The Monterey Peninsula: The Art and Design of Coastal California

EVENTS > SOJOURNS

Drink in the sea salt air and historic sites of California’s Monterey Peninsula, where dramatic landscapes have inspired artists, writers, designers, and intellectuals since the early 1900s. From the Spanish and Mexican influence in historic Monterey to the artistic enclaves of Carmel-by-the-Sea and Pacific Grove, our exploration of the region will uncover a remarkable story of cultural exchange, creative experimentation, and distinctly Californian design. Savor cuisine inspired by the region’s coastal bounty, all while uncovering the legacy of early California settlers and visionaries. Accompanied by lecturer and architectural historian Bridget Maley, this intimate experience offers rare access and rich insights into one of the most enchanting areas of the Pacific coast.

Wednesday, March 17

We begin at Cypress Inn, a beloved boutique hotel just steps from the charming shops, galleries, and white-sand beach of Carmel-by-the-Sea. Built in 1929 by architects Blaine & Olsen of Oakland, CA, its modern Mediterranean style seamlessly blends Roaring Twenties glamor with oceanside ease. Our sojourn begins with a walking tour of the city sights led by Gael Gallagher, a local historian and expert guide with more than 40 years of storytelling experience. Upon our return to the hotel, we are whisked away for a scenic coach ride along 17 Mile Drive. Bordered by dramatic ocean cliffs, majestic cypress trees, and world-class golf courses, this quiet coastal road in Pebble Beach brings us to the illustrious Monterey Peninsula Country Club for an opening lecture from Bridget Maley. The evening concludes with an elegant dinner overlooking the rugged coast, where California tumbles into the sea.

Included: D

Thursday, March 18

The morning brings us to Carmel Mission, built in 1771 and the most authentically restored Franciscan mission in the region. Asymmetrical towers and a round-arched portal hewn from local sandstone cut a striking figure against a backdrop of blue sky and palm trees. The interior’s remarkable wooden tunnel vaulting is unique among California mission churches. Cruising across Carmel towards the sea, we continue to the Robinson Jeffers Tor House. The renowned poet planned the cottage as a home for his wife and twin sons and constructed much of it with his own hands after apprenticing himself to the building contractor. Intentionally kept small and set low to the ground to withstand winter storms, Jeffers wrote all of his major poetical works at the home after its completion in 1919. We continue to William A. Karges Fine Art Gallery, which has received international acclaim as one of the premier vendors specializing in museum-quality early California paintings dated between 1870 and 1950. Our afternoon is capped off with a visit to a private home, where we are invited to enjoy a rare glimpse into a superb decorative arts collection.

Included: B, L

Friday, March 19

We take our leave of Carmel-by-the-Sea to travel north to the picturesque city of Pacific Grove. At Asilomar Conference Grounds, Bridget Maley offers a lecture on Julia Morgan and the California Arts and Crafts Movement. More than a dozen buildings within the conference complex were designed by Morgan between 1913 and 1929, and her influential use of innovative materials to create refined yet whimsical spaces can still be felt in the area today. After a walking tour of Morgan’s buildings and grounds, we continue on to the Inn at Spanish Bay for a revitalizing lunch. A driving tour along Sunset Drive and Ocean View Boulevard brings us to the c. 1886 St. Mary’s by-the-Sea Episcopal Church. Memorial stained-glass windows in a variety of styles were given to the church, replacing the original brown windows. In 1922, farm machinery tycoon Cyrus McCormick—who had married his wife, Harriet, at St. Mary’s—donated a pair of stained glass windows by Louis Comfort Tiffany as a memorial to her. At the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History, we are treated to intimate visits to the Áchsest-Akai Rumsen Basket Makers exhibition, hosted by basketmaker Linda Yamane. A member of the Rumsen Ohlone Tribal Community, Linda made her first traditional basket in 1994 after extensive research of surviving examples, the first Ohlone basket made in over 150 years. An after-hours visit to Trotter Galleries permits an exclusive look at spaces dedicated to the history of major art and literary figures in California’s colorful history, such as Samuel F. B. Morse, Francis McComas, John Steinbeck, and Robert Louis Stevenson. We conclude our day with drinks and refreshments here, raising a glass to the characters who shaped the Monterey Peninsula and found themselves shaped by it.

