Oh, Carmel. How do I love thee.
Let me count the ways…
I love the ocean views.
I love that the entire village is walkable.
I love that the cottages have names instead of numbers.
I love how dog-friendly it is.
I love that it’s only a two-hour drive from the city.
If I had $3 million lying around, I would buy a home here in a heartbeat. Carmel is the epitome of “cute” and “quaint”. I think I say “how cute” at least a hundred times when I’m visiting.
Dare I say it, I love Carmel more than Napa. The wine culture can be found here as well. There are wine bars, extensive wine lists, and specialty wine shops every few feet. But, I get the ocean when I come to Carmel and that has made all the difference.
Where to stay
Carmel is a touristy town and there are adorable inns throughout. There aren’t many Airbnb options (I’m assuming so as not to take business away from the long-standing inns here). Most inns offer breakfast and are dog-friendly. Carmel is the #1 dog friendly town in the US after all.
Where to Eat
Cottage for breakfast
Carmel Bakery for a sandwich (built in 1899, they’re the oldest running retail business in town)
Stationæry for a salad (their homemade chai is good too)
Patisserie Boissiere for a sweet treat
Mission Ranch for an awesome view
There are plenty of delicious places to eat, not only in Carmel but in nearby Monterey and Seaside. I haven’t had a bad meal in the area yet!
what to see
Carmel Beach is one of my favorite places because it’s huge and filled with happy, frolicky dogs. It’s truly a dog’s paradise. We love going straight to the beach when we arrive, tiring our pup out first, and then walking around town.
17 Mile Drive and Pebble Beach are cool to see at least once. We paid an entry fee at one of the gates ($10 cash) but there’s probably a way to get onto the drive for free. We just haven’t found it yet. The drive takes you along the coast, which is scenic for sure, and there are plenty of lookout points to stop at. You also get to see the famous Pebble Beach and the Equestrian Center.
The Carmel Mission Basilica Museum is beautiful to see and walking distance from Mission Ranch. It has a $10 entrance fee.
Ocean Avenue is the what I’d consider Main Street in Carmel. It’s filled with little shops and restaurants. It’s where you’ll find Carmel Bakery. Once you’ve seen Ocean Avenue, you can explore the side streets, like Lincoln and Dolores, and the charming courtyards and secret passageways sprinkled all over downtown.
