Carmel-by-the-Sea
Carmel-by-the-Sea is a fairy-tale California coastal village — no street addresses, no traffic lights, Clint Eastwood as a former mayor, galleries on every block, and a concentration of wine tasting rooms and restaurants that makes it a natural hub for Monterey County wine exploration.
Wineries to Visit
Where to Eat
One of California's most celebrated restaurants — L'Auberge Carmel's two-Michelin-star tasting menu.
Celebrity chef Jeff Jake's wood-fired cuisine — outstanding Carmel Valley wine list and dramatic fireplace.
Modern Mexican in a beautiful space — mezcal cocktails and California-influenced Mexican cuisine.
The town institution since 1899 — coffee, pastries, and sandwiches for a quick break between galleries.
Things to Do
- ✓ Walk Ocean Avenue end to end — galleries, tasting rooms, and boutiques
- ✓ Carmel Beach — one of the most dramatic white sand beaches in California
- ✓ Point Lobos State Natural Reserve (3 miles south) — one of California's finest state parks
- ✓ Tor House — poet Robinson Jeffers' stone castle overlooking the sea
- ✓ Pebble Beach 17-Mile Drive (fee road) — Lone Cypress and ocean golf scenery
- ✓ Carmel Mission Basilica (1770) — one of California's most beautiful historic missions
Scenic coastal beauty, gallery district, no street addresses, Carmel Beach, wine tasting on Ocean Avenue
The most elegant boutique hotel in Carmel — two-Michelin-star restaurant on site, steps from the beach.
Doris Day's hotel — pet-friendly, Art Deco charm, and beautifully located in the center of the village.
Asian-influenced boutique hotel — quiet garden, bamboo accents, and exceptional location.