Moss Landing, joining with the communities of Castroville and  Prunedale, serves as the gateway to Monterey County from the north and is referred to as part of North Monterey County. Captain Charles Moss founded Moss Landing when he built a cargo shipping facility here in the 1850s that serviced the gold boom in San Francisco. This area also flourished as a whaling station.

Likened to a New England fishing village, today, Moss Landing is still a working port with a busy harbor, but also features public beaches, boat ramp, storefronts, and a wide variety of popular restaurants. A community known for its abundant antique stores, more than 20 antique shops are open for business year-round.

In addition, Moss Landing is home to the annual Moss Landing Antique Street Fair. Each year exhibitors from across California converge to exhibit and sell their treasures. Elkhorn Slough, North Monterey County’s National Estuarine Sanctuary, lies just inland from the yacht harbor and commercial fishing of Moss Landing. A tranquil aquatic wildlife sanctuary, the slough is home to more than 250 species of birds. The community is also home to the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute and Moss Landing Wildlife Area.