The DLIFLC is located on the Presidio of Monterey, overlooking the city of Monterey, California, on which a Spanish fort was originally established in 1770. Monterey is approximately 130 miles south of San Francisco and 350 miles north of Los Angeles.
The Presidio of Monterey commands a stunning view of Monterey Bay, the hub of the fishing industry on California’s Central Coast. Cultivated fields to the north produce artichokes, and in the Salinas Valley to the east, lettuce is grown in abundance. The Pacific Coast south of Monterey to Big Sur and beyond offers a singular display of nature in its rugged and pristine magnificence.
Residential communities in the immediate vicinity include Pacific Grove, Seaside, Carmel, Pebble Beach and Marina. Educational institutions in and around Monterey include California State University Monterey Bay, Monterey Peninsula College (a community college), the Monterey Institute of International Studies, and the Naval Postgraduate School.
Monterey Bay enjoys a mild climate dominated by fresh ocean breezes. Rainfall is rare from April to October, and snow is almost unheard of. Temperatures seldom rise above 75 degrees. In the hottest season, coastal temperatures are frequently moderated by cooling banks of fog from the Pacific.