A trip about 17 miles inland on Highway 68 delivers you to Salinas, known for its rich soil and crops of lettuce, broccoli, and mushrooms, and as the birthplace of literary legend John Steinbeck. En route near Reservation Road, view oversized cutouts of people working in the fields by artist John Cerney. The highway eventually turns into Main Street, bisecting the city and running into historic Oldtown Salinas, a lively strip of boutiques, restaurants, and cafés. It dead-ends at the National Steinbeck Center, a multimedia resource about the author’s work as well as Salinas Valley and regional agriculture. Each first Friday of the month, Art Walk in Oldtown takes place. (The Hats in Three Stages of Landing sculpture by Claes Oldenburg in the courtyard of the Salinas Community Center is a must-see.) The art walk starts with receptions at several galleries and ends at local restaurants. Salinas is also home to the acclaimed California Rodeo Salinas and annual Salinas Air Show.
GuestLife Don’t Miss
Laguna Seca
Bring on the historical cars, high-tech superbikes, and exotic racing sports cars as Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca rings in its 51st year of fast-paced action for two- and four-wheel enthusiasts. In the spirit of extreme automobile racing, Laguna Seca kicks off the season with the U.S. Sports Car Invitational, featuring the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series in May. Bike fans will delight in the fast-paced action of the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix featuring the MotoGP World Championship in July and the AMA Superbike Series in September. The season of fast cars and screaming fans comes to an adrenaline-fueled finale with the Monterey Sports Car Championships featuring the American Le Mans Series in October. Located on Highway 68, only a few minutes from the Monterey Peninsula, this raceway is home to the legendary — and infamous — Corkscrew, a turn that rattles the nerves of drivers and spectators alike.
Information: (831) 242-8201.
