Carmel, California is hands down one of the prettiest places I have been to in the United States. No matter what time of year, a trip to this quaint town by the sea feels like an escape. So when Eric told me he’d be traveling there for a work conference, I decided this was a trip totally worth tagging along for (and flying solo for the first time with C). My sister Brit joined us (we love her flexible schedule!) and we had a perfect weekend meandering and exploring this gorgeous part of the country.

There are cute little hotels in town but we decided to rent an AirBnb. We prefer this when we have a little one and we also love to feel like we’re actually experiencing the town like a local. Our place was within walking distance of the town and the beach and it made life so easy with a baby. The only issue was when Charlie’s ear drum burst on Saturday night and none of us slept because of the tight quarters and upset child. But not everything can always go so smoothly!

I actually don’t have a ton of restaurant recommendations for you because we made a lot of food at our place but we did venture out to a cute restaurant called Casanova which is a delicious Italian spot. I loved the wall decor and they had quite an amazing wine selection!

There are SO many things to do in the area. Here are my recs for the MUST sees and dos!

17 Mile Drive

The 17 mile drive will cost you $10 and is worth every penny. It wraps around the famous Pebble Beach golf course and takes you by some of the most breathtaking homes on the sea. You’ll be able to stop and get out to take pictures and see the famous lone Cypress tree. If you’re lucky, you might be able to spot some seals!

Big Sur

Big Sur is a huge stretch of coastline between Carmel and San Simeon. There are plenty of hikes along this area as well as beaches and places to capture breathtaking views!

Stroll the beach

This is hands-down my favorite activity to do on any given vacation where we are near a beach. It’s so therapeutic to dip your toes in the ocean and walk barefoot in the sand. I especially love going first thing in the morning before the sun is too hot and I can walk with a cup of coffee in hand.

I can’t believe Charlie has been to both the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean this year. What a lucky kiddo! I must say he loves the sound of crashing waves and is totally mesmerized by the ocean. One of my favorite things is discovering what brings my child joy. I can’t get enough of his inquisitive face as he explores new places. He loved sitting in the sand and just staring at the water. It was kind of hard to snap his pic!

Monterrey Aquarium

The Monterrey Aquarium is supposed to be one of the best in the country! Our Airbnb host was sweet to give us his guest passes! It’s not the cheapest excursion but it was SO neat to see all the creatures and it’s located right on the ocean. My favorite was watching the otters play with a ball. They just seem like the happiest animals on the planet.

Charlie loved watching the fish swim and the penguins interact. I can’t wait to take him on more of these excursions when he’s older and understands a bit more of what is going on.

Walk Around Town

Have you seen Big Little Lies? If you haven’t, add it to your list! It’s all filmed in Monterrey (right near Carmel) and will give you a taste of what this part of the country looks like. The town of Carmel is so charming. I loved walking into all the little shops (The Cheese Shop is a must) and even found a few stores with Christmas ornaments (my favorite). There are tons of art galleries including one for Dr. Seuss!

Eat, Drink, and Be Merry!

While we enjoyed this little family getaway, I would absolutely love to come back on a couples trip. There were so many fun wine tasting shops and plenty of restaurants in town that we didn’t get to enjoy this time. We had to circle back to our house a few for Charlie’s naps and that did impact how much we were able to do.

If you read my Santa Barbara guide, you know that it was one of my favorite trips we have ever taken. Eric and I kept trying to figure out if we liked Carmel more and it was hard to pick! California is so beautiful. I’d say they are both incredible places and you can’t go wrong with either. So if you’re looking for a perfect romantic (or family friendly vacation), California is a great place to go :)

Eric was lucky to be able to golf for his work trip (Pebble Beach is on of the most beautiful golf courses in the country!). If golf is a sport you love, you probably already know this ;)

Have you been to Carmel? What was your favorite part about it?

As always, thank you for reading! I hope these travel guides are helpful and if you ever have questions, leave them in the comments!

 

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