District Blog

The New Monterey Business Association congratulates the 12 Lighthouse District businesses and organizations that won Monterey County Weekly's Best of Monterey County 2025. Click the links to read what the Weekly’s writers and editors had to say about each business.

Bulldog Sports Pub
Best Bar for Darts

Crystal Fish
Best Japanese / Sushi

First Awakenings
Best Breakfast
Best Biscuits and Gravy

Gianni's Pizza
Best Pizza Place

Goodwill
Best Thrift Shop

Hula's Island Grill
Best Specialty Cocktails
Best Restaurant for Gluten-Free

Lighthouse Bistro Global Cuisine
Best Menu that Actually Offers Something for Everyone

Lighthouse Books
Best Bookstore - Used

Monterey Bay Aquarium
Best Local Nonprofit / Best Place to Take Visitors

On The Beach Surf Shop
...Read More

Need a new sofa? Mattress Nation's Monterey location, at 296 Lighthouse Avenue, has a special floor model clearance sofa that needs to find a new home. Stop by the showroom and try it out!

This sofa is stain-resistant, incredibly comfortable, soft to the touch, made from wood and memory foam (no particle board!), with a pull-out bed and all of the pillows included.

Listed at half-off the already reduced sticker price. This is a Monterey in-store purchase only to the Monterey area. We will deliver within our local area and take away your old sofa if needed.

Call 831-704-3000 for more information. We're open 10am-6pm daily.

Rosebuds Kids Co., located at 535 Foam Street in Monterey, has some wonderful, gently used children's Halloween costumes in stock! Stop by the shop and catch a great deal. We're open Tue-Fri, 9am-4pm, and Sat, 10am-4pm.

About Rosebuds Kids Co.

Rosebuds Kids Co. is a kids' resale clothing shop. From baby basics to big kid favorites (10-12 years), you'll find gently loved clothing, shoes, and accessories that are ready for their next adventure.

Casey Starks Studio wishes everyone a happy spooky season! Casey's annual owl, ghost, and skeleton ceramic collections have landed - new goods are available now both on her website and in the shop at 550 Lighthouse Avenue, Suite A in Monterey. All of them are handmade by Casey.

This year you’ll find trinket dishes and trays in a few different sizes. They’re very useful for holding tea bags in the kitchen, your morning vitamins, rings and earrings on your nightstand, or a candle on your coffee table. They’re all a little bit sassy.

We all have a favorite milkshake - commonly vanilla, chocolate, or strawberry. But are you in the mood to try something different for a change? Something truly surprising and delicious? Stop by American Burger and try our original specialty shakes!

At American Burger, we not only offer everybody's tried-and-true favorites, we also offer original milkshakes such as the Vanilla Avocado, Peanut Butter Vanilla, Mocha Cappuccino, Chocolate Banana, Coffee Vanilla, Oreo Cookie Vanilla, and (our favorite) the Crazy Shake featuring peanut butter, bacon, and vanilla.

Visit American Burger at 738 Lighthouse Avenue in Monterey and tempt your taste buds with something completely new and fun! Our restaurant is family owned and family friendly.

On The Beach Surf Shop now has the new Aloha Collection dopp kit bag in stock! You can fit all of your travel necessities in this bag and since it's splash proof, anything that spills inside it (i.e. sunscreen, makeup, etc.) can easily be rinsed away.

These bags are super easy to throw in your travel or overnight bag and help you stay organized. Visit On The Beach at 693 Lighthouse Avenue in Monterey and check out our selection of Aloha Collection bags!

At Play Full Ground micro high school in Monterey's Lighthouse District we wonder: what if a birthday breakfast could be a project-based learning experience?

One day, we turned a birthday breakfast into a project-based learning experience! How? Through menu planning (using organizational skills and creativity), cooking (using math and science), and building community as we share a meal. It’s a beautiful reminder that learning happens anywhere and can be fun.

Play Full Ground is a place for dreamers, makers, and everyday artists to play full out. Want to learn more about our school at 550 Lighthouse Avenue, Suite E, in Monterey? Visit our website.

Fashion Trade now has more than 100 beautiful dresses for Homecoming available in a variety of colors and styles. Whether you're in Monterey, Seaside, PG, or Carmel, come check them out at our boutique, located at 554 Lighthouse Avenue in Monterey. Let our staff help you look fabulous!

Fashion Trade is open 6 days a week, 12pm-6:30pm (closed Tuesday).

Also Seeking Models...

We're also currently looking for volunteer models to try on and model our homecoming dresses. No experience required. If you're interested, please visit us at the shop or send us a DM via Instagram.

