Fishermans Flats, Monterey, CA

Fishermans Flats is a small residential part of southeast Monterey, and its public life gathers around one place, Fisherman's Flats Park. The park has play equipment, a turf lawn, two picnic tables and a medium barbecue pit. There are no public restrooms, so visits stay short and simple. Deer Flats Park is the next stop over, with a basketball court, a group barbecue and room for inflatables on the grass. Each is sized for gatherings of up to 50. Fishermans Flats leaves most of its outdoor time to the park and the peak. The bigger draw is Jacks Peak Park, off Highway 68. It is a day-use county park with miles of hiking trails, some open to horses, and ridge-top views, though bikes aren't allowed on its trails. Picnicking, birdwatching and photography are all part of a day there. At the summit, a self-guided nature trail points out Miocene fossils, and the summit forest is a rare natural grove of Monterey pine. Nothing inside the neighborhood itself sells food or groceries, so daily errands mean driving to Del Monte Center. Whole Foods Market is there, along with Lalla Grill, a locally owned spot that cooks with organic ingredients, Poke House for a quick bowl and Kona Steak and Seafood, which brings island flavors to the table. Dinner out usually means downtown Monterey, where the restaurants along Alvarado Street are the obvious choice. Highway 68 and Del Monte Avenue are the roads that matter, and MST buses cover the local routes. For a sit-down meal at the center, Dametra Fresh Mediterranean is another option. Because Fishermans Flats is small and has no shops of its own, a car is part of living here. In return, the park and the peak are both close enough that a walk to either needs no planning.