SOLEDAD, Calif., Oct. 31, 2013 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- As summer temperatures cool and the fall season kicks off in Pinnacles National Park, Soledad city leaders and business owners are eagerly awaiting a swell of visitors to the country's newest national park. After a busy spring season, which brought thousands of new park visitors and a sharp increase in local spending and hotel stays in Soledad, the fall season promises to attract tens of thousands of visitors from up and down California, including from the San Francisco Bay Area, where more than 8 million people live just over an hour away from the Pinnacles.

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Whereas spring annually attracts tens of thousands of visitors flocking to see the park's blooming wildflowers, longtime local residents and park visitors know that fall is the best season to visit the Pinnacles. As the hot days of summer have passed and before the rains begin to fall, autumn offers park visitors the year's best weather, and the most beautiful and serene views of the country's 59^th national park as the landscape dries and leaves begin to change to beautiful shades of yellow, orange and red.

The fall season not only attracts throngs of visitors to nearby Pinnacles National Park, but also offers wine enthusiasts from around the state and around the world and opportunity to partake in the region's fall wine harvest, expected to be one of the most promising in years. 2013 has, so far, seen ideal growing conditions – a warm early spring, followed by a rather mild summer weather that looks to extend through early fall – expected to produce beautifully ripe fruit with the fully developed flavors that have come to define the valley's prestigious wines. Monterey Wine Country features over 175 unique vineyards along the 90-mile long valley that is home to nine American Viticultural Areas, including Monterey, Santa Lucia Highlands, Arroyo Seco, San Lucas, Hames Valley, Chalone, Carmel Valley, San Antonio Valley and San Bernabe, all of which have been identified as unique winegrowing districts.

"With a number of world-class attractions, including Pinnacles National Park, our award-winning wineries, the historic Soledad Mission and our close proximity to the majestic Monterey coast, Soledad offers a unique, family-friendly destination for travelers throughout California and the world," said Soledad Mayor Fred Ledesma. "Our restaurants and businesses are eager and ready to serve the huge influx of visitors we expect to come and visit the extraordinary beauty of the Monterey County region."

Located just ten miles from the park's western entrance, the city of Soledad anticipates tens of thousands of hikers, rock climbers, and wildlife enthusiasts to pass through the city on their way to explore the country's newest national park, representing a huge potential boost to Soledad businesses. Known as the "Gateway to the Pinnacles," Soledad has launched an aggressive marketing effort in recent months to attract visitors to explore the park, as well as the region's world-class wine growing region, which just this year, was named one of the top ten wine travel destinations in the world by Wine Enthusiast Magazine.

About the City of Soledad: The City of Soledad is located in the center of the Salinas Valley, adjacent to US 101 between the beautiful Santa Lucia Mountains to the west and the picturesque Gabilan Mountains to the east. Soledad is home to a booming agricultural community, with fields of lettuce, broccoli and asparagus, as well as some of the finest wine grapes in the state.  Visitors can explore nearby Pinnacles National Park, with its world-class hiking and rock-climbing, or sample our burgeoning local wine industry. For more information, visit www.CityofSoledad.com.

Media Contact: Rolando Bonilla, City of Soledad, 415-987-8025, Rolando@fordandbonilla.com

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SOURCE City of Soledad

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