- This article is about King City, California. For King City, Canada, see King (Ontario)
King City is a city in the central region of California between San Jose and San Luis Obispo. Considered the mid-way point between Central and Southern California, King City is both a popular pit-stop for drivers, and a nice little town to visit.
Understand
Climate
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Get in
King City is on Highway 101, one of California's main highways, roughly 3 hours north of Santa Barbara and 3 hours south of the San Francisco Bay Area. It is home to the local Highway Patrol, so watch your speed even if just passing by.
Greyhound buses stop at 730 S 1st St.
Get around
By car
To find the 'real' town, hop off the freeway on Canal Street and go east to where it dead-ends on Broadway.
To get back on the freeway, continue south on Broadway until it dead-ends in First Street, and circle west back to the freeway.
See
- 1 Monterey County Agricultural & Rural Life Museum, 1160 Broadway St, ☏ 1 831-385-8020. Exhibits are open Tu-Sa: 10AM-4PM, Su: 11AM-4PM, closed Mo. This museum offers hands-on interpretive exhibits about the region's agricultural heritage and history from 1875 through World War II. The museum complex includes three interpretive buildings: the Exhibit Barn, Olson Blacksmith Shop, the History of Irrigation Museum; the latter two are only open Friday through Sunday. In addition, there are three historic buildings that are only open Friday through Sunday: the Spreckels House (1898), the La Gloria Schoolhouse (1887), and the King City Train Depot (1903). Guided tours are also available Friday through Sunday. $6 per car Mo-Fr, $8 per car Sa-Su, seniors and walk-ins are free.
Do
- 1 Salinas Valley Fair, 625 Division St (Salinas Valley Fairgrounds). Held annually in early May, the Salinas Valley Fair features rides, cowboys, horse shows, a rodeo, bull riding, fair food, wine tasting, live music, and the Miss Salinas Valley Fair contest. There are also talent shows (advised for those that enjoy teenage dance groups) and 4-H exhibits. Children's activities range from petting zoos to kid's karaoke. $8 for adults, $6 for seniors (60 ), $6 for ages 6-17, and free children under 6.
Buy
Eat
Chain restaurants are located near the freeway and the hotels. For example, just off the northern exit include Taco Bell, McDonalds, and Denny's. There are a number of Mexican restaurants in central King City.
- 1 La Potranca, 201 Broadway St. If you're hungry and just passing through, skip the fast food and instead go for something local. Make your way south on Broadway to Second Street, and stop at a little taco stand for traditional Mexican food and drinks.
- 2 Cork & Plow, 200 Broadway St (Exit Highway 101 at Broadway, go east on Broadway. It is between 2nd and 3rd streets), ☏ 1 831 386-9491. 11-9 Sun-Thurs; 11-10 Fri-Sat. Modern restaurant featuring local ingredients, local craft beer, local wine, and specialty cocktails featuring house made mixers and fresh squeezed juices.
Drink
- Tice's Potions.
Sleep
A number of hotels are located in King City, as it is one of the few cities along U.S. 101 between Paso Robles and Salinas. Many are located near exits to U.S. 101.
- 1 SureStay Hotel by Best Western King City, 4 Broadway Circle, ☏ 1 831 385-4646, toll-free: 1-800-350-5616.
- 2 Day's Inn, 1130 Broadway (@US 101), ☏ 1 831 385-5921. Check-in: 12PM, check-out: 11AM.
- 3 Fireside Inn, 640 Broadway St (at Mildred in central King City), ☏ 1 831 386-1010.
- 4 Keefer's Inn, 615 Canal St (Exit Canal Street), ☏ 1 831 385-4843. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 11AM. 47 Units Inn W/Swimming pool, Hot-Tub, Free High speed Internet,Business center, On site restaurant, Free Continental Breakfast, Nice Clean Rooms 69.
- 5 Motel 6 King City, 3 Broadway Circle (@ US 101), ☏ 1 831 385-5000, fax: 1 831 385-0943.
- 6 Quality Inn King City Hotel, 1190 Broadway, ☏ 1 831 385-6733. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. The Quality Inn King City hotel located near Monterey Bay and Carmel in Central California. Information on local attractions, rates, rooms, and reservations. Enjoy the comforts of home when you stay at Quality Inn King City Inn! Each of our gracious Standard King, Standard Queen and Double Queen guestrooms is a model of comforting convenience. $120.
- 7 Queen Motel, 702 S 1st St, ☏ 1 831 385-5804.
Go next
- Soledad - Located 21 miles north of King City on Highway 101, Soledad is the western gateway to Pinnacles National Park and also home to Mission Soledad, one of 21 historic Spanish missions in California. The town is also home to several wineries, with tasting rooms that offer magnificent views over the Santa Lucia Highlands and the Salinas Valley.
| Routes through King City |
Salinas ← Soledad ← Jct W ← | N  S | → Jct  E → San Miguel → San Luis Obispo |