Monterey (September 4, 2019):
Baker
Los Angeles
Monterey
San Diego
San Francisco
Saint Joseph
Saint Louis the Bishop
Santa Barbara
Solvang
They're not from California, but I'm adding them because we also did them on this trip:
Grand Canyon (Arizona)
Las Vegas (Nevada)
Tijuana (Baja California, Mexico)
A brief history of Monterey:
Origins:
The Monterey area was originally inhabited by Indigenous peoples such as the Ohlone, who developed villages, trade routes, and a close relationship with the Pacific coastal environment. The first European presence arrived in 1602 with the Spanish explorer Sebastián Vizcaíno, who named the bay Monterey.
Middle Ages:
There is no equivalent Middle Ages in this territory; during that European period, the region was still occupied exclusively by indigenous communities with their own social, cultural and economic systems, without influence from the Western medieval world.
19th Century:
Monterey became the capital of Alta California during the Spanish and later Mexican periods. In 1846, it was the site where the United States flag was first raised in California during the Mexican-American War. The 19th century also solidified its role as a political and port center, in addition to fostering fishing and commercial activities.
Present:
Today, Monterey is a coastal city known for its natural beauty, world-renowned aquarium, and historical heritage. It is a prominent tourist destination, famous for Cannery Row, its sardine industry past, and its proximity to scenic areas like Carmel-by-the-Sea and Big Sur.
Very beautiful overall and the pier full of restaurants is well worth it, especially at sunset.
Get lost in the open-air cemetery, yes, although it sounds crazy, it's a park that invites you to visit.
Monterey Jack pairs very well with San Francisco because of its proximity within the northern area and because it is a natural stretch of Highway 1 full of viewpoints, marine fauna and cliffs, and with San Luis Obispo because it is the logical continuation south on a complete route along the central coast of California.
Hotel: Monterey Bay Lodge €106, 1 night for 2 people with pool and parking. Booked with Expedia. Highly recommended, with good service and very romantic with views of a small lake.
Information obtained from the web https://www.exteriores.gob.es
Passport: It must be electronic and have a minimum validity of 6 months from the date of entry into the U.S. and at least two blank pages. The passport must have been issued after 2006.
ESTA form: Spanish citizens must complete the ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) form at least 72 hours before their flight. This allows stays of up to 90 days without a visa. 40,27$/Person. LINK.
Return ticket: You must present a return ticket dated within 90 days to prove that you will leave the country within that time.
Travel insurance: It is recommended to have adequate travel insurance due to the high cost of medical care in the USA. In our case, we always used Iati, but lately we've been using Globalfine, which is much cheaper.
Vaccines: There are no mandatory vaccinations for entry.
Special conditions: If you have traveled to certain countries, such as Cuba, Iran, or Syria, after specific dates, you may need a visa instead of an ESTA.
International driving permit: It is requested through the website of the DGT.
It costs €10.51. The good thing is you can order it online and pick it up without an appointment. It took a couple of days for ours, then you go to pick it up and it's a cardboard card like the ones they had 20 years ago.
Travel insurance: It is recommended to have road insuranceHeh. The best known and most complete ones are Iati y Heymondo, if we don't need insuranceWe'll grab him with... oh fat Globalfine which is much cheaper, in this case we use Iati.
Payment card/currency exchange: we always go with Revolut definitely.
Roaming: NO There is, so if you have data enabled you can take a nice little gift back.
GPS: Maps.me Download the maps for Spain and they work great offline, whether you're on foot, by car, or on public transport.
Other destinations in California: 
