Monterey vacation rentals

Book unique homes, vacation rentals, and more on Airbnb

Top-rated vacation rentals in Monterey

Guests agree: these vacation rentals are highly rated for location, cleanliness, and more.

Guest favorite

Apartment in Carmel-by-the-Sea

4.87 out of 5 average rating, 819 reviews

Private romantic 1 br in Carmel Woods- love dogs

Dog friendly! Private entrance to 2 rm studio overlooking the forest w/ floor to ceiling windows. Queen memory-foam bed, bathroom w/shower & amenities, kitchenette w/ dishes, microwave/convection oven, burner, toaster, coffee.Far ocean view, sunsets, deck, gas grill. Quiet, fireplace, complimentary wood, free internet, TV, DVDs, LPS, All amenities. Beach towels/mats, ottoman/cot, free parking. Peaceful. Let us know about dogs when booking. note: ceilings are low in spots & there are some steps.

Mar 24 – 31

ﺩ.ﺇ493 per night
Guest favorite

Apartment in Pacific Grove

4.96 out of 5 average rating, 268 reviews

Spectacular Award Winning Ocean Front 2 Bed 2 Bath

Award winning historic ocean front home with beautiful Spanish revival decor overlooking Monterey Bay. Gather around the ocean front fire pit and watch whales, seals, sealions, otters, dolphins from the traditional Talavera tiled patio. Ideally situated for walking to Pacific Grove, Cannery Row, Monterey Aquarium and Fisherman's Wharf. Fine dining, bars and shopping are a short stroll away. Convenient access for 17 mile drive, Carmel and Big Sur. A spectacular home in a World famous location.

Oct 24 – 31

ﺩ.ﺇ3,026 per night
Guest favorite

Guest suite in Salinas

4.92 out of 5 average rating, 143 reviews

Spacious studio, 25 minutes to Monterey peninsula

Studio apartment with fully furnished kitchen, granite countertops, shower, vanity, wifi, and TV. Queen bed and fold-out futon couch. 25-30 minutes from Monterey Peninsula, Carmel and Carmel Valley. Many wineries in the Santa Lucia Highlands and Carmel Valley apellations. 10 minutes to Mountain biking in Fort Ord National Monument, home of Laguna Seca Raceway and the Sea Otter Classic. 40 minute drive to Pinnacles National Monument. 10 minute walk to Steinbeck museum and oldtown Salinas.

May 17 – 24

ﺩ.ﺇ454 per night

Popular amenities for Monterey vacation rentals

Stay near Monterey's top sights

Monterey Bay Aquarium668 locals recommend
Cannery Row9 locals recommend
Old Fisherman's Wharf64 locals recommend
Lovers Point127 locals recommend
Monterey Tides5 locals recommend
Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel And Spa On Del Monte Golf Course3 locals recommend

Monterey beach vacation rentals

Guest favorite

Vacation home in Watsonville

4.95 out of 5 average rating, 327 reviews

Magical & Romantic Beachfront Home at Pajaro Dunes

Dec 11 – 18

ﺩ.ﺇ1,249 per night
Guest favorite

Home in Santa Cruz

4.89 out of 5 average rating, 472 reviews

Town-and-Nature

Sep 15 – 22

ﺩ.ﺇ368 per night
Superhost

Guest suite in Carmel-by-the-Sea

4.8 out of 5 average rating, 665 reviews

"Carmel Cabinesque" great winter rates!

