Monterey, California: Historic Cannery Row and John Steinbeck Walking Tour

Cannery Row in Monterey in California is a poem, a stink, a grating noise, a quality of light, a tone, a habit, a nostalgia, a dream.

So goes the opening line from John Steinbeck’s seminal novel, Cannery Row, about a bygone era and the characters that filled it.

Monterey's Cannery Row tells a classic boom-to-bust story that has repeated throughout history. On this walking tour, you'll explore the industrial heart of Monterey that once teemed with sardine canneries and colorful characters immortalized by John Steinbeck in his famous novel. Discover how this waterfront district evolved from indigenous settlement to fishing industry powerhouse, and finally to one of America's top visitor destinations attracting millions each year.

The tour begins at the Sardine Factory restaurant, where the rebirth of Cannery Row began in 1968 when two visionaries saw potential in the run-down industrial area. You'll stroll past Steinbeck Plaza with its monument to the author and the real-life figures who inspired his novels. Along the way, you'll learn how the seemingly inexhaustible resource of Pacific sardines attracted fishermen worldwide, creating a thriving industry that collapsed in the 1950s due to overfishing.

You'll discover the fascinating stories behind landmarks like Ed Ricketts' Pacific Biological Laboratory, where the marine biologist and Steinbeck's close friend conducted pioneering research. The tour showcases the remains of numerous canneries that once lined the waterfront, with tales of technological innovations, devastating fires, and the tough lives of cannery workers. The tour ends at Steinbeck Plaza with a reading from the opening paragraph of Cannery Row, bringing the author's vivid descriptions to life.

During this 75-minute journey, you'll have the opportunity to:

• Visit the site of La Ida's and Flora Wood's Lone Star Café, two famous brothels that operated during the cannery era
• See the historic Wing Chong Building, once a general store that supplied the neighborhood and featured a secret passage to La Ida's brothel
• View authentic cannery worker shacks and learn about the hard lives of those who made 25 cents an hour in the 1930s
• Discover where Steinbeck's famous characters like Doc and Dora Flood lived and worked
• Admire three colorful murals by local artist John Cerney depicting cannery workers
• Observe original artifacts including holding tanks, fish ladders, and oil storage facilities
• Stand at the railroad crossing where marine biologist Ed Ricketts tragically lost his life in 1948

This fascinating walking tour brings to life both the industrial history and literary legacy of one of California's most distinctive neighborhoods, revealing how Cannery Row rose from the ashes of its burned-out canneries to become the vibrant destination it is today.