Entire home

Casa Mariposa - The Live-In Museum

Photo gallery for Casa Mariposa - The Live-In Museum

Exterior
Exterior
Exterior detail
Exterior
Terrace/patio

Reviews

9.8 out of 10
Exceptional
3 bedrooms2+ bathroomsSleeps 6157.9 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Dryer
  • Parking available
  • Barbecue grill
  • Washer
  • Air conditioning
  • Outdoor space

Explore the area

Map
Pacific Grove, CA
  • Monarch Grove Butterfly Sanctuary
    ‪13 min walk‬
  • Lovers Point
    ‪15 min walk‬
  • Monterey Bay Aquarium
    ‪4 min drive‬
  • Monterey, CA (MRY-Monterey Peninsula)
    ‪19 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

3 bedrooms (sleeps 6)

Bedroom 1

1 King Bed

Bedroom 2

1 Queen Bed

Family Room

1 Queen Bed and 1 Double Sofa Bed

2 bathrooms, 1 half bathroom

Bathroom 1

+1
Soap · Towels provided · Bathtub or shower · Bathtub · Toilet · Shower only · Jetted bathtub · Shampoo · Hair dryer

Bathroom 2

Soap · Towels provided · Toilet · Shower only · Shampoo

Bathroom 3

Soap · Towels provided · Toilet · Shampoo

Spaces

Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Outdoor play area
Garden
Dining area

About this property

Casa Mariposa - The Live-In Museum

Our bright and cheery Spanish Colonial home is centrally located in the sunniest part of Pacific Grove, within walking distance of the Ocean, Cannery Row, Lovers Point, Asilomar, Spanish Bay, Point Pinos Lighthouse, Pebble Beach, and much more. We are very near Washington Park and the Monarch butterfly sanctuary.

Our home is renowned for its natural history attributes and educational experience. Genuine fossils and minerals are tastefully displayed throughout the entire house, including the bathrooms. Everything from dinosaur bones, to fossil fish, to trilobites, to local fossil crabs, as well as many other specimens, are right in front of you! Your hosts are artists, naturalists, paleontologists, and guidebook authors. We have display cases filled with exotic fossils, minerals, and crystal specimens - most of which we excavated ourselves. In the courtyard we have scale reproductions of Native American petroglyphs and the excavated backbone of huge fossil whale. It is also home to many beautiful flowers and plants.

Our immaculate home boasts many green attributes: It has a state-of-the-art solar system installed on the roof which powers all of the home electrical needs. It also has a sophisticated rain-water catchment system which allows us to conserve drinking water by using rainwater for the gardens. South-facing windows capture the sun and we have energy efficient lighting throughout.

We live in a nice quiet neighborhood central to everything on the Peninsula. Two formal bedrooms (one queen and one king bed) plus a queen size sleep sofa and a roll-away bed in Family Room which serves as a 3rd bedroom. Sleeps up to 6 people comfortably. (Please keep in mind the roll-away bed in the Family Room is small and not comfortable for adults. For kids it's fine). We have two complete baths on main level, plus half bath in upstairs master bedroom.

Bright and sunny, our home is immaculate and newly remodeled. It has all the amenities - WiFi, DVD, large sceen TV, dishwasher, washer/dryer, granite counters, hardwood floors. Private courtyard with gas grill. Off-street parking. Large kitchen fully outfitted with granite counters, full-size fridge, large dishwasher, blender, coffee maker, microwave, large oven and glass-top range, flatware and dishes for 10+ persons. We have a large, bright living room with French doors that open to the courtyard. There is a downstairs Family Room and entertainment center with flat screen TV.

The main floor consists of the large living room, large kitchen, guest bedroom and two full baths, one of which has a whirlpool bathtub. The other has a shower. Upstairs is master bedroom with king bed and half bath.

Casa Mariposa is located right in the middle of the tip of Monterey Peninsula, equidistant from Asilomar Beach and Lovers Point. Walk or bike to the aquarium, Cannery Row, Fisherman's Wharf, Spanish Bay, Pebble Beach, the Monarch Sanctuary, Pt. Pinos Lighthouse, golf courses, art galleries, etc, etc.

17-mile drive is only 3 blocks away. Follow its legendary route along some of the most scenic shoreline on the coast, winding through Pebble Beach and ending up in Carmel where you have some of the best shopping in California as well as the highest concentration of art galleries and boutiques in the west.

Property manager

Jon Kramer

Languages

English, Spanish

Add dates for prices

Amenities

Kitchen
Washer
Dryer
Free WiFi
Air conditioning
Outdoor space

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House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 18
Check out before 11:00 AM
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Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17
Children are welcome with adult supervision.
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Events

No events allowed
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Pets

No pets allowed
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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted
This is a strictly nonsmoking property.