Oct 15 – 22

ﺩ.ﺇ594 per night
Guest favorite

Home in Pacific Grove

4.86 out of 5 average rating, 630 reviews

Cottage Retreat Steps from the Sea

Nov 29 – Dec 6

ﺩ.ﺇ1,294 per night
Guest favorite

Home in Pacific Grove

4.98 out of 5 average rating, 166 reviews

Endless Summer Home Steps To Lovers Point Beach

Feb 13 – 20

ﺩ.ﺇ2,126 per night
Guest favorite

Home in Pacific Grove

4.99 out of 5 average rating, 122 reviews

Beach Cottage - walk to ocean and restaurants

Dec 7 – 14

ﺩ.ﺇ1,751 per night
Guest favorite

Home in Pacific Grove

4.95 out of 5 average rating, 219 reviews

Adorable Sea House

Oct 30 – Nov 6

ﺩ.ﺇ2,676 per night
Guest favorite

Home in Pacific Grove

4.91 out of 5 average rating, 264 reviews

Mermaid Crossing

Dec 5 – 12

ﺩ.ﺇ2,533 per night
Guest favorite

Apartment in Santa Cruz

4.94 out of 5 average rating, 323 reviews

Charming West-Side Pied-a-Terre

May 8 – 15

ﺩ.ﺇ580 per night
Guest favorite

Home in Watsonville

4.96 out of 5 average rating, 615 reviews

Sunset Cottage

Mar 11 – 18

ﺩ.ﺇ948 per night
Guest favorite

Apartment in Pacific Grove

4.94 out of 5 average rating, 401 reviews

Pacific Suite (PG License # 0420)

Jun 6 – 13

ﺩ.ﺇ1,085 per night
Guest favorite

Home in Pacific Grove

4.97 out of 5 average rating, 444 reviews

Pacific Grove Mid Century Near Beach

Jun 28 – Jul 5

ﺩ.ﺇ1,688 per night

Monterey house rentals

Superhost

Home in Watsonville

4.81 out of 5 average rating, 268 reviews

Remarkable Reader's Garden Retreat in the Country

May 31 – Jun 7

ﺩ.ﺇ581 per night
Guest favorite

Home in Del Rey Oaks

4.97 out of 5 average rating, 150 reviews

Top-Rated Monterey Bay Home 3 Bed/2 Bath

Oct 31 – Nov 7

ﺩ.ﺇ2,102 per night
Superhost

Home in Carmel

4.93 out of 5 average rating, 327 reviews

Big Sur Dream Home

Sep 9 – 16

ﺩ.ﺇ2,375 per night
Guest favorite

Home in Carmel-by-the-Sea

4.93 out of 5 average rating, 102 reviews

The Carmel Hideaway - A Luxury Pied-à-terre

May 11 – 18

ﺩ.ﺇ3,474 per night
Guest favorite

Home in Carmel

4.98 out of 5 average rating, 215 reviews

HawksNest Sanctuary DO NOT REQUEST, CONTACT US

Dec 22 – 29

ﺩ.ﺇ1,394 per night
Guest favorite

Home in Monterey

4.89 out of 5 average rating, 121 reviews

Monterey Bay Oasis on the Ocean!

