I'm only going to list sites that I've dived myself. I just don't feel comfortable telling strangers conditions at a site I haven't been to myself, especially if they're likely to depend on that information for planning their dives. And in case you didn't already read the disclaimer on the Dive Page, go do it, NOW! I advise you not to depend just on my descriptions of these sites as your introduction to diving in Monterey. Have someone familiar with the area go with you, get site orientations,or arrange one of the guided tours from one of the local dive shops. This guide is only meant to be an aid in helping you pick spots you'd like to dive. I won't list ALL the sites I've dived around here, since some of them wouldn't be much fun to do. A couple are really fun, but not well known, and I'd like to keep it that way.
The sites are divided into 4 categories. The first three categories are for shore dives, and are based on the experience level of the diver. The last is for boat dives. You can scan this guide either by category, or by site. Some of the sites can be accessed from both shore and by boat. I mostly included these with the shore dives, unless boat access is significantly preferable.