Included: B, L, R

Saturday, March 20

Our final day brings us to Monterey, where Spanish, Mexican, and American history survive in the city’s historic architecture. We begin at San Carlos Cathedral, whose origins reach to the founding of Monterey in 1770 and which remains the oldest continuously operating parish in California. Nearby Colton Hall, completed in 1849, recalls a pivotal moment in the state’s history as the site where delegates gathered to draft California’s first constitution. After a reviving local lunch, the afternoon turns to Monterey’s distinctive domestic architecture, beginning with a visit to the Larkin House, built in 1835 by merchant and U.S. consul to Mexico Thomas O. Larkin. Combining New England building traditions with the adobe construction prevalent in Mexican California, the house gave rise to the influential Monterey Colonial style. In 1922, Mrs. Alice Larkin Toulmin—Thomas Larkin’s granddaughter—purchased and beautifully restored her ancestral home, filling it with exquisite early-19th-century decorative arts from around the world. We continue to Casa Amesti Adobe, now known as the Old Capital Club, an exceptional 19th-century adobe transformed in the 1920s by pioneering California designer Frances Elkins. We are welcomed to the private gentlemen’s club by Elkins historian Scott Powell and Elkins’s grandson David Boyd, who share objects and stories from a vivacious life and legacy of work, followed by a drinks reception in the garden. After returning to Carmel-by-the-Sea, we gather once more for a festive closing dinner at the home of long-time Trust members who help us to celebrate the conclusion of our exploration of the Monterey Peninsula.

Included: B, L, R, D

Sunday, March 21

Guests depart for the Monterey or San Jose Airport, or continue their travels at their leisure.

Included: B

Registration fee: $4,550 per person, based on double occupancy for 4 nights.

Included in the Trip Cost: Hotel accommodations. Private airport transfers. All breakfasts (B), lunches (L), receptions (R), and dinners (D) referenced above. Private coach transportation; local guides; admission in museums and historic houses; gratuities for professional guides and coach drivers.

Not included in the trip cost: Airfare, alcoholic beverages other than when provided, personal expenses, and trip insurance. Please do not make your airline reservations until you have received written confirmation of your registration from the Trust.

Single supplement: The single supplement is $900.

Membership: All participants must be members of the Decorative Arts Trust. Click here to see membership levels and benefits.

Itinerary: The schedule outlined in this itinerary is contracted at this time but subject to change as necessary.

Participation: The program is limited to a maximum of 25 participants and requires a minimum of 20. The trip will be cancelled if undersubscribed and refunds will be issued. We will organize and maintain a waiting list on the basis of the time requests are received.

Activity Level: The Trust’s itineraries are planned with care and attention to detail to ensure a memorable and rewarding experience for all participants. This itinerary includes standing for long periods of time, walking on uneven surfaces, and ascending and descending stairs without handrails. Please consider if this program is suited for your health, physical condition, and individual circumstances, understanding that this is a group event and the inclusion of participants who are not mobile enough to cope with these conditions can greatly diminish the experience for other guests.

Cancellations and refunds: All cancellations received by December 11, 2026, are subject to a full refund less a $250 administrative fee per person. Participants canceling between December 11 and February 5, 2027, will receive a 50% refund. Refunds will not be made after April 3, 2026. THE TRUST STRONGLY ENCOURAGES ALL PARTICIPANTS TO PURCHASE TRAVEL INSURANCE TO PROTECT AGAINST CANCELLATIONS DUE TO ILLNESS, INJURY, AND OTHER DISRUPTIONS.