
The votes have been cast and our readers have chosen their favorites for 2025. Congratulations to all of the finalists and especially to this year’s deserving winners.
CAMPS, LESSONS & ACTIVITIES
AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM
WINNER: City Of Seaside Recreation
FINALISTS: Carmel Youth Center, Central Coast YMCA
ART CLASSES
WINNER: Art Abilities
FINALISTS: Progress Not Perfection, SOL Treasures
DANCE STUDIO
WINNER (TIE): Salinas School of Dance, The Dance Center
FINALIST: Rockstar Dance
GYMNASTICS
WINNER: Rising Star
FINALISTS: Monterey Recreation, Monterey Bay Academy
MARTIAL ARTS
WINNER: Monterey Martial Arts
FINALISTS: Gracie Jiu Jitsu, Monterey Tae Kwon Do
MUSIC LESSONS
WINNER: Emma Bartlett Music Studio
FINALISTS: YOSAL, Mona Shavnavaz
SPORTS LESSONS/LEAGUE
WINNER: Surf Soccer
FINALISTS: Monterey Sports Center, Next Level Football
SUMMER CAMP/GENERAL
WINNER: City of Monterey Recreation
FINALISTS: City of Seaside Recreation, Santa Catalina
SUMMER CAMP/SPORTS
WINNER: Clover Sports
FINALISTS: Monterey Sports Center, Rising Star
SUMMER CAMP/SPECIALTY
WINNER: Hidden Hills
FINALISTS: Monterey Zoo, ARIEL Theatrical
SWIM LESSONS
WINNER: ISR Monterey Bay
FINALISTS: Peak Potential ISR, Monterey Sports Center
THEATRE CLASSES
WINNER: Pac Rep
FINALISTS: ARIEL Theatrical, Summer at Santa Catalina
COMMUNITY
BANK/CREDIT UNION
WINNER: Wescom Credit Union
FINALISTS: Wells Fargo, Santa Cruz County Bank
CHURCH/SYNAGOGUE
WINNER: Wellspring
FINALISTS: Shoreline, Compass
LIBRARY
WINNER: Monterey Public Library
FINALISTS: Pacific Grove Public Library, Marina Branch Library
NON-PROFIT SERVING FAMILIES
WINNER: All-In Monterey
FINALISTS: Wahine, Monterey Zoo
PARENT SUPPORT/EDUCATION
WINNER: Parents Place
FINALISTS: Parenting Connection, Special Kids Connect
EDUCATION
AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM
WINNER: Carmel Youth Center
FINALISTS: Boys & Girls Club, Mathnasium
CHARTER SCHOOL
WINNER: Monterey Bay Charter School
FINALISTS: Bayview Academy, Big Sur Charter
DAYCARE
WINNER (TIE): Great Beginnings, Ryan Ranch
FINALIST: Hearts & Hands
PARENT/CHILD ACTIVITY
WINNER: Monterey Zoo
FINALISTS: Monterey Bay Aquarium, Parents Place
PRESCHOOL
WINNER: Wellspring
FINALISTS: Good Shepherd, Melody Park
PRIVATE SCHOOL/LOWER GRADES
WINNER: Santa Catalina
FINALISTS: Chartwell School, All Saints Country Day School
PRIVATE SCHOOL/UPPER GRADES
WINNER: York School
FINALISTS: Santa Catalina, Stevenson School
PUBLIC SCHOOL/LOWER GRADES
WINNER: Robert Down Elementary
FINALISTS: Toro Park Elementary, Monte Vista Elementary
PUBLIC SCHOOL/UPPER GRADES
WINNER: Salinas High School
FINALISTS: Carmel High School, Pacific Grove High School
TEACHER/LOWER GRADES
WINNER: Natalie Croft (Monterey Bay Charter)
FINALISTS: Vanessa Krabacher (Santa Catalina), Jennifer Rincon (MPUSD)
TEACHER/UPPER GRADES
WINNER: Stephanie Meroney (Buena Vista)
FINALIST: Marcus Chapple (Monterey Bay Charter)
TUTORING
WINNER: Mathnasium
FINALISTS: Kumon, Sylvan Salinas
FAMILY FUN
INDOOR FUN
WINNER: Tipsy Putt
