Visitors

Historic Buildings
Oldtown Salinas is a charming downtown shopping, dining, entertainment and business district set against beautifully constructed, turn-of-the-20th Century buildings.  Their Victorian architecture provides the perfect setting for Oldtown’s events and visitor wanderings.  Click here to order a free “Oldtown Walking Tour” brochure.

National Steinbeck Center
The National Steinbeck Center is the cultural center of Salinas.  In 1998, Salinas’ leaders built a museum to honor native son and Nobel Prize Winning Author, John Steinbeck.  The engaging, interactive museum has grown to include the Rabobank Agriculture Museum, which gives a historical “tour” of Monterey County’s $3 billion industry, and an art gallery with continuously changing exhibits.

Maya Cinemas
Oldtown’s newest attraction is the 14-screen Maya Salinas Cinemas theaters.  Located near the National Steinbeck Center, Maya Cinemas shows block buster movies and independent films.  Maya features special family night discounts, parking garage validation, and the biggest movie screen in Monterey County!

The Steinbeck House
Just a few blocks from the National Steinbeck Center, is John’s boyhood home.  Now a restaurant, The Steinbeck House features a prix fixe menu served Tues-Sat from 11:30 AM to 2:00 PM by volunteer docents who preserve the house’s history.

The Harvey-Baker House
The Harvey-Baker House is another historic home located within walking distance of the National Steinbeck Center.  Former home to Salinas’ first mayor, the renovated house has been moved from its original location and now serves as a beautifully renewed reminder of Salinas’ early beginnings.   During the summer months, the house is open for tours.

First Fridays
To experience the culture of Oldtown Salinas while enjoying refreshments and a wide variety of art exhibits, stroll the monthly “First Fridays Art Walk.”  Held on the first Friday of each month, this monthly, evening event has become a fast favorite in Oldtown.  Come out for the art, and make a night of it with dinner and a movie.

Galleries
One of the reasons that the First Fridays Art Walk is such a great success is because of the stellar galleries located in Oldtown.  The Oldtown galleries welcome the public to share in the celebration of a host of professional and innovative artwork.   The gallery exhibits are continuously changing, and feature dynamic and impactful artists.  The National Steinbeck Center also has a changing art gallery.  For the cost of admission, visitors are exposed to artwork that ranges from folk to contemporary.

Live Theatre
Live theatre is performed in Oldtown year-round!  Whether it is family favorites or adult classics, live theatre is center stage.  Special “dinner and a show” deals are offered by a number of Oldtown restaurants.  Be sure to ask when ordering your tickets!

Dining
Oldtown’s dozens of restaurants provide a wide range of dining experiences.  Within the Oldtown district, Italian, Mexican, British, Chinese, Vegetarian, Japanese, Thai and Bold American menus are served in what is becoming one of Monterey County’s most popular restaurant destinations.  Restaurant styles vary to include breakfast-specific cafes, the perfect place for a business lunch, dynamite bakeries, trendy coffeehouses, romantic, fine dining experiences, fun locales for a night out with friends and the best spot for a on-site brewed beer.

Wine Tasting
Think fine California wines can only be found in Napa?  Not if Monterey County has anything to say about it!  Taste a variety of Monterey County wines at one of Oldtown’s wine tasting locations.

Retail
Oldtown is coming to life with a multitude of fun retail shops.  Oldtown’s cornerstone shops and businesses continue to provide the quality and taste that their customers require.  New retail trend setters are being added to these Oldtown classics, providing a great shopping adventure. 

Spa
Throughout Oldtown Salinas, salons and beauty spas are offering head to toe services that will rejuvenate, relax and restore.

Parking

Transportation
Oldtown, at the heart of Salinas, is easily accessible:
  From San Jose/San Francisco on US 101, take the Main Street exit
  From Hwy. 1, take Hwy. 183 East through Castroville
  From South on US 101, take the John Street exit
  From Monterey Peninsula, take Hwy. 68 East
Salinas is located:
  100 miles South of San Francisco on US 101
  60 miles South of Silicon Valley on US 101
  17 miles East of Monterey/Carmel on Hwy. 68
  90 miles to our South County lakes
  30 minutes to 24 golf courses
  25 minutes to the playgrounds of Monterey, Carmel and Pebble Beach
  10 miles to the Pacific ocean
Airport service is convenient:
  Commercial flights from Monterey & San Jose Airports
  Corporate and private jet service at Salinas Airport
  Airbus shuttle available to and from all airports
Intermodal Transportation is nearby:
Amtrak daily service north and south bound Union Pacific freight service Monterey/Salinas Transit Center countywide connection Commuter train service to Bay Area (pending) Airporter bus service to San Francisco and San Jose.