Pacific Grove, California, may have a string of nicknames, but at least none of them are as horrific as Brangelina or Kimye. One of America's Last Hometowns, Butterfly Town USA, and The Deerest Town in the USA are just a few of the descriptive designations for the beach town that locals prefer to shorten to PG.
In addition to a slew of monikers, this tiny town also has the most Victorian homes per capita nationally, was once named the Most Romantic City by Life magazine, and is home to the West Coast's longest continuously working lighthouse, Point Pinos Lighthouse
Pacific Grove, California, may have a string of nicknames, but at least none of them are as horrific as Brangelina or Kimye. One of America's Last Hometowns, Butterfly Town USA, and The Deerest Town in the USA are just a few of the descriptive designations for the beach town that locals prefer to shorten to PG.
In addition to a slew of monikers, this tiny town also has the most Victorian homes per capita nationally, was once named the Most Romantic City by Life magazine, and is home to the West Coast's longest continuously working lighthouse, Point Pinos Lighthouse. An over-achieving city that is best known for its laid-back vibe and ability to stay modern amidst its historical roots, it even has an ideal location on the Pacific Ocean. It's small size and proximity to the more well-known Pebble Beach and Monterey has allowed it to remain slightly off the radar, so don't start bragging too much about your great new beach town digs or you may end up with more house guests and couch surfers than you can handle.
Getting Around Pacific Grove
If you are wondering how you are going to get around this beautiful beach town, rest easy. Walk scores range from somewhat walkable to very walkable depending on the street, but the city as a whole gets a pleasing 88. Biking on the Pacific Grove Coastline makes the pedal pushers feel at home. The bordering city of Monterey is close such a great neighbor that the Monterey-Salinas Transit (MST) routes 1 and 2 offer service in PG. Plus, if the trolley car is really your thing you can enjoy the free MST trolley Tuesday through Saturday. Many locals find a car useful, but you can get around Pacific Grove without one.
Neighborhoods in Pacific Grove
Although it is divided into 6 relatively tiny neighborhoods, Pacific Grove's small stature and pedestrian friendly nature ensures that picking a neighborhood here won't limit your daily activities to any one area. Walking to 2 or 3 different neighborhoods from any given point is manageable so commitment-phobes can rest assured that they can easily get their coffee fix downtown and then see their favorite yoga instructor in West PG. Victorian homes are one of the city's defining features but the housing market includes other architectural styles with most homes between 1 and 4 bedrooms, and also includes apartments in small buildings and larger complexes. The only disappointment some may have while house hunting is to learn that no one can build directly on the water, the Pacific Grove Coastline is part of the parks system and remains available for biking and walking. While it may be a bummer to not have backdoor access to the beach, overall it protects the view and the PG. lifestyle for all the residents.
Pacific Grove Acres: Packing a powerful punch of local highlights such as the Point Pinos Lighthouse, Pacific Grove Golf Links, and Monarch Grove Sanctuary, real estate prices in this neighborhood can be some of the highest in the country. Renters can relax in knowing that the rental prices fall into the mid-range of rents in California, keeping it affordable to live in rental apartments such as the Crest at Pacific Grove complex. And 17 Mile Drive Village is another apartment complex in this desirable area. It features only 2 bedroom apartments with fancy upgrades such as wood-burning fireplaces.
Central Avenue / Evans Avenue: Waterfront living plus some of the historic downtown area will make you feel like the luckiest resident in all of PG. The popular Museum of Natural History and Lovers Point Park are also located in this happening 'hood that is mostly renter occupied. Plus, the majority of homes are the historical Victorians, which characterize Pacific Grove, so finding rental property in Pacific Grove with history and character will be a walk in the park.
Lighthouse Avenue / Eardley Avenue: The other half of the downtown district is located here along with the Lighthouse 4 theater. Walk the streets of this culturally significant slice of PG or hop on the bus along Lighthouse Avenue to get a feel for a neighborhood, which appeals to both owners and renters.
City Center: Traveling west from Lighthouse Avenue / Eardley Avenue, the next neighborhood is City Center. It features the George Washington Park in its 4-block-wide patch of Pacific Grove. Apartment complexes mixed with the staple Victorian homes populate this part of the city.
Sinex Avenue / Congress Avenue: Bus stops throughout the neighborhood along with PG's plethora of parks make this an ideal spot for those who want to explore the city and neighboring Monterey as well as those who can't wait to be outside soaking up all that California sunshine.
David Avenue / Forest Avenue: The Southernmost section of the city is the least expensive place to live, offering the Pacific Grove lifestyle for less. It is the farthest neighborhood from the water, which explains the price, but still features many businesses along Forest Avenue. Several bus stops throughout the area ensure that even the laziest beach bum can get to the water in no time.
Living in Pacific Grove
Many have marveled at how this idyllic town with so much history and natural beauty manages to preserve its character while still staying current and fresh. It is a difficult balancing act that Pacific Grove really seems to have mastered. Once a major destination for artists, it carries a love for the arts, which can be seen in the art galleries as well as the performing arts businesses based here.
Pacific Grove captures the Cali lifestyle of outdoor living with all the offerings one associates with the state: surfing, yoga, Pilates, biking, hiking, and the like. Of course getting outdoors is practically a must with 28 parks in the small city. PG even takes modern trends such as the Saturday morning farmers' markets that America is currently so obsessed with and makes it very PG by instead holding their markets on Monday afternoons.
Other community events such as the Historic Homes Tour, the Good Old Days festival, Feast of Lanterns, and the Butterfly Parade carry on the community's small town vibe and add to the hometown reputation. It even has the low crime associated with small town living; in fact, it has the lowest crime rate in Monterey County. Locals can still dine out like city dwellers, with over 75 restaurants in this city alone plus more with Monterey so close and sharing public transportation.
