The partner I am travelling with and two other guys that are meeting us out there booked rooms at Casa Munras Hotel , Main street Monterey. Its about a mile off Cannary row, but walkable. Price was $215 a night.

Also planning my trip out there. Right now, it looks like this after trailering to Mammoth Lakes:

http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Mammoth+Lakes,+CA&daddr=Tenaya+Lake,+CA +to:Lee+Vining,+CA+to:Willow+Springs,+CA+to:Sonora ,+CA+to:Buck+Meadows,+CA+to:Moccasin,+CA+to:Yosemi te+West,+CA+to:Auberry,+CA+to:Trimmer,+CA+to:Pineh urst,+CA+to:36.596763,-118.7481506+to:Three+Rivers,+CA+to:Springville,+CA +to:36.14154,-118.56003+to:Kernville,+CA+to:Morro+Bay,+CA+to:Big +Sur,+CA+to:Half+Moon+Bay,+CA+to:Saratoga,+CA+to:C alifornia+84+%26+Skyline+Blvd,+Woodside,+San+Mateo ,+California+94062+to:Skylawn+Drive,+Half+Moon+Bay ,+CA+to:Monterey,+CA&hl=en&ll=36.826875,-120.421143&spn=4.862166,10.821533&sll=37.028869,-118.377686&sspn=4.849314,10.821533&geocode=FaJ4PgI dUaHo-CmfF7N5XwyWgDFtje4P19kU8Q%3BFatEQQIdWS_h-CnBfwPcqPeWgDFH6PJRIsjcsw%3BFdgvQwIduV_m-CnZRzvcVjaWgDHrG1eRYFcz0A%3BFUK2RgId5hjl-Cmbe3CuvrGXgDHzR46mHDRZrg%3BFVuXQwIdRh3T-Cn5C-IL0MWQgDF3RyV29gfYFg%3BFSz6QAIdnvrX-CmJCsNLftaWgDERJ0Xlq6XE3g%3BFUryQAIddl7U-Ck96i7xsteQgDHX22u88PlYvA%3BFYx0PgIdhEHd-CnlRDC7R-uWgDHOWF6e6SP3NA%3BFc7ONQIdHczg-ClFGQpkjDWUgDFbob1TN4Zo_A%3BFSggMwId0rLj-CkDfx_4w66VgDHxlzLdaayqSQ%3BFe7sLwIdfPfn-ClB4T3HG22VgDEUnk75kBhySA%3BFRtsLgIdCgzs-Cmj_N7j9F6VgDEoi8sgCKXq3w%3BFTQDLAIdIKnp-Ck5tOVWgE-VgDH7Ss6aqfKmDg%3BFbJNJwIdm_rq-CnDRoZbhB3AgDHMjiXqm54veQ%3BFeR5JwId4uru-CnPoysX7hvAgDGRlcBSzrRyLw%3BFbGSIQId7fjw-ClLpCDaFsbBgDEk4I5bEKA0zA%3BFa-jGwIdE_rL-CmTqrW5C-HsgDEMl4HBGeIbqg%3BFV4rKQIdVL69-CkHFTpJaYWNgDFTYTbz1d4S0g%3BFQCmOwIdVuOz-CkLyxkKpQuPgDFUm-c1yJz9Xg%3BFdiZOAIdmRO6-CmpP35MxEqOgDHMVgvUh8gIgw%3BFYV4OgIdJGW2-CkRxm-O2KWPgDEW1kADnYZUmQ%3BFdIkPAIdKsG0-Cnr957uQ3WPgDGgl-Rbldn1Nw%3BFa55LgId7Ai8-CmR-7VwUuSNgDFePUrYCUlI7g&oq=mo&mra=ls&via=11,14&t=m&z =7