Jul 24 – 31

ﺩ.ﺇ2,213 per night
Guest favorite

Home in Castroville

4.96 out of 5 average rating, 165 reviews

Oceanfront Retreat w/Private HotTub

Feb 19 – 26

ﺩ.ﺇ3,058 per night
Guest favorite

Home in Pacific Grove

4.87 out of 5 average rating, 99 reviews

Sea View Cottage 2 Bedroom Suite - Seven Gables

Dec 16 – 23

ﺩ.ﺇ2,238 per night
Guest favorite

Home in Del Rey Oaks

4.94 out of 5 average rating, 108 reviews

Cypress House in Monterey Bay

Aug 18 – 25

ﺩ.ﺇ1,583 per night
Guest favorite

Home in Pacific Grove

4.94 out of 5 average rating, 202 reviews

Charming Victorian Home Near Beach

Apr 8 – 15

ﺩ.ﺇ2,002 per night
Guest favorite

Home in Watsonville

4.98 out of 5 average rating, 107 reviews

Copper Nest beach retreat with stunning views

Oct 23 – 30

ﺩ.ﺇ2,151 per night
Guest favorite

Home in Carmel

4.96 out of 5 average rating, 143 reviews

Isolation Retreat - ocean view & hot tub

Nov 21 – 28

ﺩ.ﺇ1,765 per night

Monterey condominium rentals

Guest favorite

Condo in Carmel-by-the-Sea

4.92 out of 5 average rating, 662 reviews

Flora Belle, Perfect Carmel-by-the-Sea Getaway

Aug 27 – Sep 3

ﺩ.ﺇ918 per night
Guest favorite

Condo in Watsonville

4.97 out of 5 average rating, 412 reviews

Beachfront Tranquility

Oct 21 – 28

ﺩ.ﺇ967 per night
Guest favorite

Condo in Pacific Grove

4.95 out of 5 average rating, 114 reviews

Seagull House Downtown Pacific Grove

May 24 – 31

ﺩ.ﺇ1,833 per night
Guest favorite

Condo in Watsonville

4.94 out of 5 average rating, 215 reviews

Shangri La Ocean Front Condo

Sep 3 – 10

ﺩ.ﺇ1,056 per night
Superhost

Condo in Watsonville

4.88 out of 5 average rating, 197 reviews

Rest Ashore OCEAN FRONT Condo Pajaro Dunes

Feb 5 – 12

ﺩ.ﺇ1,124 per night
Guest favorite

Condo in Watsonville

4.93 out of 5 average rating, 247 reviews

2B/2B Pajaro Dunes with Dunes and Ocean View

Mar 15 – 22

ﺩ.ﺇ1,102 per night
Guest favorite

Condo in Watsonville

4.9 out of 5 average rating, 172 reviews

One of a kind full River and Ocean view!

Feb 13 – 20

ﺩ.ﺇ1,420 per night
Guest favorite

Condo in Watsonville

4.94 out of 5 average rating, 394 reviews

A Total "Distanced" Coastal Experience!

Oct 7 – 14

ﺩ.ﺇ1,670 per night
Guest favorite

Condo in Aptos

4.92 out of 5 average rating, 132 reviews

Seascape Oceanv hot tub, pool, EV, Aptos, Cruz

Mar 1 – 8

ﺩ.ﺇ1,089 per night
Guest favorite

Condo in Aptos

4.95 out of 5 average rating, 121 reviews

Premium Villa - Ocean View -Heated Pools -Seascape

Jan 22 – 29

ﺩ.ﺇ1,072 per night
Guest favorite

Condo in Aptos

4.99 out of 5 average rating, 104 reviews

Beach View Condo @ Seascape Beach Resort, Aptos CA

Aug 18 – 25

ﺩ.ﺇ2,067 per night
Guest favorite

Condo in Santa Cruz

4.98 out of 5 average rating, 245 reviews

Welcome to Harbor House. Your Favorite Home at the Beach.

Nov 5 – 12

ﺩ.ﺇ1,047 per night

Quick stats about vacation rentals in Monterey

Total rentals

780 properties

Rentals with dedicated workspaces

340 properties have a dedicated workspace

Rentals with a pool

40 properties have a pool

Pet-friendly rentals

250 properties allow pets

Family-friendly rentals

380 properties are a good fit for families

Total number of reviews

72K reviews

Your guide to Monterey

All About Monterey

Follow the scenic coastal Highway 1 two hours south of San Francisco and you’ll land in Monterey, a beach town on California’s Central Coast teeming with sea life and rolling sand dunes that hosts a number of historic sites. Visit Cannery Row, named for its focus as a sardine-canning hub, which houses colorful repurposed warehouses filled with art galleries and boutique shops. Pop over to Fisherman’s Wharf, a wooden pier with delicious seafood and chowder restaurants, where local outfitters can take you out on whale-watching, fishing and sailing trips, and cruises along the Monterey Bay. Follow Alvarado Street, and you’ll reach the central historic downtown district of Old Monterey with wide pedestrian walkways that connect to hundreds of shops and restaurants like Japanese tea shops, maritime pubs, and historic coffee houses.

More than just a maritime town, Monterey has drawn music lovers to its shores since the ‘60s when it hosted a historic international music festival, and golf lovers flock to its world-renowned courses.

On the city’s protected beaches, you can watch sea otters, sea lions, dolphins, and seals in their natural habitat. Just down the highway, the stunning Point Lobos State Natural Reserve offers incredible views of kelp forests, unusual rock formations, and forest and marine life.


The best time to stay in a vacation rental in Monterey

Monterey has a temperate coastal climate with warm, but not hot, weather and a steady amount of sun almost year-round, save for the rainy winter. Spring heralds the return of the “Magic Carpet,” a sea of purple ice flowers that coat the seaside hills for miles between April and May. In the summer, the city is lively during August as car enthusiasts spend time cruising down the coast for a well-known car show, and world-class golfers flock to the area for an annual tournament. The area’s annual jazz festival brings fans of famous jazz, blues, and folk artists to the area each September. Winter brings holiday lights to downtown buildings, and seasonal stalls sell Mexican-spiced hot chocolate.


