Things to Do in Monterey in March
March weather, activities, events & insider tips
Low Season · Budget Friendly
March Weather in Monterey
Temperature, rainfall and humidity at a glance
60°F (15°C)
High Temp
45°F (7°C)
Low Temp
2.9 inches (74 mm)
Rainfall
70%
Humidity
Is March Right for You?
Weigh the advantages and considerations before booking
Advantages
- + March in Monterey is prime time. Gray whales increase north, mothers nudging calves within easy sight of land. The bay stays gentler than winter, so spouts and full breaches show from Point Pinos or a charter deck.
- + Cypress groves and cliff trails are almost empty. Summer fog has not arrived yet, so light strikes late-winter gold across Asilomar dunes and Point Lobos cliffs, everything edged in glass.
- + Dungeness season ends this month. The Sardine Factory and Old Fisherman's Grotto still ladle local crab cioppino and crab Louie salads that taste of cold, clean Pacific water.
- + Hotel rates sit in the post-holiday dip. A bay-view room costs what a parking-lot room fetches in July, and you can book weeks, not months, ahead.
Considerations
- − 'Variable' weather means business. Sunlit morning can flip to a squall with a damp, chilly wind that slices through a light jacket. Rain arrives in bursts, not all-day soaks, but it still runs the clock.
- − Ocean temperature bottoms out around 13°C (55°F). Kayaking the bay or strolling Carmel beach becomes a bracing ritual some love, others skip.
- − Garden spots like the seasonal beds at Monterey Museum of Art's La Mirada are still shaking off winter. Want peak blooms? Wait a few weeks.
Best Activities in March
Top things to do during your visit
March in Monterey feels like the bay is exhaling. Winter's damp chill slackens to 15°C most days. Yet the sea still bites after sunset. Tourists haven't arrived. You can hear buoy bells clank in the harbor and taste salt on the Coastal Trail without anyone talking over it. Summer fog is still offshore, so skies shift fast, spitting soft rain that leaves Monterey pines and cypresses shining. The whole town slows to the rhythm of a bay waking up for spring. Less rain than February means sharper light on the water. That matters if you're scanning for whales. Locals walk dogs along Asilomar Beach in fleece and duck into Cannery Row restaurants without a wait. The lanes, the cliffs, the wildlife out past the breakwater feel like they're yours.
Monterey Bay: Whale Watching Tour
guided_experienceA Monterey Bay whale-watching tour shoves you into one of the planet's richest submarine canyons. The bow slams through cold green water while you hunt for a humpback's plume or a gray's knuckled back. Dolphins might barrel through the wake. Engine noise and gulls compete with the captain's commentary.
You witness the raw scale of marine migrations just outside the harbor mouth.
Insider tip: Book mid-morning after overnight fog lifts for the clearest sightlines.
This month: Northbound gray whales overlap with early humpbacks in March, doubling your odds.
Monterey: Monterey Bay Dolphin and Whale Watching Boat Tour
cruiseThis dolphin and whale tour concentrates on the bay's cetacean highway. The deck thrums as you stare at steel-gray water, waiting for that fishy blast of whale breath to hit your face.
Extra minutes in the hottest zones mean more sightings.
Insider tip: Seal layers tight; March wind cuts even under sunshine.
Guided 2-Hour Walking Tour in Carmel by the Sea
walking_tourA two-hour guided walk through Carmel-by-the-Sea threads past crooked cottages and hidden passageways. Sunlight drips through twisted Monterey cypresses while you hear how artists and writers built the town and feel sandy pavement underfoot on the so-called *basements*.
You'll spot architectural quirks you'd miss alone.
Insider tip: Wear flat shoes. Paths tilt and stairs appear without warning.
Wine Tasting and Walking Tour of Carmel-by-the-Sea
foodCarmel's wine-and-walk tour pairs Pinot Noir in pocket-size rooms with courtyard strolls. Taste Santa Lucia Highlands Chardonnay, note weathered wooden signs, and enjoy small-group warmth away from Ocean Avenue.
Local winemaking meets village charm in one easy loop.
Insider tip: Sip slow, drink the water, use the walking breaks.
Carmel-by-the-Sea 2.5-3 Hour Electric Bike Tour
guided_experienceAn e-bike tour lets you glide past ocean bluffs and into Pebble Beach lanes without breaking a sweat. Feel cool wind on Seventeen-Mile Drive, eye the Lone Cypress, and hear gravel under tires at quiet overlooks.
You cover well-known coast that would punish legs on a standard bike.
Insider tip: Check the route. Access through Pebble's private gates can change.
Guided 2-Hour Point Lobos Nature Walk
walking_tourPoint Lobos nature walk lands you where land slams sea with full force. Waves boom in sea caves, kelp reeks of iodine, and orange lichen blazes on granite while otters nap in the coves.
A naturalist unpacks the dense ecology of California's crown-jewel reserve.
Insider tip: Arrive early. Lots fill even in March.
Where to Stay in Monterey in March
Hand-picked hotels across price tiers for March travellers.
Packing Checklist
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Climate-specific gear, brand recommendations, and what to leave at home.
View Monterey Packing List →Essential Tips
Insider knowledge and common pitfalls to avoid
Insider Knowledge
Locals know the best clam chowder isn't always on Cannery Row. Follow working fishermen to wharf spots there 40+ years. Broth is thinner, clams chopped, not minced.
If rain is forecast, don't cancel. Reorder. Hike or bike in the often clear morning. Hit Monterey Bay Aquarium or Carmel Valley wine tasting for the afternoon shower.
The light is magic two hours after sunrise. Want empty shots of Lovers Point, Lone Cypress, beaches? Set your alarm. Fog burns off by midday, giving soft, diffused landscapes.
Check tide charts. Low tide in March reveals tide pools along Asilomar coast and Point Lobos. Bright green anemones, scurrying hermit crabs. High tide brings dramatic wave-watching at peninsula tip.
Avoid These Mistakes
Never underestimate microclimates. Sun and 18°C (65°F) in Carmel Valley. Ten minutes later, fog, damp, 13°C (55°F) on Ocean View Boulevard, Pacific Grove. Check the coastal forecast.
Don't assume you can stroll into any restaurant. Crowds are lower. Yet many of Monterey's best, oldest spots are tiny. They still need reservations, weekends. Plan dinners.
Avoid cramming too much into one day. March in Monterey is slow, contemplative. Racing from Aquarium to whale watch to Point Lobos hike leaves you exhausted. Pick one or two big things daily.
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