Things To Do
Carmel-By-The-Sea Visitor Guide
Great site for up-to-date info about hotels and inns, food and drink, things to do, and special events.
Carmel-By-The-Sea Visitor Center at Carmel Plaza
Located in the heart of Carmel-by-the-Sea, the Carmel Visitors Center is your one-stop shop for everything you need to make the most of your visit. Friendly staff provide expert local knowledge, maps, brochures, and insider tips on the best attractions, dining, and events in the area. We offer complimentary Carmel guides, souvenirs, and unique local products, making it the perfect stop for both first-time visitors and seasoned Carmel lovers.
17 Mile Drive
17 Mile Drive is one of the most iconic routes in the world, hugging the California coast from Pacific Grove to Pebble Beach. It offers panoramic views of rugged cliffs, snow white beaches, windy surf, and lush golf courses. Highlight stops along the drive include Pebble Beach, Cypress Point Lookout, Spanish Bay, Crocker Cypress Grove, and Fanshell Overlook to see the harbor seals and their pups. (Another website with good tips: https://www.tripsavvy.com/17-mile-drive-1478474I)
Historic Carmel Walking Tour
A self-guided, free walking tour highlighting the history of the town. The walking tour starts at the first 'Murphy House', built in 1902, which now also serves as a local history museum and welcome center.
Carmel-By-The-Sea Wine Walk
The Carmel-by-the-Sea Wine Walk is a free mobile guide that will take you on a self-guided, walkable wine tasting journey to discover exclusive experiences at 12 wine tasting rooms throughout Carmel-by-the-Sea. Find amazing opportunities to explore and learn about wine.
Art Galleries
Since the turn of the century, Carmel has been a haven for artists and a refuge for writers and intellectuals who shaped this unique artist colony. Whether you're an art enthusiast or admirer, Carmel is an exploration of more than 50 art galleries within one-square mile, featuring the works of world-renowned artists and one-of-a-kind finds.
Big Sur Day-Trip Guide
Drive the famous, fabulous Highway 1 and explore 23 unforgettable places between Carmel and Big Sur.
Point Lobos State Natural Reserve
A stunning coastal reserve with scenic hiking trails, wildlife watching, and breathtaking ocean views. Famous for its tide pools and unique flora, it's a nature lover's paradise just south of Carmel-by-the-Sea.
Bixby Bridge
One of the most photographed spots on the Pacific Coast, Bixby Bridge is a stunning 280-foot-high structure that curves beautifully over a deep canyon, offering sweeping views of Big Sur's coastline.
Old Fisherman’s Wharf
Fisherman's Wharf is a historic wharf in Monterey. Used as an active wholesale fish market into the 1960s, the wharf today offers myriad experiences: Great Restaurants, Seafood & Chowder, Unique Shops, Whale Watching, Fishing & Sailing, Bay Cruises.
Cannery Row
Cannery Row is Monterey's historic waterfront district, famed for its booming sardine-canning past immortalized by author John Steinbeck. Today, it is a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly strip combining sweeping Monterey Bay views with the world-renowned aquarium, waterfront dining, wine tasting, and boutique shopping.
Monterey Bay Aquarium
Located at the ocean's edge on historic Cannery Row, the Monterey Bay Aquarium is your window to marine life. Visit sea otters, penguins, sharks, jellies, and much more within minutes from downtown Carmel-by-the-Sea. The stunning one-million-gallon Open Sea exhibit is home to one of the most diverse communities of open-ocean animals to be found in any aquarium.