For most people who know of Monterey County, it's usually Fisherman's Wharf in Monterey, Carmel and its mission, Pebble Beach and golf courses, Point Lobos, or where I'm originally from, Big Sur. It's a big county, though and most of it, easily, is really quite rural, esp. in what's known locally as just 'south county'. MILES of remote backroads, vineyards, gorgeous California chaparral over mountain ranges on either side of the Salinas Valley.
Priest Valley is about as out there as you can get in MoCo, except for, perhaps, Parkfield. The oaks and their place in the valley there are exquisite, as they are in the next valley to the west, the one where CA 25 is that leads north, eventually to Hollister in San Benito County.
If you've ever thought about getting off the 101 while driving south of Salinas, there are areas back there well worth the trouble.
Priest Valley Redo (1 of 1) by
tanngrisnir3, on Flickr