Additional Excursions for Accompanying Persons

The registration for accompanying persons includes two additional excursions of your choice. You will make your selections during the registration process. Children may accompany you on two of the choices, which are indicated (there will be a surcharge). You may also contact the hotel for babysitting services.

Scenic Highlights of Monterey Bay
	Monday      9:00 – 1:00
	Though it might seem nearly impossible to cover all the highlights of this culturally rich and historically important area, we do our best with this wonderfully diverse tour of Monterey, Carmel, and Pacific Grove. From the reverently beautiful Carmel Mission founded by Father Junipero Serra in the late 1700’s, to the small group of adobes, located along the “Path of History,” our guide will fill in the details about the history of Spanish settlement in California. Monterey is the home of California’s first theater and its first jail—both still standing, as well as Colton Hall, where delegates debated statehood at the California Constitutional Convention in 1849. We’ll also cover Fisherman’s Wharf and Cannery Row, colorfully immortalized by the writer, John Steinbeck, as well as the uniquely charming villages of Carmel-by-the-Sea and Pacific Grove. No tour of the area would be complete without meandering along the exclusively elegant Pebble Beach, including 17 Mile Drive with its cypress groves, world-class golf courses and stunning ocean views. You’ll feel like you didn’t miss a thing after this wonderfully complete day in Monterey Bay. Recommended Attire: Resort casual.
Bike Tour
	Monday      2:00 – 5:00
	A bicycle tour of the Monterey Bay coastline is a great way to explore the Peninsula and learn more about this beautiful area. Your guide will take you on the Recreation Trail along Cannery Row, past the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and along the beautiful Peninsula coastline. This tour is filled with many great photo opportunities! Riders will experience firsthand the historical Point Pinos Lighthouse, Asilomar State Beach, 17-Mile Drive through Del Monte Forest, and scenic Bird and Seal Rocks. Your guide will stop at points of interest and relate the history of this area. The path and bike lanes are beginner to intermediate level, with only a few hills along the way. You will be fitted with a specialized 24-speed hybrid bike with helmet. You’ll ride out with the ocean on one side and then return with the ocean on your other side. It’s breathtaking and beautiful! Note: This is the same tour offered on the Wednesday afternoon excursion list.
A Day at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk (children welcome)
	Tuesday      9:00 – 5:00
	Only the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk offers you both the unforgettable California beach experience and the thrills of a classic amusement park. Everything you need for a fun-filled day at the beach is right here at the Boardwalk—the rides, the games in the arcade, and a beautiful California Beach. Included in this tour are a motor coach to transport you up the coast to Santa Cruz, and a transportation coordinator to accompany you. Recommeded Attire: Layered clothing, swim/beach gear, walking shoes.
Carmel Walking Tour and Shopping
	Tuesday      10:00 – 4:00
	For more than a century, Carmel has provided a haven for poets and painters alike. Discover special off-beat places, award-winning gardens, enchanting fairytale cottages, the homes, haunts, and history of famous artists, writers, and movie stars. Learn about the spirit, characters, and customs that make Carmel unique. The exquisite beauty of the Monterey coastline has inspired photographers, including Ansel Adams and Cole Weston. It’s no wonder then that artists and art lovers are drawn again and again to the lovely and quaint village of Carmel-by-the-Sea. After lunch (on you own—choose from one of the many lovely restaurants in the area), stroll along tree-lined cobblestone sidewalks while searching for that unique treasure. A visit to the quaint village of Carmel will bring out the shopper in anyone! Staggered mini-van departures in the afternoon will allow you to return to your hotel at your own pace. Recommended Attire: Windbreaker or sweater, layered clothing, and walking shoes.
Kayak Tour
	Tuesday      2:00 – 5:00
	There’s no better way to explore the Monterey Bay up close than with a kayak tour. A docent-guided tour will make your kayaking experience one of discovery and education. These knowledgeable docents will share information about the ecology of the bay, the history of the area, and the biology and habits of our varied marine life. Abundant along the shoreline are harbor seals, sea lions and many species of marine birds. At different times of the year, you might see jellyfish or even an occasional whale! No need to wonder just what you are looking at out there—your guides have all the answers! Conditions couldn’t be better for the enjoyment of paddlers of all ages and abilities. All necessary gear, paddling instruction, and an orientation about marine wildlife are provided. You just need to paddle! Note: This is the same tour offered on the Wednesday afternoon excursion list.
Point Lobos Nature Walk (children welcome)
	Thursday      12:00 – 5:00
	This fantastic natural reserve could easily fill a whole day. From the secluded beauty of the natural wilderness with its cypress forested trails, to calm tide pools and rugged coastline, this tour is filled with terrific scenery and fascinating history. At Point Lobos State Reserve, guests will disembark for a leisurely walk while an expert guide points out red-tailed hawks, sea lions and their cubs, snowy egrets and sea otters enjoying the abundance of food among kelp forests. Rich in cultural history as well, the reserve has been home to Native Americans, Chinese fisherman, Japanese abalone harvesters, and Portuguese whalers. The reserve has often been called the “crown jewel of the State Park system.” Our naturalist/historian is an expert in the rare plant communities, unique geological formations carved by wind and sea, and incredibly rich flora and fauna all found here. You will find the walk not exerting, but exhilarating! Recommended Attire: Layered clothing, walking shoes.
Bike and Kayak All Day Freestyle
	Any Day      Time (your choice)
	Create your own outdoor experience! Spend the day alternating between biking and kayaking as you choose, on your own schedule. You will be given a wristband which will allow you to check out equipment from both rental shop locations. Go biking and when you feel like it, return the bike and take out a kayak. Return that and check out a bike again. For your convenience, one of the rental shops is located adjacent to the conference center and you can pick up and drop off your bike there. The other shop has beach access for launching your kayak. Please note that this is not a group led tour.