Monterey State Historic Park
- Status
- Open (per official listing)Tue–Sun 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
- Entrance fee
- Statewide rule — see below
- Day-use reservations
- None mentioned
- Dogs
- Dogs allowed, with restrictions
- Camping
- None listed
- Official site
- parks.ca.gov(831) 649-2907
Official page last checked Oct 29, 2026. How we keep this current
Overview
In Monterey County, in Monterey, Monterey State Historic Park covers about 9 acres.
Visitors come for historic sites, ranger programs, and picnicking.
Hours
Park, gate, office and facility hours are listed separately because they often differ. Alerts above override normal hours.
| Facility | Days | Hours | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Park | Tue–Sun | 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. | — |
| Fri, Sat | 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. | — |
Official wording
Custom House, Pacific House, & First Brick House-Tues-Sun from 10:00am-4:00pm Casa Gutierrez- Fridays and Saturdays from 11:00am-3:00pm Guided Walks-Thursday-Sunday 11am, 1pm, & 3pm. Tours last approximately one hour and begin at the Custom House. Gardens- Open Daily, availability subject to events and weather.
Source: official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Times are local to the park (America/Los Angeles).
Fees and passes
Per vehicle at most parks (vehicles of 9 people or less, walk/bike-in free); per person at State Historic Parks and museums; amounts vary by park and are listed on each park page.
Statewide fee rule from California's park system; this park’s page doesn’t list its own fees.
California park passes
- California Explorer Annual Pass — $195. Vehicle day-use entry to 134 state parks incl. high-demand Southern California beaches Details
- Golden Poppy Annual Pass — $125. Vehicle day-use entry to 112 state parks Details
- Historian Passport — $50. Admission for up to four people at per-person-fee State Historic Parks Details
- Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Annual Pass — $50. Entry to State Vehicular Recreation Areas that collect day-use fees Details
- SNO-Park Pass — $40 season / $15 day. 18 SNO-PARK winter recreation areas Details
From the California state guide. Confirm which passes this park accepts.
Reservations
- Day use
- No day-use reservation requirement mentioned
- Booking system
- ReserveCalifornia
- Phone
- (800) 444-7275
We link to the official booking system rather than showing live availability, which changes minute to minute.
Pets
Dogs allowed, with restrictions
Not allowed in or on: park buildings.
Are dogs allowed? Yes: Dogs not allowed inside park buildings.
Service animals are generally permitted where pets are not. Check with the park for specific areas.
Things to do
Historic sites and toursPicnickingRanger and interpretive programs
Amenities
Facilities
- Drinking water
- Picnic areas
- Visitor center
- Nature center or museum
✓ listed by the park · ✕ the park says it is not available. Anything not shown here isn’t mentioned by the official source — that means unknown, not unavailable.
Accessibility
Overview
Monterey State Historic Park includes structures that served as California's capital under Spanish, Mexican and U.S. rule. Ten buildings including the Custom House (built in 1827), California's first theater (built in 1846-47), and several residences (which are now museums) built in the 1830s, preserve the area's rich history of early California. The park is located at 20 Custom House Plaza, in Monterey. Phone (831) 649-2907 or (831) 649-7172 for more information.
Exhibits/Programs
Many historic structures and interpretive facilities fan out from the Fisherman’s Wharf area along Monterey’s Path of History. Several park structures have been modified for accessibility, but the sites are spread out and the terrain of Monterey is hilly in some areas, so assistance- or an electric wheelchair- may be needed to get to some of them. No dedicated visitor parking is available for these sites, however, the City of Monterey operates a variety of public garages and lots that serve the park, and include accessible parking. Accessible restrooms are located off the Central Plaza in the Casa del Oro Garden. The restrooms in the Cooper Molera courtyard are generally accessible.
Read more from the park
In the Central Plaza area, the Pacific House and Custom House are generally accessible and make good starting points for a visit. West of the Custom and Pacific Houses the First Brick House and California’s First Theater both have been rehabilitated for accessibility. At the southern end of downtown, much of the Cooper-Molera complex is generally accessible. Several structures that may be usable, including the Stevenson, Larkin, Cooper, and Diaz Houses, are only open by guided tours at specific times.
A variety of guided and self-guided tour options are available including via a brochure, an app, or via cell phone. Visit Tour Information for details. Alternate format materials are available at the Pacific House and the Cooper Molera store. The Monterey SHP YouTube channel hosts virtual tours of several of the structures and other educational content.
Official accessibility information
Conditions change. Contact the park to confirm specific accessible features before your visit.
Getting there
- Address
- 20 Custom House Plaza
Monterey, CA 93940 - Nearest town
- Monterey
- Coordinates
- 36.6027, -121.8934
- Phone
- (831) 649-2907
Entrances
- Directions point
Google Maps directionsApple MapsOfficial park map (PDF)
Directions from the park
Monterey State Historic Park consists of over 10 historic structures and places within a half mile of the Custom House Plaza, in downtown Monterey, near Fisherman’s Wharf. From San Francisco, Sacramento and points north: take the Pacific Grove/Del Monte Avenue exit off of southbound Highway 1. There are two other Del Monte exits prior to this one that are incorrect. Follow Del Monte for approximately one and a half miles. Turn right into the Fisherman's Wharf and the Historic Park parking lot. From Carmel and points south: take the Munras Street exit off of northbound Highway 1. Continue south on Munras which eventually becomes Abrego Street. Continue on Abrego which eventually becomes Washington Street. Follow Washington Street until it ends at the Fisherman’s Wharf parking lot. From Los Angeles and points east: take Highway 68 westbound from Salinas to Highway 1. Merge into the left lane to head toward Monterey. Take the Fremont Street exit and proceed to the third signal. Turn right onto Abrego Street which shortly becomes Washington Street. Follow Washington Street to the Fisherman’s Wharf parking lot.
Nearby state parks
Sources and freshness
- California State Parks — park page — last checked Oct 29, 2026
- California State Parks Listing page (one link per unit, page_id = officialId), unioned with the CSP Enterprise GIS 'ParkEntryPoints' ArcGIS layer (coords, address, county, unit number, management status) and the 'CSPParkUnit_CurrentStatus' layer (open/partial/full closure)
- Wikidata
- USGS PAD-US 4.1 (boundary and acreage)
“Last checked” is when our system last read the official source. No change has been detected since this page was first published. Hours, fees and rules can change without notice — confirm with the park before you go. Methodology