Monterey… and its many attractions   “ Bustling yet imbued with a sense of history, Monterey is tucked in the protective southern most curve of Monterey Bay. The harbor now hosts as many yachts as fishing boats!”   The city of Monterey offers activities for everyone. You’ll see the Custom House, built in 1814 when Monterey was Spain’s principal port on the Alta California coast, California’s First Theater, and Colton Hall, where the state constitution was signed in 1849.   One of the best small museums, the Maritime Museum, is located right at the foot of Fisherman’s Wharf. It tells the story of Monterey’s seafaring past and showcases a gigantic lighthouse as its centerpiece.  Fisherman’s Wharf is now a wall-to-wall mix of waterside restaurants – “dine here and watch seals and sea otters from your table” say the menus, quite truthfully.   Visit the historic waterfront district, Cannery Row, once the heart of a thriving sardine-packing industry, a time immortalized in John Steinbeck's novel, Cannery Row.  Cannery Row is home to the world-famous Monterey Bay Aquarium, housed in the former Hovden Cannery. Visit A Taste of Monterey and sample local wines, or brush up on the art of cooking by taking a class at the Culinary Center of Monterey.  Interesting art galleries, a factory outlet center, and views of Monterey Bay round out the Cannery Row experience.   Monterey offers a lot for families to enjoy, from MY Museum, a real hands-on place where kids can make a TV program or run a country store, to pedaling down the Recreation Trail aboard a quadricycle survey.  There’s hours of fun to be had on the adventure playground of Dennis the Menace Park or in the snazzy new skateboard park next door – not to mention the joy of sandcastle building on the broad sands, accessible through Monterey’s Window on the Bay park.   Visit the Monterey County Convention and Visitors Bureau Website at www.montereyinfo.org    for more information.