Commute from Pacific Grove to Salinas (Monterey: houses, live in, moving to)

[ssm4ssm4]

Hi all,

I may have a job op in Salinas and am considering moving to Pacific Grove. What's the commute like from PG to Salinas? p.s. I hate long commutes with lots of traffic.

[MtnSurfer]

Hmm... Its not too far down the 68. But the 68 gets some rush hour traffic. So an alternative route is HWY 1 > Reservation > W. Blanco. You might want to try the drive out yourself during rush hour. Everyone has a difference tolerance for traffic.

On seconds thought you may want to consider Monterey as well. I have lived in PG and Monterey and find Monterey more convenient when it comes to commuting anywhere because it is closer to HWY 1. And now that we live in the sunbelt of Monterey I like the area more as well. Although PG does have its charms and the best beach - Asilomar. But to drive there from Monterey isn't that far.

Derek

[RoadHazard]

MtnSurfer is right, the standard route is along Highway 68, which runs straight between PG/Monterey and Salinas. The good news is, most of the commute traffic will be coming the other way: Salinas residents going to their jobs in Pacific Grove, Monterey, Carmel, or Pebble Beach. Your eastbound commute might not be too bad.

Figure about 45 minutes, depending on where you're starting in PG and where you're ending in Salinas.

(By the way, no one calls it "the 68" unless you're from southern California. )

It's true that Monterey is a bit closer to both Highway 68 and Highway 1 than Pacific Grove is. That's part of the charm of PG: it's farther from the freeways. But really, it depends mostly on your specific address. Some houses near the top of the hill in PG are quite close to 68 and/or 1. Others are 10-15 minutes away. The specific house will make more difference than the city, methinks.