 The Monterey Peninsula Toy Box |
Stuff for Kids in Monterey!
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If the kids are bored and whining, Mr. Toy's first recommendation is to go directly to Lake El Estero. Lake El Estero has three attractions that are ideal for kids.
The first is Dennis the Menace Playground. Mr. Toy grew up playing here, and he can assure you it is the best playground you will ever visit.
Yea, its got swings and slides, but who cares when you can play on a real locomotive? Er, pardon. Generations of children, including the 1960s version of Mr. Toy, used to play on it safely and happily. But, alas, in today's culture the locomotive is not approved as playground equipment. It is now a historical exhibit, which properly supervised children may cheerfullly explore while pretending they're hauling a few tons of sardines from Cannery Row. Same concept, just new terminology.
But that's just the beginning. Dennis the Menace Playground contains a wide variety of other fun contraptions scattered about. There are two hills with a suspension bridge between them, and kid-sized tunnels to run through, There's something that looks like a fishing boat. There are pathways and another bridge that looks like a sunset. There's a maze to get lost in. There's sand to squish between your toes. There's grass to lay on, picnic tables to eat on and a lion to stick your head in if you're thirsty.
And it's all FREE! Free parking too! It's better than Disneyland! You should go even if you don't have kids.
Dennis the Menace Playground is located just east of downtown Monterey on Pearl Street, in the middle of the park between the two bridges. The lake itself is just off of Del Monte Boulevard between Camino El Estero and Camino Aguajito. See it on the map.
And there's more at Lake El Estero: paddleboats. You can rent them at the little shack located at the corner of Camino El Estero and Del Monte. Rent one for half an hour and tire the kids out.
And there's still more: If your kids own skateboards, there is a skateboard park around behind the ballfield. You can relax in the nearby picnic tables while they burn off their energy doin' some sidewalk surfin'. Ample parking is available alongside the picnic area.
If you're here in the spring or early summer, take a walk around the lake and see if you can find any baby ducks or geese. (Give the geese a wide berth, or Papa Goose may get upset. You don't want to get him upset, trust us.)
Also recommended is a place called MY Museum: Monterey County Youth Museum, which is full of informative hands-on exhibits. OK, that doesn't sound like much fun. Better to describe it as an action-packed educational playhouse! My Museum is thematically arranged as a microcosm of Monterey County, representing parts of Cannery Row, Pacific Grove, the Carmel Mission and Salinas Valley agriculture. Some of the exhibits include a theatrical stage, a craft area, a tree with a puppet stage, a house perpetually under construction by young designers, a mock hospital with a doll maternity ward, and a bubble machine transferred over from the old Cannery Row location. My Museum is located in downtown Monterey at 425 Washington Street, between Bonafacio and Franklin, across from the Bank of America parking lot. See it on the map.
Mr. Toy would be remiss if he did not mention his two favorite toy stores. Both are oriented towards good, basic, fun, durable toys for indoors and out. Parents don't need a degree in electronics to understand their product lines, and kids discover they can have loads of fun without batteries. Grownups like to play with their stuff, too.
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Thinker Toys main store in Carmel can be found on the corner of San Carlos and 7th, one block south of Ocean Avenue. A smaller version is located in Del Monte Center in Monterey.
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Sand Castles By-The-Sea is located in The Barnyard, off of Highway 1 at the mouth of Carmel Valley.
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Tourist Attractions
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Real Life