Winter is coming, and Fashion Trade has new coats arriving weekly. Stop by and see our collection of stylish vintage outerwear at 554 Lighthouse Avenue in Monterey. We have warm jackets for all occasions.

Current Comics at 400 Lighthouse Avenue in Monterey now has in stock the first Marvel / DC crossover comic in over 20 years, Deadpool / Batman #1, released on September 17, 2025.

Deadpool / Batman #1

Deadpool / Batman #1 is an incredible, 64 page one-shot comic with 7 different stories inside for just $6.99. We still have 2 covers in stock: the main cover and a 1:25 ratio cover. Want to possess all 21 covers? We have a single edition containing a full set of all 21 covers available for $350 for the hard-core fan.

Batman / Deadpool #1

Stay tuned, bat lovers! Deadpool / Batman #1 of September will be followed in November by Batman / Deadpool #1, a DC / Marvel collaboration in which DC takes the lead.

Also...New Fun Comics #1

This coming Wednesday, September 24, Curent Comics will have New Fun Comics #1 on our shelves. It's an exact replica of the first DC comics ever put out in 1935 (before they were even named DC Comics).

This book is an anthology of different comic stories, each 1-2 pages long. With a variety of characters to explore that haven't been seen in almost 100 years, like Buckskin Jim the Trailblazer or Sandra of the Secret Service. And on every page there's the continuing story of Oswald the Rabbit, a character originally created in 1927 by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks before the advent of Mickey Mouse. Stop by the shop and ask about it.

Current Comics has recently been buying collections of vintage comics and making them available for sale. We now have a bunch of good titles from DC and Marvel comics from the 1980s and a couple hundred DC Silver Age books from the 1960s-1970s, including military stories set in WWII including Our Fighting Forces, Our Army at War, and more titles.

Our selection is ever-changing as we slowly work through the collections we've acquired, price them, and make them available to you. All are at the store at 400 Lighthouse Avenue in Monterey, and some are also available on our website.

Welcome to Lighthouse District in the News, an occasional post featuring recent news articles on Monterey's Lighthouse District. Please click the link below to read the article.

New seasonal cocktails at Pearl Hour bring serious expression to fresh flavors
by Dave Faries
Monterey County NOW, 09/04/25

Monterey Core Fitness introduces our newest personal trainer, Elizabeth Ray, to our women's fitness studio at 191 Lighthouse Avenue in Monterey.

About

Elizabeth brings an incredible background as a former D1 athlete, youth athletic trainer, and NASM certified personal trainer. On top of her professional experience, she's walked her own powerful fitness and weight loss journey, making her passionate about helping others feel strong, capable, and confident.

Personal Training

Elizabeth specializes in functional-based training, focusing on strength, mobility, and nutrition - not just for sport, but for the movement and energy you need every single day. Having overcome injuries and limited mobility herself, she knows firsthand how empowering it is to rebuild and grow stronger.

Is This for You?

Elizabeth strongly believes that exercise and wellness are for everyone. No matter your experience or goals, she’s here to meet you where you’re at and guide you forward. Whether you’re looking to build strength, improve mobility, or boost your overall health, Elizabeth is ready to help.

Make an Appointment

She's available for personal training consultations on Tuesdays, 4pm-7pm, and Thursdays, 4pm-7pm. Make your appointment for a one-on-one or two-on-one buddy session.

Tattoo artist Janice Komar (Ink by Janice), will be in residence at Gold Coast Tattoo October 24 - November 1. Sessions are limited. Deposit required. Book through her website. Gold Coast is located at 639 Lighthouse Avenue in Monterey.

About Janice Komar

Janice is the owner of Opal Lotus Tattoo Shop in Houston, Texas. With nearly two decades of experience in the tattoo industry and a background in painting since 1989, Janice brings a unique perspective and artistic flair to every project.

Her specialties include black and grey, blackwork, fine line, neo-traditional, traditional, and color. Themes include floral, pets, gothic, geometric, nature, sweet and scary, and more. She welcomes small and large tattoo projects.

Cypress Boutique is having a Summer Clearance Sale! Get 50% off women's summer dresses, blouses, pants/shorts/skirts, hats, and purses. AND get 50% off men's summer shirts and shorts.

Any items that were already marked-down? Take an extra 25% off!

Come shop your favorites before they're gone. Cypress Boutique is located at 800 Lighthouse Avenue, Suite C in Monterey.

Did you know? Lighthouse Bistro Global Cuisine serves breakfast and brunch every weekend at 570 Lighthouse Avenue in Monterey.

Saturdays and Sundays, 9am-3pm, enjoy omelets, eggs benedict, pancakes, salads, sandwiches, kibbeh, momo (dumplings), and much more. Plus, get a mimosa or a glass of sparking wine for only $5.