Getty Images

Carmel-by-the-Sea

With borderline fanatical devotion to its canine citizens, quaint Carmel has the well-manicured feel of a country club. Watch the parade of behatted locals toting fancy-label shopping bags to lunch and dapper folk driving top-down convertibles along Ocean Ave, the village’s slow-mo main drag.

Attractions

Must-see attractions for your itinerary

Point Lobos State Natural Reserve
Carmel-by-the-Sea
They bark, they laze and bathe and they’re fun to watch – sea lions are the stars in this state park some 4 miles south of Carmel, along with the…
Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo
Carmel-by-the-Sea
Carmel's strikingly beautiful mission is an oasis of solemnity with flowering gardens and a thick-walled basilica filled with Spanish Colonial art and…
Tor House
Carmel-by-the-Sea
Even if you’ve never heard of 20th-century poet Robinson Jeffers, a pilgrimage to this house built with his own hands offers fascinating insights into…
Carmel Beach City Park
Carmel-by-the-Sea
Not always sunny, Carmel Beach is a gorgeous blanket of white sand, where pampered pups excitedly run off-leash. South of 10th Ave, bonfires crackle after…
I. Brand & Family
Carmel-by-the-Sea
This modern tasting room is a good place to try Californian-, French- and Spanish-style wines. A vinyl turntable and retro board games give it a hip…
Lone Cypress
Carmel-by-the-Sea
Central California's most famous and photographed tree has been perched precariously on a seaward rock for possibly more than 250 years.
Joyce Wine Company
Carmel-by-the-Sea
A modern and stylish room showcasing the winery's well-regarded Pinot Noir and rosé.
Carmel River State Beach
Carmel-by-the-Sea
Migratory birds are attracted to this mile-long stretch of sand bordered by a lagoon formed by the Carmel River.