Cottages, Culture, and Charm on the California Coast: Where to Play, Eat, and Stay in Carmel-by-the-Sea

Things to do in Carmel-by-the-Sea

Take a walking tour

Learn about the town’s arts colony history and why it has so many storybook-style cottages that look straight out of England’s Cotswolds or Grimm’s fairy tales on a tour with Carmel Walks. Enter galleries, meander through courtyards, and duck into adorable alleys. Owner Gael Gallagher’s humor makes her tour fun as well as educational.

Carmel Walks: Ocean Ave, Carmel-By-The-Sea, CA 93921

Browse the art galleries

You’ve never seen so many galleries in a town of about 3,000 before: Carmel-by-the-Sea has about 80 in total, often with several clustered on one block.

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At Gallery Sur, admire awe-inspiring images of the night sky, like the Fox Fur nebula (so-called because its reddish glow is like a red fox) and Dragons of Ara nebula (which resembles two fighting dragons). Another highlight that the gallery showcases is a series of stone sculptures of humans made by one large, talented family in Zimbabwe.

Gallery Sur: 6th Ave, Carmel-By-The-Sea, CA 93921

Two blocks away, the MEUSE Gallery shows boldly colorful paintings of forest scenes, cherry blossoms, and abstracts by British-born Simon Bull, the official artist for the National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, DC, some years ago.

MEUSE Gallery: Ocean Ave & Monte Verde St, Carmel-By-The-Sea, CA 93923

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The Dawson Cole Gallery specializes in contemporary and modern sculpture, such as a trio of ecstatic dancing musicians by an artist called the “Michelangelo and Rodin of today.” A monthly Art Walk on the gallery also features artists on-site.

Dawson Cole: Lincoln St & 6th Ave, Carmel-By-The-Sea, CA 93921

For majestic ocean and rugged Carmel coast photography, head to the Aaron Chang Gallery a few doors down from MEUSE. Everything in the gallery was shot by Chang, who happens to be one of the world’s foremost names in surfing photography.

Aaron Chang Gallery: South Side of Ocean Avenue b/w Lincoln St & Dolores St, Carmel-By-The-Sea, CA 93921

Walk or bike along the beach

Walk to sandy Carmel Beach (where Ocean Avenue and numbered streets end) to admire the ocean. While you’re there, stroll aptly named Scenic Drive, lined by homes and thoughtfully placed benches, on its shore. Spectacular on a sunny day or at sunset, Carmel Beach presents its own moody charm if it’s foggy. If you’d prefer to explore the coast on two wheels, rent a bike at Mad Dogs & Englishmen.

Mad Dogs & Englishmen: Southwest Corner of Ocean Ave & Mission St, Carmel-By-The-Sea, CA 93921

Where to eat and drink in Carmel-by-the-Sea

La Bicyclette

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Called the “quintessential bistro and beloved neighborhood spot” by the Michelin Guide, this cozy French-Italian restaurant is where everyone goes from families to couples (including Taylor Swift on a date with Travis Kelce in April 2024). As I ate my wood-fired mushroom pizza with truffle oil and thyme, the man next to me found his pan-seared scallops in a lemon-seafood velouté sauce so sublime that he told his server to tell the chef he wanted to marry him, much to his wife’s amusement. Elsewhere in the restaurant, a family celebrated their baby’s birthday with a candle-topped chocolate pot de crème.

La Bicyclette: Dolores St & 7th Ave, Carmel-By-The-Sea, CA 93921

Toro

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This Japanese restaurant serves excellent, unusual sushi specialty rolls. My hamachi roll with avocado and green onion salad in unagi (eel) sauce topped with salmon and crispy salmon skin bits was satisfyingly crunchy, while my Carmel roll of tempura shrimp and spicy tuna had an unexpected sear on top.

Toro: Dolores St between 5th Ave & 6th Ave, Carmel-By-The-Sea, CA 93921

Il Fornaio

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Sit near windows facing dozens of flower boxes on an umbrella-shaded patio for Italian food ranging from wood-fired pizzas like the Calabrese (spicy salami, Gorgonzola, mozzarella, tomato sauce, and oregano) to saffron cream risotto with scallops. The roasted pear salad with Gorgonzola, grapes, pecans and baby lettuce with pomegranate dressing wins rave reviews, and pastas are made fresh daily.

Il Fornaio: Ocean Ave & Monte Verde St, Carmel-By-The-Sea, CA 93921

Galante Vineyards

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Carmel-by-the-Sea has 18 wine tasting rooms, but only one is owned by a descendant of the town’s co-founder, James Devendorf. Jack Galante honors his illustrious heritage in his tiny Western-decor tasting room with a carpet depicting cowboys, lassoes in air, “cowboy philosophy” on the wine labels, and outdoor tables. Expect bold Bordeaux-style blends from his 700-acre vineyards in the Carmel Valley hills, but also a white blend of muscadelle, Sauvignon Blanc, and chasselas (a grape native to Switzerland’s Lake Geneva region) from Sonoma Valley. To find it, walk through Piccadily Park on Dolores, or enter an alley on Ocean Avenue, Der Ling Lane. A tasting of five is $35.

Galante Vineyards: Dolores St between Ocean Ave & 7th Ave, Carmel-By-The-Sea, CA 93921

Where to stay in Carmel-by-the-Sea

La Playa Hotel

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Located in the 1905 mansion of a Ghirardelli Chocolate heiress and her artist husband, this luxury hotel three blocks from Carmel Beach has an outdoor pool and 75 rooms and suites with ocean, garden, or estate views. A Champagne buffet breakfast is included in the price.

The hotel’s bar, Bud’s, is known for its “dime cocktail” happy hour: cocktails cost 10 cents during a 10-minute interval each day at the bartender’s discretion. (Exact change only.) A signature cocktail, The Mayor, recalls how the former owner persuaded Clint Eastwood to run for mayor instead of sitting around complaining. Carmel is “inhabited by the kind of people who would elect several poets (and Clint Eastwood) as Mayor” where “jade hunting, abalone bashing, and drunken poetry readings” were once pastimes, its website notes.

La Playa Hotel: Camino Real & 8th Ave, Carmel-By-The-Sea, CA 93921

Tally Ho Inn

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This darling whitewashed inn, whose open front door is flanked by cheerful potted flowers and glimpses of the Pacific beyond it, is perfectly located just off Ocean Avenue, the main street lined by galleries, shops, and restaurants. The outdoor fireplace was ideal for sipping wine — when I wasn’t inside admiring the ocean views from my balcony or sitting by my gas fireplace if it was too chilly. The price includes a $15 coupon for breakfast at Il Fornaio.

Tally Ho Inn: Monte Verde St & 6th Ave, Carmel-By-The-Sea, CA 93921

Cypress Inn

Famously pet-friendly, this elegant white boutique hotel built in 1929 was owned by the late Doris Day for over 20 years. Spanish tiles adorn the front steps, standard poodle sculptures guard the front desk, and a living-room-like lobby welcomes with sofas, armchairs, and a wood-burning fireplace. The 44-room hotel has a big umbrella-shaded patio for dining and full bar.

Cypress Inn: Lincoln St & 7 Ave, Carmel-By-The-Sea, CA 93921

How to get to Carmel-by-the-Sea

Carmel-by-the-Sea is a two-hour drive south of San Francisco. It’s also a 10-minute drive from Monterey Regional Airport (MRY), which has direct flights to 11 cities, ranging from Dallas and Minneapolis to Seattle.