Monterey Car Camping: Kayak🛶Amid Sea Otters 🦋 See Monarch Butterflies 🏖️ Beach, Lighthouse + Tidepools! (DAY TRIP available)

This adventure ran November 7–9, 2025. See upcoming adventures.

Friday, Nov. 7 — Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025

Experience the best of California's coast at Monterey Bay! Enjoy perfect fall weather with sunny skies while kayaking among sea otters, visiting a Monarch butterfly sanctuary, exploring tidepools and discovering historic lighthouses — all from a well-located campground with modern amenities (think flush toilets and showers!).

WHAT WE'LL ENJOY 🥳🥳🥳

• 🛶🦦 Kayaking in a sheltered area of Monterey Bay where families can potentially see sea otters, harbor seals, sea lions + more!!

• 🦋🧡 Visit a Monarch Butterfly grove that is normally teeming with butterflies, but every year is different

• 🐚⭐ Explore incredible tidepools with sea stars, crabs, mussels, sea anemones + more

• 🗼🏠 Visit an historic lighthouse that's been restored to its time as a lighthouse that the keeper and their family lived in — one of the few open for visitors in California!

• 🔍🗺️Enjoy a scavenger hunt with your kids and educational activities for families

• 🎨🖍️ Toy and arts-and-craft station for the kids when we're not out adventuring

• 🔥🍫 Enjoy classic camping fun: Campfire, stories, s'mores, stargazing and quality time away from screens

• 🫶🏿🫶🏾🫶🏽 Community, friendship and support: Instant 'playdate' for your kiddos! We usually have kids from toddlers up to tweens join, with all of the kids playing together! You might see old MMH friends + hopefully make some new ones, too! MMH offers all kinds of support: Need help setting up your tent? Solo parenting on the adventure and need some extra support? We got you!

This is our idea of SUMMER CAMP for kids, but it's for families and we get to explore different campgrounds and parks! You will make wonderful memories with your family and friends 🏕️❤️🫂🤲🏽!!

Campsite Description

The campsite is located on a hillside that has flat spots for tents. The campsite has a very large double BBQ, plus a large parking space, many picnic tables and storage lockers. The ground is a mix of sand, dirt and grass.

Most of the campsite is NOT shaded.

The flush toilets and a playground are located within the fenced campsite. Showers are further away in the campground.

Itinerary

Friday: Check-in from 4 p.m. on. Make camp, kids enjoy arts and crafts, plus games. Begin cooking dinner at 6:30 p.m., later, we'll make s'mores around the campfire (or a gas stove, depending on if fires are allowed then).

Saturday: Breakfast at campsite then tidepools and lighthouse in the morning, followed by lunch and kayaking mid afternoon. Sunset possibly at beach, then return to campsite in the evening for dinner, S'mores and fun!

Sunday: Breakfast, break camp, then head out to the monarch butterfly sanctuary. There are great lunch spots nearby that we can visit or we can say our goodbyes until the next adventure!

Weather

Generally sunny skies with temps in the low 70s during the day in October while the nights can reach around 50 degrees. The dunes provide excellent protection from ocean breezes. Please ensure that you have a season-3 sleeping bag (which is the most common one; it's great for everything except snow). I'll be keeping an eye on the weather and will advise you as we get closer to the trip.

Low 50s can be warm for some but cool for others. Here are some tips to keep you warm overnight: https://mommymehiking.myshopify.com/blogs/news/10-winter-camping-tips-or-how-to-stay-warm