It’s appropriate that Monterey, one of California’s oldest cities, also boasts the state’s most famous ’hood. But Cannery Row, long a tourist magnet for Steinbeck fans and aficionados of Americana, is transcending its contentment as a “living museum” (complete with way too many T-shirt shops).

From dining to deep-sea research, Cannery Row is far more than a legendary lane once lined with sardine factories. It’s now its own destination, one with the good sense to steward its historic roots in more modern manifestations.

Here's a map to help you explore Cannery Row:

1) First Awakenings

125 Ocean View Blvd., in the American Tin Cannery Outlet; 831-372-1125; firstawakenings.net

Start your morning at this honest diner whose giant portions and low prices seem more geared at migrant fishermen who once plied these shores than the in-the-know tourists who queue daily for the Frisbee-sized fruit pancakes and sprawling huevos rancheros. Eat here late enough in the morning and you won’t need lunch.

2) Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail

Burn off the morning fuel by tackling some of the 40-km stretch of waterfront. Hugging the Cannery Row shore and tracing the route of the old Southern Pacific Railroad, the trail is for non-motorized use only. It’s a perfect way to access the local sand and the sea otters, seals and birdlife that call it home.

MacAbee Beach—so tiny at less than a quarter-acre, you’re likely to miss it—is perhaps the most heavily used band of sand in California, with everyone from kayakers to scuba divers using it for briny access. If you need more room, stroll up north to San Carlos Beach to scamper up the sea rocks, or just loll about on any of the plentiful benches.

3) Adventures by the Sea

If you want to get closer to the life aquatic than just standing on a beach (and, given how adorable the sea otters are, you will), then take a guided, two-hour kayak tour with Adventures by the Sea. Be sure to ask the company for the best time of day to go. Depending on the season, it tends to get pretty windy either in the morning or afternoon.

4) Monterey Bay Aquarium

You’ve probably heard that Monterey’s aquarium is one of the best in the world. But what you’ll likely not hear, unless you experience this altar to the big blue, is that the bay is one of the deepest underwater canyons in the world, and it starts pretty much at the shore.

Deep-sea exploration, and resulting biodiversity, both thrive. If you’re still not impressed, then sate yourself by doing “blowfish” on the glass of the million-gallon tank, which connects right to the bay below. Opening this month, the aquarium’s newly transformed galleries invites visitors to experience close encounters with seabirds, sharks, jellyfish, turtles and more.

5) Cannery Row Brewing Company

Grab lunch at this new brewing company, a locally committed proprietor with 73 beers on tap and the best salmon burgers south of San Francisco. Owners David Bernahl and Rob Weakley, founders of the internationally lauded Pebble Beach Food & Wine event, haven’t skimped on the details in sharing California’s diverse ingredients with beer-lovers. The suds aren’t the only things that’s heritage; the brewpub is housed in one of Cannery Row’s oldest buildings.

6) Cannery Row Antique Mall

For a piece of Old Monterey (not to mention Manhattan and 19th-century Paris), head to the two-storey Cannery Row Antique Mall, where 100-plus vendors peddle treasures from Old America.

Give yourself an hour to browse archival photos, books, children’s toys and other things you didn’t realize you needed until you saw them (“That vintage San Francisco trolley map will look darling over the fireplace.”). Another reason to linger in this local institution sooner rather than later: rumours refuse to die about its sale and the conversion of the cannery shell into condos.

7) Schooners Bistro on the Bay

At sunset, grab a table at one of Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa’s two oceanfront dining rooms. The more-posh option is Schooners Bistro on the Bay where, with a reservation, you can dine a crouton’s throw from the water on a heated outdoor terrace and sip on one of the many cool-climate Monterey wines on offer, while watching the fishing boats slice the orange bay as the sun descends into the satiny Pacific.

For a more-casual option, the Duck Club Grill serves up the same epic eye candy, but with the added luxury of allowing you to keep your cargo shorts on. The Duck prides itself on its local staples, so ask the staff what’s in season. If you have to wait for a table, explore the amazing property—a converted mansion dripping with historic photos and pieces that would make the town archives envious.

Photos courtesy of the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Adventures by the Sea, Cannery Row Brewing Company and by Bryce Meyer