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit and a deadlock

We should mention

A car is recommended for transport to and from this property

About the area

Pacific Grove

Located in Pacific Grove, this holiday home is by the sea. Fisherman's Wharf and Pebble Beach Golf Links are worth checking out if an activity is on the agenda, while those wishing to experience the area's natural beauty can explore Monterey Bay and Lovers Point. Travelling with kids? Make time for Monterey Bay Aquarium, or head to an event or a match at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Make sure you get close to the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.
Map
Pacific Grove, CA

What's nearby

  • Monarch Grove Butterfly Sanctuary - 13 min walk - 1.1 km
  • Lovers Point - 15 min walk - 1.3 km
  • Cannery Row - 3 min drive - 2.6 km
  • Monterey Bay Aquarium - 4 min drive - 2.6 km
  • Point Pinos Lighthouse - 5 min drive - 3.1 km

Getting around

  • Monterey Station - 9 min drive
  • Monterey, CA (MRY-Monterey Peninsula) - 19 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Starbucks - ‬18 min walk
  • ‪Passionfish - ‬11 min walk
  • ‪Beach House Restaurant - ‬18 min walk
  • ‪Country Club Gate Center Shopp - ‬3 min drive
  • ‪California Seltzer Company - ‬17 min walk

Frequently asked questions

Is Casa Mariposa - The Live-In Museum pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at Casa Mariposa - The Live-In Museum?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Casa Mariposa - The Live-In Museum?

Checkout is at 11:00 AM.

Where is Casa Mariposa - The Live-In Museum located?

This family-friendly Pacific Grove holiday home is located by the sea, within 1 mi (2 km) of 17-Mile Drive and Lovers Point. Monterey Bay Aquarium and Cannery Row are also within 2 miles (3 km).

Reviews

9.8

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 70 out of 85 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 14 out of 85 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 1 out of 85 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 85 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 85 reviews

9.6/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

9.8/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Olga A.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Enjoyable stay

We were truly impressed with both the property and the communication from the hosts. It’s clear that they love their home and take great care in maintaining it. Staying here felt more like visiting a friend's home than a typical rental property. Any issues that arose were addressed immediately and with great kindness. We will definitely be returning and cannot recommend Casa Mariposa enough!
Stayed 29 nights in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

Paul B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wonderful!

Jon the owner was wonderful to work with and Kine the property manager was so helpful. Would stay there again!
Stayed 30 nights in Jul 2021

10/10 Excellent

Jim M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful Home, Great location

Casa Mariposa is filled with fun things to attract and distract you. The owners are naturalists and have an extensive library of works on Natural History and California. There are numerous minerals, fossils and drawings on display. We did have to exert good control over our visting grandchildren! The house is well furnished in a quiet neighborhood a convenient walking distance to both downtown shopping and the natural attractions of the area. It lacks a few conveniences a visitor might expect, notably washer/dryer and garbage disposal and the third bedroom is really more of a TV room, but it met our needs perfectly.
Stayed 30 nights in Jun 2020

10/10 Excellent

Alyssa L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Comfortable and Roomy home

What a great home away from home. Comfortable beds, well stocked kitchen equipment and close to all that makes Pacific Grove a wonderful weekend getaway. We were there with our adult children and had our other son been able to make it, there was even a pull out couch in a private, family room that a fifth and/or sixth person could have very comfortably stayed in. We were only 4 this time, but we've stayed at this house, very comfortably with 5. Both times, we stayed at this home, it was Thanksgiving weekend and found all of the pots/pans and kitchen utensils to make a wonderful Thanksgiving at home. Restaurants are just not comfortable for Thanksgiving dinner, so this was perfect. It's a nice, quiet block, but fairly close to everything. We would definitely stay here again.
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2019

10/10 Excellent

Lucy R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wonderful owners

Great home and nice accommodations with so many personal touches.
Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2019

10/10 Excellent

Faye J.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

North meets South in Monterey

Met family for a weekend trip for a 4 1/2 yr old's first visit to the Aquarium. Found the property with no problem and contacted the property manager for a slightly early check-in. She was lovely and easy to communicate with. Place is nice with basic amenities. The weather was unusually warm and we searched for a couple of fans (particularly for the upstairs bedroom) but there weren't any. That would have been extremely helpful. We forgot coffee and were delightfully surprised that someone had left some. We left a few things to share for future guests also. Beds accommodate 6 if folks are willing to share the pullout couch downstairs. For us, this was not comfortable so someone slept on the couch. Also the bedroom on the main floor has what felt like a full size bed, which worked for two smaller people. Cute comfy backyard area for quiet or visit time as well. Otherwise, Easy directions on clean-up and check out. Had a nice time overall.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2019

10/10 Excellent

Bev C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Stayed for a family function 6-10 sept

We were a party of 5 coming in from an overseas flight so unfamiliar with the location and house.we were pleased with all aspects and recommend the house and the very easy communication
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2019

10/10 Excellent

Bill K.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great place

110 percent excellent
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2019

10/10 Excellent

Leslie D., Lachine MI USA

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great place!

