Del Monte Park is an inland Pacific Grove neighborhood built out in the postwar period, with residential streets laid in close relation to the Forest Avenue shopping district near the entrance to Highway 68. This section is bisected by Forest Avenue, with Del Monte Park west of Forest and Seaview to the east. Seaview is immediately connected to the New Monterey neighborhoods it borders.

People choose Del Monte Park for its practical location and its more accessible price point, which still offers access to Pacific Grove public schools and services.

Roots: Developed in the postwar era as part of Pacific Grove’s inland residential expansion
Bounds: David Avenue to Del Monte Avenue to Bishop Avenue to Forest Avenue to Syda Drive to Patterson Lane
Key streets: Forest Avenue, David Avenue, Congress Avenue
Hallmarks: Commercial district access, direct access to Forest Avenue, and quick connection toward Highway 68
Residents: Year-round homeowners, first-time buyers, and households looking for an entry-level home in Pacific Grove
Natural buyers: First-time buyers and buyers seeking a more affordable option but still within PG
Perks: Forest Avenue proximity, immediate Highway 68 access, and lower sticker prices
Traditions

Candy Cane Lane (formally, Country Club Heights) is centered around Platt Park and the surrounding blocks that form a triangle between Morse Drive, Beaumont Avenue and Forest Avenue. It is locally known for the annual holiday display created by residents, with decorations in front yards and in Platt Park during the season.

What sets it apart is the way the neighborhood is organized around a central park and a resident-led holiday tradition that has been part of local life for decades. It is a year-round residential pocket first, with the seasonal display as the best-known public expression of the neighborhood.

Roots: Country Club Heights was developed in the early 1930s during Pacific Grove’s “City of Homes” era, tied to residential subdivision activity; it later became the center of a local holiday tradition that began in the 1950s and expanded in the 1960s after Platt Park was electrified.

Bounds: Beaumont Avenue to Morse Drive to Forest Avenue, with Platt Park at the center

Key streets: Morse Drive, Beaumont Avenue, Forest Avenue

Hallmarks: Holiday displays in yard and park, Platt Park, Forest Avenue access

Residents: Primarily full-time homeowners, many with long tenures in the neighborhood.

Natural buyers: Families with young children, buyers seeking larger lots, and people looking for a neighborhood with a strong local identity.

Perks: Walkable park access, a centered street layout, Forest Avenue access, and recurring Halloween and Christmas displays.

Traditions: Resident-curated Halloween displays in front yards and the annual Christmas display in Platt Park and surrounding home frontages.

The Hillcrest Tract was developed in 1911 alongside the new high school and was marketed as a residential tract for families with close access to the school corridor. The tract was laid out on the hillside above the school area, with the original subdivision pattern still readable in the way the neighborhood was planned.

Today, Hillcrest is the residential area around Pacific Grove Middle School, with the campus at Forest Avenue serving as its main anchor.

Roots: 1911 tract development beside the new high school.
Bounds: Sinex Avenue to Hillcrest Avenue to Congress Avenue
Key streets: Sinex Avenue, Hillcrest Avenue, Forest Avenue
Hallmarks: Pacific Grove Middle School, Canterbury Woods retirement community
Residents: Families with school-aged children, local homeowners, and households that live near the middle school.
Natural buyers: Parents of school-aged children, easy access to both PG shopping districts
Perks: School proximity, Forest Avenue access, Pacific Grove Performing Arts Center
Traditions: Pacific Grove Middle School events and activities

Sunset Drive is the route connecting the city to Highway 68, the Pebble Beach Gate, and the Asilomar Coast, and home to Pacific Grove High School.

The school’s sprawling campus occupies a significant amount of the neighborhood, with Breaker Stadium and the athletic fields extending that presence across a wide block. That campus footprint is one of the main things that distinguishes Sunset Drive from the surrounding residential streets.

Roots: Part of west-side buildout, becomes important corridor to Highway and Pebble Beach
Bounds: Sinex Avenue to Forest Avenue to Sunset Drive to 17 Mile Drive.
Key streets: Sunset Drive, Congress Avenue, Asilomar Avenue, 17 Mile Drive.
Hallmarks: Pacific Grove High School, Breaker Stadium, Pebble Beach gate access, Rip Van Winkle Open Space.
Residents: Retired couples, long-established owners, smaller households in older single-family homes, households tied to nearby Pebble Beach access.
Natural buyers: Families wanting PGHS proximity, buyers wanting Pebble Beach gate access, buyers wanting coastal proximity, buyers wanting access toward Highway 68.
Perks: Pacific Grove High School; Breaker Stadium; Pebble Beach gate access; Rip Van Winkle Open Space; coast access.
Traditions: Pacific Grove High School athletics, Friday-night games, Rotary Invitational track meet

Grove Acres developed during Pacific Grove’s 1927–1945 growth period when several larger parcels were broken into smaller subdivisions to create today’s parcel map.

