A Trip to Carmel-by-the-Sea: Recommendations
Carmel-by-the-Sea is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been to visit and its cool temperatures and slow pace provided the perfect haven for us away from the Texas heat and a chaotic home renovation.
If you take a trip to Carmel soon or are hoping to plan one for the future, I hope these recommendations will help you fall in love with this place as much as I have!
Where to Stay in Carmel:
We always love staying as close to town as possible to make it easy to walk around. There are so many cute inns right in town, but we typically opt for an AirBNB if we can find one to allow for more space (we love finding a place with a good patio) and a full kitchen (especially since we were staying a while this time!) We have stayed in one of the inns a few years back and it was so charming, cozy and very convenient with everything so close by. Carmel-by-the-Sea is very walkable!
What to Pack for Carmel:
The temperatures here typically range from low 60s-low 70s during the day. Most days that we were visiting were overcast with even a slight drizzle in the mornings. You can however get some sunshine that provides some mid-day warmth so my best advice is LAYERS. I took a jacket with me everywhere I went! The town is very laid back, so most of my outfits were more on the casual side. I went for a lot of ‘athleisure’ looks and often opted for long dresses with a jacket during the day and jeans with a sweater and jacket in the evenings. As I mentioned earlier, the town is very walkable and there can be some pretty steep hills, so I highly recommend packing plenty of casual shoes (no heels needed here!) My exact Vejas sneakers that I wore on this trip are now sold out, but I linked a pair of Soludos below that I wanted to order but wouldn’t have arrived in time for our trip! They’re so cute!
Shop My Outfits Here:
Where to Eat:
Rise + Roam - great spot to grab coffee and a croissant.
Carmel Bakery - another good spot to grab coffee and a croissant! I also loved their breakfast burrito. Be prepared for a line though!
Stationaery - a great place to sit and enjoy breakfast. It’s a really popular spot though, so it’s best to make a reservation!
The Pocket - this is definitely my favorite restaurant for lunch or dinner! The food is outstanding and the drinks are great too.
Portabella - we have had dinner here a few times and each time the food has been wonderful.
Pangaea Grill - we had lunch and dinner here several times and each time we were not disappointed! They have a pretty large menu and there’s a little something for everyone.
Mission Ranch - this is a must-visit if you’re in Carmel-by-the-Sea! It’s a great place to have dinner with views for days. They don’t take reservations, so be prepared to wait, but the views make waiting not so bad! Make sure to dress warmly as you may be sitting outside and it can get pretty chilly here at night.
Where to Drink:
Carmel has so many fun tasting rooms! It’s fun to just walk around and pop in to a few for tastings! Here are a few of my favorites:
Wrath - you have to try the Boekenoogen Chardonnay!
Albatross Ridge - loved everything we tasted here!
Dawn’s Dream - the Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays here are fantastic!
Carraccioli - this is a great stop if you like sparkling!
Things to Do:
Shop! - like I mentioned, Carmel is very walkable and there are so many little shops in town! It’s fun to just walk along and pop in to different shops.
Head to the Beach - the beach is a short walk from anywhere in town! It’s so nice to head down and take a walk along the beach or grab a blanket and set up a picnic (especially if you get a little sunshine!)
Go Hiking - there are so many good hiking spots around! You can head down to Point Lobos or go further South to Big Sur!
Garrapata State Park
17-Mile Drive - make sure to take the opportunity to go for a drive down the 17-Mile Drive! It’s truly a stunning drive - make sure to plan for a few stops along the way to take it all in!
Play a Round of Golf - this part of California is every golfers dream. There are so many good golf courses around, so if you or your travel partners love playing golf, make sure you make a few tee times!
Check out The Bench at Pebble Beach - maybe you’re not a golfer, but you don’t mind enjoying a glass of wine overlooking one of the most beautiful courses in the world (ahem, me). If you also fall in that category, make sure you check out The Bench! The views are insane.
Drinks at The Bench
See the Bagpiper at Spanish Bay - another golf destination for non-golfers is Spanish Bay! Every evening at sunset, the bagpiper plays on the course and you can get there a little early and grab a table by the fire pits near the second green to enjoy a glass of wine while watching the bagpiper. It’s such a cool experience!
