This article is about King City, California. For King City, Canada, see King (Ontario)

King City is a city in the central region of California between San Jose and San Luis Obispo. Considered the mid-way point between Central and Southern California, King City is both a popular pit-stop for drivers, and a nice little town to visit.

Understand

Climate

King City
Climate chart (explanation)
J F M A M J J A S O N D       2.3     64 38       2.5     66 40       2.2     70 42       0.8     75 44       0.3     79 47       0.1     83 50       0     85 53       0     86 53       0.2     86 51       0.6     80 46       1.1     70 41       2     63 37 Average max. and min. temperatures in °F Precipitation+Snow totals in inches    Data from NOAA (1981-2010)
Metric conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D       58     18 3       64     19 4       56     21 6       20     24 7       7.6     26 8       2.5     28 10       0     29 12       0     30 12       5.1     30 11       15     27 8       28     21 5       51     17 3 Average max. and min. temperatures in °C Precipitation+Snow totals in mm

Get in

By car

• passes through town as a freeway between Salinas at (48 mi (77 km) north) and Paso Robles (84 mi (135 km) south).
• & to John McVeigh Jr Memorial Hwy Hwy 198 is 10 mi (16 km) south of King City in San Lucas. From San Lucas it's another 61.5 mi (99.0 km) to Interstate 5 on Hwy 198 & 33 through Coalinga. From Interstate 5, go west on Hwy 33 from Exit 335.

By bus

• 1 Greyhound Lines & American Star Tours, (bus stop) Don Deal Auto Body & Repair @ 730 1st St, toll-free: 800 231-2222. Connects San Francisco to Los Angeles (via Oakland, Hayward, San Jose, Gilroy, Salinas, King City, Santa Maria, Santa Barbara and Oxnard). American Star Tours also run the same route as the above but with additional stops in Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo, Grover Beach, UC Santa Barbara and UCLA. Tickets with American Star Tours can be booked with Greyhound or Amtrak. They also have another stop over at McDonald's on 1350 Broadway Cir at US Hwy 101 (San Antonio Dr @ Exit 282B). (updated Oct 2022)
• 2 Monterey-Salinas Transit (MST), (bus stop) Basset & Canal (bus stop for both routes near Mee Memorial Hospital). Public transportation in Monterey, Salinas, Marina and other points around Monterey County. The following are intercity buses to Paso Robles via King City on US Hwy 101: 

• 23 comes from Salinas to King City via Chualar, Gonzales, Soledad and Greenfield on US Hwy 101. Passengers transfer to other MST bus routes in Salinas.
• 84 continues south to Paso Robles via San Lucas, San Ardo and Bradley on US Hwy 101

Get around

By car

To find the 'real' town, hop off the freeway on Canal Street and go east to where it dead-ends on Broadway.

To get back on the freeway, continue south on Broadway until it dead-ends in First Street, and circle west back to the freeway.

See

• 1 Monterey County Agricultural & Rural Life Museum, 1160 Broadway St, ☏ +1 831-385-8020. Exhibits are open Tu-Sa 10AM-4PM, Su 11AM-4PM, closed M. This museum offers hands-on interpretive exhibits about the region's agricultural heritage and history from 1875 through World War II. The museum complex includes three interpretive buildings: the Exhibit Barn, Olson Blacksmith Shop, the History of Irrigation Museum; the latter two are only open Friday through Sunday. In addition, there are three historic buildings that are only open Friday through Sunday: the Spreckels House (1898), the La Gloria Schoolhouse (1887), and the King City Train Depot (1903). Guided tours are also available Friday through Sunday. $6 per car M-F, $8 per car Sa Su, seniors and walk-ins are free. (updated Nov 2015)
• The Interactive Museum of Gaming and Puzzlery (IMOGAP), 15607 SW 116th Ave, ☏ +1 971-427-5516, admin@museumofgaming.org. Dedicated to games and puzzles of all kinds, this museum offers interactive exhibits and a vast library of playable games. (updated Dec 2023)

Do

• 1 Salinas Valley Fair, 625 Division St (Salinas Valley Fairgrounds). Held annually in early May, the Salinas Valley Fair features rides, cowboys, horse shows, a rodeo, bull riding, fair food, wine tasting, live music, and the Miss Salinas Valley Fair contest. There are also talent shows (advised for those that enjoy teenage dance groups) and 4-H exhibits. Children's activities range from petting zoos to kid's karaoke. $8 for adults, $6 for seniors (60+), $6 for ages 6-17, and free children under 6. 

Eat

Chain restaurants are located near the freeway and the hotels. For example, just off the northern exit include Taco Bell, McDonalds, and Denny's. There are a number of Mexican restaurants in central King City.

• 1 La Potranca, 201 Broadway St. If you're hungry and just passing through, skip the fast food and instead go for something local. Make your way south on Broadway to Second Street, and stop at a little taco stand for traditional Mexican food and drinks. 
• 2 Cork & Plow, 200 Broadway St (exit Highway 101 at Broadway, go east on Broadway; it is between 2nd and 3rd streets), ☏ +1 831 386-9491. Su-Th 11AM-9PM, F Sa 11AM-10PM. Modern restaurant featuring local ingredients, local craft beer, local wine, and specialty cocktails featuring house made mixers and fresh squeezed juices. (updated Jun 2019)
• 3 King City Grill, 5 Broadway Circle, ☏ +1 831 386-1112. 8AM–2PM W–M; closed Tuesdays. Diner for breakfast or lunch. Eggs Benedict, omelettes, and French toast for breakfast, or burgers, sandwiches, and salads for lunch. Kids' menu. Booth-style seating. $20. (updated Sep 2024)

Sleep

There are several hotels in King City, as it is one of the few cities along U.S. 101 between Paso Robles and Salinas. Many of them are near exits to U.S. 101.

• 1 SureStay Hotel by Best Western King City, 4 Broadway Circle, ☏ +1 831 385-4646, toll-free: +1-800-780-7234. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. Laundry facility. 100% non-smoking hotel. Extra charge for pets. $90. (updated May 2021)
• 2 Day's Inn, 1130 Broadway (@US 101), ☏ +1 831 385-5921. Check-in: noon, check-out: 11AM. 
• 3 Fireside Inn, 640 Broadway St (at Mildred in central King City), ☏ +1 831 386-1010. 
• 4 Keefer's Inn, 615 Canal St, ☏ +1 831 385-4843. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 11AM. Locally owned independent hotel with 47 rooms. Swimming pool, hot tub, free high-speed Internet, business center, on-site restaurant, free continental breakfast, nice clean rooms. $100. (updated May 2021)
• 5 Motel 6 King City, 3 Broadway Circle (@ US 101), ☏ +1 831 385-5000, fax: +1 831 385-0943. 
• 6 Quality Inn King City Hotel, 1190 Broadway, ☏ +1 831 385-6733. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. $120. 
• 7 Queen Motel, 702 S 1st St, ☏ +1 831 385-5804. 

Go next

• Soledad — 21 miles north of King City on Highway 101, Soledad is the western gateway to Pinnacles National Park and also home to Mission Soledad, one of 21 historic Spanish missions in California. The town is also home to several wineries, with tasting rooms that offer magnificent views over the Santa Lucia Highlands and the Salinas Valley.

Routes through King City

Salinas ← Soledad ← Jct W ←

N  S

→ Jct E → San Miguel → San Luis Obispo