Today, Grove Acres is mostly about established homes on larger residential parcels, with an irregular street pattern reflecting its layered development. Owners value the area’s large and flexible lots, and the prvacy and seclusion it affords.

Roots: Part of  west-side buildout, larger parcels broken into smaller residential lots.

Bounds: Lighthouse Avenue to Grove Acre Avenue to Sinex Avenue to Asilomar Boulevard.

Key streets: Grove Acre Avenue, Asilomar Boulevard, Crocker Avenue

Hallmarks: Layered lot patterns, large lots, irregular lot shapes and sizes

Residents: Owners of older homes, households in smaller attached or multifamily properties, owners requiring additions, separate units, or larger yards.

Natural buyers: Buyers looking for space and privacy, older-house character, and the ability to support flexible arrangements

Perks: Monarch butterfly sanctuary, Larger residential parcels, west-side Pacific Grove location, seculsion

Traditions: Monarch butterfly sanctuary

Asilomar is the western coast of “America’s Last Hometown,” famous for its rocky shoreline, sandy dunes and historic lighthouse.

What makes Asilomar distinct is not just that it is coastal, but that so much of the neighborhood is shaped by land that stays open and public; notably, Asilomar State Beach, a narrow one-mile stretch of sandy beach and rocky coves with a trail through the dunes; Asilomar conference grounds, which began in 1913 as a YWCA retreat designed by Julia Morgan; and Point Pinos Lighthouse, the south entrance to Monterey Bay since 1855.

Homes in this neighborhood fall under the authority of the California Coastal Commission, which impacts renovation options.

Bounds: Asilomar Avenue to Sunset Drive to Ocean View Boulevard
Key streets: Asilomar Avenue, Sunset Drive, Ocean View Boulevard, Jewell Avenue, Arena Avenue, Pico Avenue
Hallmarks: Larger lots, coastal access, dune and bluff edges, beach proximity, historic grounds, and private open space.
Residents: Longtime owners, second-home buyers, coastal retirees, and households wanting quieter west-side streets.
Natural buyers: Ocean-oriented buyers, privacy seekers, second-home purchasers, and people who want walkable coastal access
Perks: Beach access, trail access, larger parcels, open coastal frontage, and easy reach to the western edge of town
Traditions: Sunset Music Series at Asilomar, Conferences and retreats at the grounds, Weddings and private events, Regular beach walks and lighthouse visits.

Beach Tract / Fairway Homes is the coastal neighborhood at the northwest tip of the Monterey Peninsula, running along Monterey Bay and the Pacific Grove Golf Links. This is a tightly defined residential pocket where location is the selling point: shoreline frontage, bay views, and immediate beach and golf access.

The neighborhood concentrates Pacific Grove’s shoreline real estate and a mix of house types—from modest cottages and mid‑century ranches to larger, view‑oriented homes—along a compact walkable grid that connects directly to the Recreation Trail and downtown. That combination of immediate bay access, proximity to the golf course, and relatively larger lot sizes than much of the rest of the city is what most buyers are specifically seeking here.

Roots: Pacific Grove Golf Links opens in 1932, nearby parcels subdivided for homes
Bounds: Ocean View Boulevard to Pacific Avenue to Lighthouse Avenue to Asilomar Avenue
Key streets: Ocean View Boulevard, Pacific Avenue, Lighthouse Avenue, Asilomar Avenue.
Hallmarks: Monterey Bay frontage, Recreation Trail access, Perkins Park, Pacific Grove Golf Links
Residents: Long-term owners, retirees, small households, some second-home residents.
Natural buyers: Ocean Lovers, Owners seeking a level, walkable home base, Golfers, Social neighbors
Perks: Ocean views, direct trail and golf access, quiet and peaceful
Traditions: Springtime “Purple Carpet” in Perkins Park, volunteer cleanups

Washington Park / Marino Pines is a quiet residential pocket built around PG’s largest park, close to downtown but set apart by a calmer pace, smaller streets, and a more private everyday feel.

The neighborhood’s identity comes from that combination of park edge and residential fabric: tree-lined streets, older homes, and a setting that suits people who want a calmer block pattern without feeling removed from Pacific Grove itself. Pine Avenue cuts through the park, and the surrounding streets give the neighborhood its shape and access points.

Roots
Homes and streets grew around the park area as Pacific Grove expanded in this section of town.

Bounds
Lighthouse Avenue to Granite Street to Sinex Avenue to 17 Mile Drive.

Key streets
Pine Avenue, Lighthouse Avenue, Granite Street, Sinex Avenue, Melrose Street, Alder Street.

Hallmarks
George Washington Park, Pine Avenue through the park, ballfield, picnic area, playground, off-leash trail area.

Residents
People who want a quieter Pacific Grove block pattern, long-time local owners, and households close to the park and nearby schools.

Natural buyers
Park lovers, dog walkers, trail users, and buyers who want a calm residential setting in Pacific Grove.

Perks
Open space, park facilities, picnic tables, barbecue grills, barbecue pit, restrooms, and a playground.

Traditions
Park reservations and usage