I’ve officially found the place where Portuguese tiles, Greek island Bougainvillea flowers, friendly locals and beaches all come together. An entire town dominated by ivy and cobblestone alleyways, with colorful buildings and the most ridiculously charming qualities. The place is Carmel By The Sea in central California and once you visit, no other coastal town will compare.
How has Carmel By The Sea maintained its enchanting character after so many years?
Many reasons. First, whenever a new building goes up, city law states that it must be built around trees. In addition, if there aren’t an adequate amount of trees on a lot, new trees must be planted. This upholds the city’s plan of having a residential ‘village in a forest overlooking a white sand beach.’
Chain restaurants, like McDonald’s or Taco Bell, are banned in this town to help sustain the local eateries. Even though Carmel By The Sea only stretches for one square mile, street lights and housing numbers don’t exist. When the village was established in the early 1900s, artists named their houses instead and the town has maintained that to this day.
My Experience in Carmel By The Sea
Carmel By The Sea transported me back to my former second home of Europe. Stairwells don the look of those iconic Portuguese tiles and some buildings resemble the old German village I used to reside in.
The grasp that Carmel-By-The-Sea has onto history is comparable to that of Europe, which was always something that drew me in to that continent. The U.S. tends to tear down old buildings just to build new. This little town was one of the first places I’ve found that appreciates their history instead of wanting to destroy it, a true fairytale enchantment.
My Complete Guide to Carmel By The Sea:
Where to Stay
Normandy Inn
Located right in the center of town this inn is steps away from shops, art galleries, cafes and Carmel beach. With traditional rooms or cottages to choose from, the accommodations embody the Old World European charm. Other perks are the heated pool and communal fire pit area.
Lamp Lighter Inn
Conveniently located in the heart of Carmel By The Sea, this inn is pet-friendly and features a charming garden area.
Carmel Valley Lodge
For a more remote place to stay outside of Carmel By The Sea, drive about 10-15 minutes south to Carmel Valley. An entire area filled with lodges and health resorts, Carmel Valley is a year-round retreat for those wishing to vacation slowly. The Carmel Valley Lodge is a 2 star hotel and wellness center nestled in a grandiose fruit-tree forest. The entire location is pet-friendly, has an incredible pool and hot tub area and a fire pit. While the rooms are a little outdated, the ever-adored ship-lap ceilings, magnificently comfy king size bed and decades-old brick fireplace adds to the charm.
Where to Eat
The Tuck Box
Even though the ownership of this vintage 1927 cottage has changed more than a dozen times throughout the past 90 years, they found their niche with the new owners. The Tuck Box operates as the cutest little restaurant serving American breakfast, specialty plates and afternoon tea until 2:30 PM.
La Bicyclette
This cozy bistro is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and offers a simple mix of French and Italian to create a European Country Cuisine. The restaurant updates its menu weekly to keep up with the flow of local ingredients that they use.
Friar Tuck’s Restaurant
If you’re looking for a good, hearty American breakfast or a meaty burger for lunch, check out this place. Opened in 1976, the owners are a married couple who cook everything themselves in the kitchen. In the mornings, the small restaurant fills up with locals enjoying their cup of coffee and you can’t help but feel as if you’re a part of the community while dining.
What To Do
Shop ‘Til You Drop
Or do what I did and just window shop! In pure charming style, this little town has endless cobblestone alleyways, winding you through ivy-streaked walls that hold hidden boutiques beyond them. I’d stumble upon covert stairwells nestled in courtyards at the back of buildings only to realize it leads to a boutique two stories up.
While many ‘mom and pop shops’ exist for clothing, toys and hardwares, big-name retailers like Kate Spade New York sit awkwardly on the corner, trying to compete with the charm of the local shops.
Gaze at the Art in the Galleries
Even if you’re not an art-fanatic, the massive amount of artistic work in Carmel By The Sea is impressive. For over a century, Carmel has been known as an artist colony, with many famous people holding Council positions. Even Clint Eastwood was once the mayor! According to a newspaper article from 1906, around 60% of the houses in Carmel were built by artists devoting a life to art.
The importance of art can be felt today as nearly 100 galleries dominate the alleyways within one-square mile.
Spend a Day At the Beach
One of the most famed beaches in all of central California is the dog-friendly Carmel Beach. Known for its insanely-soft white sand, it offers many activities like volleyball, surfing, biking or hiking the Scenic Bluffs Path.
Some beautiful views exist from Carmel Beach with Point Lobos to the south and the Pebble Beach golf course to the north.
See the Lone Cypress at Pebble Beach
This area is home to one of the most famous trees in North America, the Lone Cypress. Sitting atop a granite cliff over the Pacific Ocean, this Monterey Cypress is unique to this 15-mile region of the world. Throughout it’s 250 years of life, it has survived the scorches of fire and strong tropical storms, somehow still standing today.
While visiting Carmel By The Sea, take the famous 17-Mile Drive along the coast. You’ll drive by the internationally-famous Pebble Beach Golf Links and the Cypress Point Golf Course.
Sip Wine at One of the Many Tasting Rooms
Wine has been made from the growing vines of Monterey County since the early 18th century by Franciscan Friars. Now, there are over 40,000 acres of vineyards in this region with 175 different vineyards and 60 tasting rooms.
One of my favorite tasting rooms in Carmel By The Sea is Dawn’s Dream. Some of the best Pinot Noir I’ve tasted comes from here but my favorite is the 2015 Rosé. Not only is the wine delectable but the company itself is downright inspiring. Dawn contributes much of her time and money to non-profit organizations. With the swipe of a credit card, a percentage of that sale is automatically donated to a local non-profit for women called Rising International.
Soak Up The Fairytale Charm of this Enchanting Town
Even if the pockets are empty and it’s too cold for the beach, Carmel By The Sea is the best place to be. Soak up the fairytale charm of the town, strolling through hidden alleyways and around the lush greenery that characterizes it.
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