Monterey County Special Occasion Outings (Pandemic Safe!)

Do you have a birthday you want to celebrate? Or, are you looking for a substitute for a canceled weekend trip? We rounded up five creative ideas – any of them would set the stage for a special afternoon.

1. Hydrobiking in The Elkhorn Slough. A hydro bike is a water bike that lets you cruise at 5 miles per hour without a ton of effort. You can ride the bike in even the windiest and waviest conditions. They are almost impossible to tip over, so the ride is safe and fun.

Hydrobikes are available for rent from Monterey Hydrobikes in Moss Landing. You can also book a guided tour if you prefer to have some guidance and an instructional component to your outing. You’ll be peddling in the Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Reserve. The central channel winds through seven miles inland with 2,500 acres of rich marsh and tidal flats. Pelicans, herons, and egrets, as well as countless fish, sharks, crabs, sea lions, and otters, call the slough home.

Most children ages ten and up can ride alone, as long as they can reach the pedals. Rentals start at $40 per hour. Guided Tours are offered Thursday through Sunday at 10:30 am and 1:30 pm. • 2370 California 1, Moss Landing • www.montereybayhydrobikes.com

2. Winery picnic. If you’re a member of Folktale Winery’s wine club, you can enjoy the Rose Vineyard for a picnic with wine and a gourmet lunch. Included with each picnic are five items prepared by Folktale’s talented culinary team. Wines are available for purchase. Picnic reservations are available Friday-Sunday from 12 pm-4:30 pm. Reservations are limited and required. All reservations are for a maximum of six guests and have a two hour limit per group. Guests must be 21+ and wear a mask upon entry. No pets or outside food/drink. Picnics are $45 per person.

If you aren’t a wine club member, you can still make a reservation for a table on the beautiful sun-drenched patio. Enjoy appetizers or a full meal with a glass of Folktale wine while you socially distance and enjoy the blue Carmel Valley sky and a warm breeze. 8940 Carmel Valley Rd. Carmel, 93923 • https://folktalewinery.com

3. Vintage car excursion. Imagine driving down Highway 1 to Big Sur in a 1964 Thunderbird convertible or a Special Occasion Fun (All suggestions allow you to safely social distance). 1957 Porsche 356 Speedster. Stop along the route to take in the beautiful scenery and fill your phone with awesome Instagram-worthy pictures. Park your beauty at Rocky Point while you enjoy lunch on the patio. Monterey Tour Vehicles offers a variety of iconic classic automobiles for partial or full-day rentals starting at $200 for a half-day rental. Each car comes with a filled tank, and you have 100 miles per day included in the rental. Renters must be 25 years or older and have a valid U.S. driver’s license and auto insurance. www.montereytouringvehicles.com

4. Kayak in The Elkhorn Slough. The Elkhorn Slough is one of the top 10 wildlife viewing destinations in the nation. With over six miles of navigable waterway inland from the Monterey Bay, the Elkhorn slough is the largest tidal salt marsh in California outside of the San Francisco Bay.

It is a hotspot for migratory birds, marine mammals, and fish, and a happy haven for the endangered California Southern Sea Otter. Hundreds of sea otters gather daily to rest, groom, hunt for clams and rear their pups in the Elkhorn Slough’s predator protected waters. The Elkhorn Slough is a kayaker’s paradise with calm waters, limited large vessel traffic, and wildlife encounters around every bend.

The best weather arrives in the fall when the summer marine fog layer lifts, and we have calm, sunny, warm days through October.

Kayak Connection offers closed-decked kayaks that are more maneuverable and keep customers warmer and dryer than a standard sit-on-top kayak. Kayaks: $40 for single, $70 for double, $80 for triple • 2370 Highway 1, Moss Landing, 95039 • kayakconnection.com

5. Whale watching in Moss Landing. A morning or afternoon spent watching and photographing whales, dolphins, porpoises, sea otters, harbor seals, sea lions, albatrosses, shearwaters, and auklets sounds like a dream birthday celebration to us. What makes a whale watching trip with Fast Rafts so unique is the vessel. The Ranger provides a low-to-the-water, open platform that is ideal for wildlife viewing and photography.

With a maximum of six passengers, Fast Raft staff can meet Coronavirus precautions so that your trip is safe. You can even book all six tickets to ensure you get the entire boat for your group. Children 8 and up are welcome

From September through November, tours leave from Moss Landing. Beginning in December, tours depart from Monterey. Excursions can be booked online and are $185 per person. Fast Raft Whale Watching • www.fastraft.com