Monterey's airport, MRY, is a Class C airport located near the tip of the Monterey Peninsula near the San Francisco bay area. There are numerous golf resorts in the area, and the downtown Cannery Row is frequented by tourists. In addition to the famous golf resorts like Pebble Beach, there are famous towns like Carmel and Big Sur, where one can go hiking or for a beautiful drive down the coast. Laguna Seca race track is also near by, and there are a number of interesting events held there each year.

Flying into MRY is easy, with one set of parallel runways, the larger being 28L. There are two FBOs on the field, and they both cater primarily to the large corporate jets which frequent the airport for corporate retreats and board meetings. We recommend Monterey Jet Center, which is one of the nicest FBOs in the country. Even their bathroom is nicer than most hotels. Flying in, we were met at the airplane, and a red carpet was literally rolled out. They gave us a free crew car for the day, which wasn’t a beater with a broken windshield, but a late model Taurus with the Hertz NeverLost system installed. A new VW Beetle was also available. They also supplied us with free guest passes to the Aquarium, which normally cost $19.95 per person. The Aquarium is world class, and houses the only Great White Shark alive in captivity, along with the Sea Otters that the Monterey area is known for. The Jet Center said that crew cars are on a first come, first served basis, and that they are rarely unavailable. We visited on a very crowded day in October, and had our choice of two cars. In addition to the car and aquarium passes, loaner golf clubs are also available.

Just down the street from the Aquarium is the Blue Moon restaurant. It's right on the water, and if you get a window seat, you can watch the waves roll in. The restaurant specializes in seafood, and we found the fare to be priced appropriately to the quality.

Departing MRY is easy, but review your Class C procedures before starting up. Typically, you will get clearance to turn on course after departure, and to contact approach on the appropriate frequency.