Top things to do in Monterey

Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail

Where the tracks of the Southern Pacific Railroad once ran now lies an 18-mile paved pedestrian trail with unobstructed views of the ocean. There are a number of rental shops along the trail that offer bikes, in-line skates, and kayaks. Along the path, you’ll find restaurants and cafes where you can stop to catch your breath and grab some food. If you’d rather bring your own snacks, you can picnic in the designated green areas and watch the sea otters — the city’s unofficial mascot — play in the waters below.

Old Monterey

In the center of town, you’ll find Old Monterey. Restored brick and adobe buildings from the city’s Spanish and Mexican periods line a two-mile stretch known as the Path of HIstory. The small Monterey State Historic Park serves as the anchor for this district with adobe buildings and cactus gardens, and its Pacific House Museum exhibits artifacts from Indigenous, Mexican, and Spanish communities who have impacted the city. You’ll find houses of important literary and artistic figures in Old Monterey, as well as breweries, cafes tucked inside historical buildings with inviting back gardens, upscale boutiques, and candle lit fine-dining restaurants serving sustainably-caught seafood.

Monterey State Beach

This protected beach lies inside the boundaries of a state park shared with the neighboring town of Seaside, and its sand dunes topped with native scrub grasses, succulents, and wildflowers make it a stand-out in the peninsula. Beachcombers arrive early to lay their claim to a wealth of shells, and swimming, surfing, kayaking, and kite-flying are popular throughout the day. Rocky outcrops on the beach’s far side shelter a small series of tide pools teeming with wildlife like sea stars and sea cucumbers. Dogs are welcome, but only on the south side of the beach.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • How is the weather in Monterey?

    Monterey has a Mediterranean climate with mild, wet winters and dry summers. The average temperature ranges from 50°F (10°C) to 70°F (21°C). Morning fog is common in summer, which usually clears by midday. Be prepared for cooler temperatures in the evenings.

  • What are some of the best things to do in Monterey?

    Visitors to Monterey often explore the Monterey Bay Aquarium, walk along the Cannery Row, visit the historic Fisherman's Wharf, or learn about the area's history at the Monterey State Historic Park. For nature lovers, a trip to the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary is frequently suggested.

  • What is the best time of year to visit Monterey?

    Monterey is a year-round destination, but the most popular time to visit is from April to November. The Monterey Jazz Festival in September and the California Roots Music and Arts Festival in May are two notable events that draw crowds to the area.

  • What are the best places to stay in Monterey?

    Downtown Monterey, Cannery Row, and Pacific Grove are popular areas to stay. Downtown Monterey is known for its historic buildings, while Cannery Row is famous for its waterfront views. Pacific Grove has local charm and offers easy access to the coastline.

  • What are the best places to visit in Monterey?

    The Monterey Bay Aquarium, Cannery Row, Fisherman's Wharf, and the Monterey State Historic Park are among the most popular attractions. For nature enthusiasts, Point Lobos State Natural Reserve and Pacific Grove Marine Gardens Fish Refuge are also frequently visited.

  • What are some hiking trails in Monterey?

    Monterey has numerous hiking trails. The Point Lobos Loop Trail at Point Lobos State Natural Reserve, the Cypress Grove Trail, and the Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail are often recommended. For more advanced hikes, the Skyline to the Sea Trail offers a challenging experience.

  • What are some family activities to do in Monterey?

    Families can explore marine life at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, go whale watching, ride bikes along the Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail, or participate in hands-on activities at the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History.

  • What are some of the best day trip ideas in Monterey?

    A drive along the scenic 17-Mile Drive, a visit to the charming town of Carmel-by-the-Sea, or exploring the natural beauty of Big Sur are all popular day trip ideas from Monterey. A visit to the Elkhorn Slough Reserve for bird watching is also often recommended.

  • What types of vacation rentals are available in Monterey?

    Uncover the perfect home-away-from-home with our diverse selection of vacation rentals in Monterey. From over 430 house rentals to over 40 condo rentals, we've got you covered. For even more variety, explore our Airbnb Categories to find the ideal space for your getaway.

  • Are there vacation rentals with a dedicated workspace in Monterey?

    Yes! Work meets play with ease at over 340 vacation rentals in Monterey featuring dedicated workspaces. Stay connected and productive in your home away from home.

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