FINALISTS: MY Museum, Monterey Bay Aquarium
LOW-COST OR FREE FAMILY ACTIVITY
WINNER: Dennis the Menace Playground
FINALISTS: Dads Read (Marina Branch Library), Caledonia Park
MUSEUM
WINNER: MY Museum
FINALISTS: Pacific Grove Natural History Museum, Monterey Museum of Art
PARK
WINNER: Dennis the Menace Playground
FINALISTS: Tatum’s Garden, Caledonia Park
PLACE TO SWIM
WINNER: Monterey Sports Center
FINALISTS: Pattulo Center, Lovers Point Park & Pool
FOOD
BAKERY/DESSERTS
WINNER: Super Secret Sweet Shop
FINALISTS: Paris Bakery, Alta Bakery
BREAKFAST/BRUNCH
WINNER: First Awakenings
FINALISTS: From Scratch, The Butter House
BURGER
WINNER: Alvarado Street Brewery
FINALISTS: RG Burger, Islands
COFFEE HOUSE
WINNER: Captain & Stoker
FINALISTS: Brewjee, East Village
SPECIAL OCCASION RESTAURANT
WINNER: Old Fisherman’s Grotto
FINALISTS: Passion Fish, Chart House
FAMILY FRIENDLY DINING
WINNER: Harumi Japanese
FINALISTS: La Bahia, Rosine’s
PIZZA
WINNER: Pizza My Heart
FINALISTS: Gianni’s, Heirloom Pizza
ICE CREAM/YOGURT
WINNER: Revival
FINALISTS: Moon Scoops, MYO
HEALTH & WELLNESS
CHIROPRACTOR
WINNER (TIE): The Joint, Dr. Brian Rector
FINALIST: Aaron Gaily
DOULA
WINNER: Shauna Worthington
FINALISTS: Mum’s the Word, Kaleena Hurburt
EYE DOCTOR
WINNER: Vantage Eye Center
FINALISTS: Covie Gonzales, OD; Fimbres Edmundo, OD
FAMILY DENTIST
WINNER: Eric Brown DDS
FINALISTS: Moonflower Dentistry, Salinas Valley Dental
FAMILY PHYSICIAN
WINNER: Kirk Mulgrew, MD
FINALISTS: Carlos Ramirez, MD; Jessie Pack, MD
HOSPITAL
WINNER: Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula
FINALISTS: Salinas Valley Health, Natividad
MIDWIFE/BIRTH SUPPORT
WINNER: Jamie Meyerhoff
FINALISTS: Michelle Nizza, Kelly Hawes
OBSTETRICIAN
WINNER: Bradley Keith, MD
FINALISTS: Jennifer Zeidberg, MD; John Fejes, MD
ORTHODONTIST
WINNER (TIE): Cassady Ortho, Wow Smiles
FINALIST: Christopher Modjeski, DDS
PEDIATRIC DENTAL PRACTICE
WINNER: Little Bristles
FINALISTS: Monterey Pediatric Dentistry, Moonflower Dentistry
PEDIATRIC DENTIST
WINNER: Matthew Miller, DDS
FINALISTS: Rajneesh Dail, DDS; J. Mark Bayless, DMD
PEDIATRICIAN
WINNER: James Bennett, MD
FINALISTS: Kirk Mulgrew, MD; Sara Liu, MD
PEDIATRIC MEDICAL PRACTICE
WINNER: Stanford Medicine Children’s Health
FINALISTS: Monterey Peninsula Pediatric Group, Pacific Coast Pediatric Group
PEDIATRIC PHYSICAL THERAPIST
WINNER: TheraSens
FINALISTS: Cypress Bay, Balance
SPEECH THERAPIST
WINNER: Adventures in Development
FINALISTS: Brittany Kowlawski, Monterey Bay Speech Therapy
PARTIES
BALLOONS & YARD SIGNS
WINNER: Poptopia
FINALISTS: A’s Creations, CC Sign & Design
PARTY ENTERTAINMENT
WINNER: Treasure Hunt Ride
FINALISTS: MM Jumpers Salinas, Lollipop Arts
PARTY VENUE
WINNER: MY Museum
FINALISTS: Oscar’s Playground, PG Museum
PARTY PLANNER
WINNER: Miss Party Mama
FINALISTS: A’s Creations, Shannon Mallory
SERVICES
REALTOR
WINNER: Alecia Hull
FINALISTS: Andy Wolfoot, Andria Cutler
YOGA STUDIO
WINNER: Yoga Salinas
FINALISTS: Om Studio, Balance Yoga
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