Things To Do
Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA
We'd highly recommend spending some time in Carmel-by-the-Sea. It's a quaint and picturesque small town on the Monterey Peninsula, and you can explore the enchanting fairytale cottages, white sandy beaches, and charming downtown stores. Most importantly, Carmel and its beaches are *very* dog-friendly, so pay a visit if you enjoy watching playful puppies prance around! P.S. there are 51 secret passageways in downtown Carmel -- see if you can find them all!
Wine Tasting Rooms
Corral Wine Co in Carmel Valley is our favorite wine tasting room in the Carmel area. It's a little out of the way, so feel free to visit one of the many tasting rooms in Carmel proper! Here are a few we've enjoyed: Scheid Vineyards, Galante Vineyards (they have a funny cowboy theme), Dawn's Dream Winery, De Tierra Vineyards (they serve flights in test tubes)
Hikes / Nature
There are plenty of hikes in the Carmel area, and our favorite is Soberanes Canyon Trail at Garrapata State Park. It has beautiful views, although it's somewhat challenging. The pictures above and at the top were both taken from this hike! For a more chill hike with great ocean views, we'd recommend Point Lobos State Natural Reserve, located just south of Carmel.
Monterey, CA
Monterey is a fun city with plenty to do, including 17-Mile Drive (and Pebble Beach), the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and Cannery Row. We definitely recommend stopping by if you have some time to spare!
Big Sur, CA
Big Sur is another great place to visit if you're willing to drive a little further South. There are great sights like Bixby Creek Bridge, numerous state parks, and beautiful scenic beaches. Note: some of Highway 1 washed away in the recent storms, so travel to Big Sur is currently difficult. They're trying to finish reconstruction in the next few months, but look up current road conditions if you intend to visit.
Carmel Restaurants
We've probably gained about 80 pounds after gorging ourselves at the fantastic restaurants in Carmel. Here are some of our favorites if you wish to follow in our increasingly heavy footsteps! Reservations highly recommended. Dametra - tasty Mediterranean food, and lively music and dancing around dinnertime. We recommend the Gyros Plate. Stationæry - our go-to brunch spot. If you want their signature, the Potato Pancake, you might have to come early as they sell out quickly! Pangaea Grill - a good place for dinner with an "East Meets West" theme, fun cocktails and delicious Kimchi Fried Rice. La Bicyclette - they don't take reservations but we try to make it here every few months. All their food has been fantastic, and they have some fun specialty pizzas.