Monterey: A Place of Literary Inspiration

In this week’s blog we explore Monterey and its surrounding areas as a literary inspiration. Written by our own Concierge, Chris Boyle, you’ll uncover the most scenic locations that inspired some of the most renowned writers, and discover how to experience them on your next visit to Monterey County!

Monterey County has long captivated writers seeking inspiration. Its breathtaking coastline, rich history, and unique charm attract poets, Pulitzer Prize winners, and novelists alike. With destinations such as Carmel-by-the-Sea, Big Sur, the Salinas Valley, and historic Monterey, each offers distinctive landscapes and culture, making the region a true literary haven.

Carmel Point

Hurt Hawks by Robinson Jeffers

Robinson Jeffers was a well-known American poet inspired by the natural beauty of the Central Coast, especially Point Lobos and Carmel-by-the-Sea, which served as a muse for much of his writing and ideas.

In 1919, he purchased land at Carmel Point and built a house with the help of local stone workers. He was inspired by a Tudor barn his wife admired in England, and they named the house Tor House because it sits on a rocky peak—a "tor" in Gaelic.

Nearby, Jeffers constructed a forty-foot stone structure known as Hawk Tower, personally selecting and placing each granite boulder, some weighing as much as 400 pounds. His connection to nature and the rugged landscape deepened his love for the area and became an essential aspect of his poetry.

An early pioneer of the environmental movement, Jeffers spoke out against overpopulation, pollution, and the depletion of natural resources. In his poem Hurt Hawks (1928), he declared, "I'd sooner kill a man … than a hawk," showing his contempt for humanity's self-destructive tendencies. Point Lobos and the preserved Tor House and Hawk Tower provide a glimpse into the landscapes that inspired him. https://www.torhouse.org/.

Carmel-by-the-Sea

The Valley of the Moon by Jack London

Jack London experienced Carmel-by-the-Sea as a literary haven, an inspiring environment for writers and artists to escape the pressures of city life. London enjoyed the fellowship of this bohemian community, where he could interact with like-minded artists and writers, including Upton Sinclair, Robinson Jeffers, and George Sterling, who served as inspiration for the novel's characters and settings.  

London vividly captured the essence of early twentieth-century Carmel in his novel The Valley of the Moon (1913), where he depicts a striking scene of the “cream-wet sand where land and sea met,” where poets and writers flourish in “woods-embowered cottages,” enjoying a carefree existence, cooking fish and abalone on the beach, while engaging in intellectual debates. https://www.carmelcalifornia.com/carmel-beach/.

The Carmel Art Association, established in 1927 to succeed the earlier Arts and Crafts Club, continues to play a pivotal role in defining and shaping the area's unique art community today. https://carmelart.org/history/.

Monterey

Cannery Row, Sweet Thursday, and The Log from the Sea of Cortez by John Steinbeck

Steinbeck was inspired by much of Monterey County, which served as the setting for several of his most famous novels, including Tortilla Flat, Cannery Row, East of Eden, and Sweet Thursday.

Steinbeck's famous novel, Cannery Row (1945), depicts the lively sardine canning factories of the Great Depression, as well as the gritty atmosphere of the declining industrial waterfront. His close relationships with canning workers, roughnecks, and outcasts shaped the eccentric, resilient characters in his stories. https://canneryrow.com/.  

"Doc," a young marine biologist based on Steinbeck's close friend Ed Ricketts, is a memorable character in Cannery Row and the sequel, Sweet Thursday. Their shared experiences and theories about marine life and philosophy greatly influenced Steinbeck's themes.

In The Log from the Sea of Cortez, he writes about his friendship with and love for Ed Ricketts. "I knew Ed Ricketts instantly. I knew him from the start, and I knew him better than anyone else for the next eighteen years.” Their friendship was so close, his first wife thought their relationship was, as Princess Diana once put it, "more than a little crowded."

Doc's lab is known as Western Biological in the novel. Ricketts lived and worked there, both in the story and in real life. It’s located across from the Monterey Bay Aquarium. https://montereypl.libcal.com/event/15698496. 

*As an FYI, Netflix is creating a seven-episode limited series based on John Steinbeck's East of Eden, with a premiere targeted for the first half of 2026.

Big Sur

Big Sur by Jack Kerouac

Jack Kerouac wrote his semi-autobiographical novel Big Sur (1962) in a small, rustic cabin located in Bixby Canyon, California. The cabin belonged to his friend and fellow Beat poet, Lawrence Ferlinghetti. During this time, Kerouac was grappling with the complexities of fame and doubt following the success of his earlier work, On the Road.

Big Sur chronicles three trips to Raton Canyon, also known as Bixby Canyon, along the California coast. The rugged beauty and spiritual allure of this area profoundly inspired Kerouac. For him, it was both a physical escape and a psychological backdrop, reflecting his struggles with depression, alcoholism, and a desire for spiritual fulfillment. https://www.visitcalifornia.com/experience/bixby-bridge/.

The nervous breakdown described in the book was based on real experiences. The narrator, who represents Kerouac himself, believes that nature—along with self-reliance, spiritual purity, and truth—might save his soul. However, by the end of the book, this optimism is revealed to be little more than a misguided illusion.

The cabin is nestled in the woods near Bixby Creek Bridge. Although it remains private and inaccessible to the public, the area serves as a pilgrimage site for literary fans. I encourage you to visit the Henry Miller Memorial Library, a cultural hub in Big Sur that celebrates the region's bohemian past. https://www.henrymiller.org/.

By capturing various aspects of Monterey County—Jeffers with its timeless landscape, London with its lively creative atmosphere, Steinbeck with its human drama, and Kerouac with its spiritual refuge—these writers established the area as a source of American literary imagination.

Experience Monterey Firsthand

Whether you’re familiar with these works of literature or just discovering them, experiencing these locations in person will offer now offer a deeper way to connect with the destination. Visit Monterey firsthand and make the Portola Hotel & Spa your home base for the adventure. To book your stay, by visit our website or call us at (888)-222-5851.