Transportation

Flying to Monterey County

Getting to the Monterey Peninsula and the Portola Hotel & Spa couldn’t be easier. Fly directly into Monterey Regional Airport (MRY) located just 10 minutes from the hotel. If you choose this option, it is unlikely that you will need a rental car as most everything related to the conference is in walking distance, and there are convenient shuttles from the airport to the hotel.

Airlines servicing the Monterey Peninsula Airport include American, United, Alaska, Allegiant, and US Airways, offering over 80 flights daily.

• Flights from San Diego to MRY served by Alaska Airlines
• Flights from Los Angeles to MRY served by United Airlines

Flying into Monterey (MRY), UC has agreements with most major airlines, including Southwest, United, American, Delta, and Alaska. There are definite perks that come with booking with a UC authorized agency via Connexxus.

Shuttle Service

The Portola Hotel & Spa does not have a hotel shuttle service; however, guests are encouraged to call the Monterey Shuttle Airbus or Yellow Cab Taxi service for transportation needs from Monterey, San Francisco, and San Jose airports.

• Monterey Shuttle Airbus - (831) 373-7777
• Monterey Airbus and Main Event Transportation offer convenient door-to-door service to and from SFO and SJC.
• Yellow Cab - (831) 333-1234
• Uber Monterey CA

Monterey County by Car

Car rentals with UC rates include collision damage (CDW) and liability (LDW) with National, Enterprise, Hertz, Dollar, and Thrifty.

Any route to Monterey provides a scenic drive. Several options will bring you to your destination.

From Points North:

There are three routes to take from the north (San Francisco).

1. The fastest is 101 South to 156 West (near Prunedale) to Hwy 1 South. This route is about 120 miles and takes roughly two hours.
2. A second route travels a direct, yet partially twisty road towards Santa Cruz, then south to Monterey. Take 280 South to 85 South (San Jose area) to 17 South (Santa Cruz) to Hwy 1 South. Travel another 40 miles to Monterey. Hwy 17 can also be reached from Hwy 101. Take 880 South (San Jose area), and it will become Hwy 17. Follow this until it intersects with Hwy 1. Continue 40 miles on to Monterey. This route is about 115 miles and also takes roughly two hours.

The longest, yet most scenic route is Hwy 1 all the way from San Francisco. It is also about 120 miles, but the roads can be slow. Allow at least three hours for this journey.

From Points North:

There are two routes to Monterey from the south.

1. The fastest is Hwy 101 North (to Salinas), then west on Hwy 68, approximately 25 miles to Hwy 1. Allow 6 hours from Los Angeles, which is roughly 350 miles.
2. The famous, scenic coastal route is California Highway 1 North, which winds through Big Sur and into Carmel and Monterey. While it is the same distance, the roads are narrower, and the breathtaking views require a decrease in speed. Allow 7 hours from Los Angeles.

Monterey County by Bus or Train

Amtrak's Coast Starlight train cruises through Salinas, each day on its route between Seattle, Washington, and Los Angeles, providing a leisurely and scenic way to travel. Free bus service is provided from Salinas to downtown Monterey, a 30-minute ride. There is also a Greyhound station in Salinas with connecting service to Monterey.