This is the California men dreamed of years ago...The face of the earth as the Creator intended it to look.’ (Henry Miller).

Such are the sentiments of all visitors to California’s Monterey Peninsula, the jewel of the Central Coast. For more than 300 years, the Monterey Peninsula has enchanted all who have landed on its shores, from the early Spanish explorers and missionaries to present-day visitors.

The beauty and magic of the Peninsula captured the hearts and imagination of such creative legends as John Steinbeck, Henry Miller, Robinson Jeffers, Robert Louis Stevenson and Ansel Adams. Each in his own way sought to preserve the magic on canvas, paper or film.

But the true experience can only be realized by seeing it for yourself. The Monterey Peninsula’s dramatic coastline and sunny inland valleys are the backdrop for the rich cultural and maritime heritage, which is still alive today in the Mexican adobes, the Maritime Museum, Cannery Row and Fisherman’s Wharf in historic Monterey.

Much of the area’s charm stems from the many cultural influences – Native American, Mexican, Spanish, Italian and Asian – which shaped the region’s early development.

Attractions include the world-class Monterey Bay Aquarium, which in 1996 revealed its spectacular new Outer Bay Wing. The Aquarium is the perfect spot from which to engage in an armchair exploration of the depths of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.

The quaint village of Carmel-by-the-Sea, a village in a forest, offers over 70 art galleries and the annual Bach Festival – testaments to its 100-year reputation as a centre for the visual and performing arts.

Pacific Grove is home to the colorful annual migration of Monarch butterflies, which in autumn decorate the Victorian homes, many of which house delightful bed and breakfast inns and restaurants.

Carmel Valley, a mere 3.2km (2 miles) inland from the coast, is all golden rolling hills and sunshine. The area boasts golf courses, horseback riding, a tennis resort and the Ventana Wilderness Area, which visitors can explore on foot.

Pebble Beach, the home of the AT&T National Pro-Am Golf Tournament, is a world-class resort with two full service resort hotels, three golf courses and, of course, the famed 17-Mile Drive on which sits the oft-photographed Lone Cypress Tree.

Big Sur offers some of the most dramatic coastal scenery in the world, with its Bixby Bridge and Julia Pfeiffer State Park. Both world-class resorts offer a range of lodging options.

To reach the Monterey Peninsula from Los Angeles or San Francisco, drivers may take State Highway 101 or Scenic Highway 1. San Francisco, Los Angeles and San José Airports all offer flights to Monterey Peninsula Airport.