Great place, no issues!
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2019

10/10 Excellent

dale s.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Pacific Grove Property

All good.
Stayed 9 nights in May 2019

10/10 Excellent

Bill A.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Location

This property is in a great location. The house is clean and well stocked. I would highly recommend.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2019

10/10 Excellent

Heidi A.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

We all wanted to move to this house

Beautiful, well-appointed, comfortable
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2019

10/10 Excellent

Chris S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great stay in Monterey

The house was well appointed and comfortable for our stay in Monterey. No complaints!
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2019

10/10 Excellent

Ann N.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful house

The house was beautiful, comfortable, and spacious, and the location was ideal. We didn't know the neighborhood cat was allowed into the house, however, and our allergies and asthma were definitely triggered, though we did enjoy the story about the neighborhood cat and his frenemy across the street. Thanks for sharing your house.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2019

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Cozy cottage

The house was about a mile to The center of Pacific Grove and the aquarium. It is filled with fossils.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2019

10/10 Excellent

Shibu N.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful house and very tastefully decorated.

The house is perfectly located close to monterrey airport and major destination. We had a great time enjoying our stay. Each room was very tastefully decorated and was clean with all the required amenities. The communication with host was always prompt and courteous. Really had a great time in Monterrey, Big sur and Carmel and had this great place to chill and enjoy.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2019

10/10 Excellent

Richard J.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great location and roomy

Felt at home when staying here, everything was clean and the kitchen was well-stocked with supplies. Good location and close to cannery row and laguna seca.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2019

10/10 Excellent

Jennifer E.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Lovely house, good location

Casa Mariposa was a charming , well appointed, comfortable home that provided both the perfect jumping off point for all our plans in the area and a lovely space to relax together later as a family. Thank you for an enjoyable, fun stay!
Stayed 6 nights in Jun 2019

10/10 Excellent

Yvonne H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Lovely property

This was a lovely property. The home was very well equiped, the owner/property manager responsive, and the inside airy and condusive to relaxing and conversation. Great location too.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2019

10/10 Excellent

shawn w.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

girls weekend

my daughter and her friends had a great time thanks!
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2019

10/10 Excellent

Steve M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Casa Mariposa is a great stay in PG

My wife and I and another couple came down for the US Open and we really enjoyed out stay here. Close to everything yet in a cute quiet neighborhood. Big kitchen and inviting yard were both pluses as well. We'll definitely stay here again on our next trip to the Monterey Coast.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2019

10/10 Excellent

Matt N.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great location

Beautiful home in just the right spot.
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2019

10/10 Excellent

Julie T., Duvall, WA

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wonderful vacation rental!

We absolutely loved this house! So comfortable, clean and well equipped. The beds are so comfortable and the house was in a great location. Many thanks for a wonderful stay!
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2019

10/10 Excellent

Don D., Burlingame

Weekend getaway

This is lovely cottage, although the weather was not perfect we have a great stay here. The neighborhood cat (Buddy) was a joy. This was our first visit to Pacific Grove and we'll certainly be back, a really nice small town vibe, good restaurants and the view of the bay is amazing. My only complaint is that the lock box for the house key doesn't open easily, luckily the neighbor helped us figure it out.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2019

10/10 Excellent

lisa d.

Its a great place - primo location

We had a absolutely lovely time. The place has comfortable beds and nice living spaces. My husband and I were visiting from Minneapolis and had some buddies join us from Marin County. We all were very impressed with how nice the house was. Its in a great location for getting access to the 17-mile drive for bike rides and for Pacific Grove, Monterey and Carmel. And we had great weather too!
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2019

About the host

Hosted by Jon Kramer

Host profile image
Casa Mariposa is the home of Julie and Jon, globe-trotting adventurers with art and natural history backgrounds and a passion for Earth and all living things. Julie is a natural history illustrator and art instructor. Jon is a geologist and paleontologist. Together they author adventure guidebooks. You will see some of Julie’s art on these walls and their joint adventure guidebooks on the shelves. Many fossils, minerals, crystals and gems and from their various geologic adventures are displayed throughout the property.

Why they chose this property

In the 1990s Jon lived in Monterey in a small apartment uphill from Cannery Row. Julie would occasionally fly in from Minneapolis to visit him. They fell love with eachother and the area. Together they would spend all their time exploring the incredible natural worlds of Monterey Bay and Big Sur. They dreamed of owning a home here one day and were finally able to pull it off. Now you can experience what has compelled them all these years....

What makes this property unique

We call our home Casa Mariposa – literally “Butterfly House” in Spanish. It is located only a few blocks from the famous Monarch butterfly sanctuary of Pacific Grove. During the Monarch season (October – March) you will see many of these magnificent delicate creatures take advantage of the butterfly-friendly flowers in and around our home. You can walk or bike to all of the best aspects on the Peninsula or retreat to the private courtyard. Casa Mariposa is centrally located in a quiet neighborhood. It sits atop the hill near Washington Park in the sunniest part of Pacific Grove.

Languages:

English, Spanish