You know about the fabulous views, beaches, marine mammals, and shorebirds….
Now, it’s time to learn a little bit about the unusual and rare plants that live along the Monterey Bay. The beach and dune habitats are home to many unique plants, many found only along this beautiful coastline.
There are many wonderful resources for identifying and studying these rare plants.
One of our host hotels, the Sanctuary Beach Resort in Marina, provides interpretive plaques along pathways in the resort showing various plants found in the dunes. Once you’ve mastered the common plants you may wish to try your hand at the rare and endangered species. A great website to visit for this worthwhile endeavor is found here.
Walking through California’s newest State Park, Ft. Ord Dunes, offers one an amazing chance to see numerous rare wildflowers and plants. This extensive list with photos is invaluable.
Many plants you see along your hike around the Monterey Bay can only be found in this unique environment.
Plan a trip in May or June of 2011 to see wildflowers and dune plants in bloom.