Salinas is the home of slightly less than 150,000 people. Known as "America's Salad Bowl," the city is perhaps most famous as the hometown of John Steinbeck, author of 'Of Mice and Men'. As a consequence of its ties to literature and culture, the city has a range of galleries and museums which may be of interest to visitors.
Salinas has multiple art galleries, including the Valley Art Gallery and the Hartnell College Gallery. Because Salinas is the hometown of John Steinbeck, it features the National Steinbeck Center, as well as the Steinbeck House. Both of these destinations are popular among tourists. Every year, the National Steinbeck Center holds the Steinbeck Festival, which is a four day celebration of Steinbeck's work and legacy.
For visitors who would like to play a round of golf, the Twin Creeks Golf Course offers a 9-hole course with a par of 31. Several of the most popular restaurants in Salinas are Elli's Restaurant, Hullaballoo, Pajaro Street Grill and the Salinas Valley Fish House.
