Evening wave at Point Lobos Monterey Coast California

The City of Monterey in Monterey County is located on Monterey Bay along the Pacific coast in central California. As of 2005, the city population was 30,641. The city is noted for its rich history of resident artists beginning in the late 1800s and its historically famed fishery. Monterey is home to the Naval Postgraduate School, the Defense Language Institute, the Monterey Institute of International Studies, the former Fort Ord, part of which is now the site of California State University Monterey Bay; Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, the Monterey American Viticultural Area; Cannery Row, Fisherman's Wharf and a Marine Mammal Center field station located in the area. The semi-hard cheese known as Monterey Jack originated in Monterey, California. The Monterey Jazz Festival, one of the world's longest consecutively running jazz festivals, is held annually at the Monterey County Fairgrounds. (via Wikipedia)