Photo courtesy of Adventures by the Sea

Kayaking in Stillwater Cove, just offshore from Pebble Beach Golf Links' seventh hole.

It may seem counterintuitive not to play as much golf as humanly possible on a Pebble Beach golf vacation, but the Monterey Peninsula truly has much more to offer than world-class smallball and it’s amazing what its off-course pursuits can do to smooth out your mood and your golf swing.

For the active, you can gallop down the beach on a private horseback ride, paddle through Stillwater Cove (while watching people play Pebble’s famous par-three, seventh hole) on a guided kayak tour, or, if you stay with Pebble Beach Resorts, pound the fuzz off the ball on one of its Beach and Tennis Club’s 12 courts (two of which are clay).

For the inactive — I prefer relaxationally proficient — you can lounge on the aforementioned beach, enjoy dozens of rubs, scrubs and wraps at The Spa at Pebble Beach, or take the famous 17-mile Drive through the Del Monte Forest, which winds around the famous Lone Cypress tree and a slideshow of pelicans, cormorants, sea lions, seals, and otters (also viewable up-close at the award-winning Monterey Bay Aquarium).

If you prefer more, how should I say, “transactive” recreation on a Pebble Beach golf vacation, the town of Carmel-by-the-Sea’s 300 distinctive boutiques will make you feel as if you’ve died and gone to Fifth Avenue. Topping it off with a visit to one of the local wineries is also a nice touch.

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