solo travelers and couples fit one vehicle.

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Top questions

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is the Monterey Bay Aquarium like, and can I go inside on this tour?

The Monterey Bay Aquarium is a 20,000-square-foot marine museum housed in a former cannery building on the waterfront, with kelp forests, glowing jellies, sea otters, and hammerhead sharks in interactive exhibits and a 360° ocean tank. The GoCar tour passes by the building so you can see it and snap photos from the road. Entry to the aquarium itself is separate and not included in the tour.

When is the best time to see the Monarch butterflies in Pacific Grove?

Pacific Grove's Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary hosts one of America's largest overwintering colonies from October through February, when thousands of vibrant orange monarchs blanket the pines and eucalyptus trees. The grove is open and peaceful year-round, but the monarchs are the main draw during those months. Bring binoculars if you have them to see the delicate creatures up close.

Can I stop wherever I want, or does the tour follow a set route?

You control the stops and the pace. The GoCar's GPS guide provides turn-by-turn directions and narration about what you're passing, but you decide where to pull over, how long to stay, and which attractions to explore. You can linger at tide pools, visit Dennis the Menace Park, or skip stops entirely based on your interests.

What happens if I damage the GoCar?

One member of your group must present a credit card and government-issued ID at pickup. This information is used only in case of damage or loss. An optional Collision Damage Waiver for $19 covers up to $500 in damages if you choose to add it at checkout.

How many people can ride in one GoCar?

One GoCar seats up to two passengers. The driver must be 18 or older with a valid license. Children as young as 7 can ride as passengers if accompanied by an adult. If your group is larger than two, you'll need to book multiple cars and make separate reservations.