Salinas travel guide

Salinas Tourism | Salinas Guide

You're Going to Love Salinas

With a population of 150,441, Salinas is a must-see destination in California, United States. Salinas deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.

Where to Eat in Salinas

If you’re looking for affordable options, Alvarado On Main - Salinas (301 Main St) and BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse - Salinas (1730 N Main St) are great picks.

When to visit Salinas

Salinas in January
Estimated hotel price
$111
1 night at 3-star hotel
Salinas in January
Estimated hotel price
$111
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to Salinas in August, when the average temperature is 60.8 °F, and the highest can go up to 64.4 °F. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 39.2 °F, with an average temperature of 50 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in January, when precipitation is around 2.8″. In contrast, May is usually the driest month of the year in Salinas, with an average rainfall of 0″.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to Salinas

Plane

When flying to Salinas, you’ll arrive at Monterey Regional (MRY), which is located 12 miles from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Salinas include Air Canada, Avianca and Copa Airlines. The shortest domestic flight to Salinas departs from Ontario and takes around 1h 20m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Salinas. The train journey from Salinas to Sacramento takes 1h 37m and costs around $29 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Fresno, expect to pay about $28 for a 4h 00m trip. The train station in Salinas is called Salinas, and is located 0.1 miles from the city center.

Car

Another option to get to Salinas is to pick up a car rental from San Francisco, which is about 87 miles from Salinas. You’ll find branches of Kyte and Sixt, among others, in San Francisco.

Bus

You can travel by bus to Salinas using Greyhound or FlixBus. From Oakland, the bus ride to Salinas takes 25 miles and will cost you around $9. From Reno, the ticket costs about $25 for a journey of 395 miles.

Plane

When flying to Salinas, you’ll arrive at Monterey Regional (MRY), which is located 12 miles from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Salinas include Air Canada, Avianca and Copa Airlines. The shortest domestic flight to Salinas departs from Ontario and takes around 1h 20m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Salinas. The train journey from Salinas to Sacramento takes 1h 37m and costs around $29 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Fresno, expect to pay about $28 for a 4h 00m trip. The train station in Salinas is called Salinas, and is located 0.1 miles from the city center.

Car

Another option to get to Salinas is to pick up a car rental from San Francisco, which is about 87 miles from Salinas. You’ll find branches of Kyte and Sixt, among others, in San Francisco.

Bus

You can travel by bus to Salinas using Greyhound or FlixBus. From Oakland, the bus ride to Salinas takes 25 miles and will cost you around $9. From Reno, the ticket costs about $25 for a journey of 395 miles.

Airports near Salinas

Airlines serving Salinas

Lufthansa
Good (4,678 reviews)
KLM
Good (845 reviews)
SWISS
Good (950 reviews)
British Airways
Good (4,622 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (2,257 reviews)
Delta
Good (4,582 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (488 reviews)
Iberia
Good (1,601 reviews)
Air France
Good (979 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (2,109 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (2,434 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (4,983 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (5,996 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (228 reviews)
Finnair
Good (856 reviews)
LOT
Good (677 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (812 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (934 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (1,169 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (837 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in Salinas

If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Howard Johnson by Wyndham Salinas and Best 5 Motel.

Where to stay in popular areas of Salinas

Most booked hotels in Salinas

Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa
4 stars
Excellent (8.8, 1008 reviews)
$372+
Intercontinental The Clement Monterey, An IHG Hotel
4 stars
Excellent (8.6, 1021 reviews)
$297+
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Salinas, An IHG Hotel
2 stars
Excellent (8.6, 435 reviews)
$164+
Best Western Salinas Monterey Hotel
2 stars
Excellent (8.2, 459 reviews)
$168+
Arbor Inn Monterey
2 stars
Excellent (8.1, 3792 reviews)
$114+
Portola Hotel & Spa At Monterey Bay
4 stars
Excellent (8.1, 2533 reviews)
$259+

Renting a car in Salinas

Renting a car in Salinas costs $69 per day, on average, or $137 if you want to rent if for 2 days.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 1% cheaper than airport locations in Salinas.

Expect to pay $3.90 per gallon in Salinas (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $46.79 and $62.38. The most frequently booked car type in Salinas is Intermediate (Chevrolet Bolt EUV or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Full-size rental cars (Toyota Camry or similar) are, on average, 68% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Renting a car in Salinas costs $69 per day, on average, or $137 if you want to rent if for 2 days.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 1% cheaper than airport locations in Salinas.

Expect to pay $3.90 per gallon in Salinas (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $46.79 and $62.38. The most frequently booked car type in Salinas is Intermediate (Chevrolet Bolt EUV or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Full-size rental cars (Toyota Camry or similar) are, on average, 68% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.