A Day Trip To Carmel-by-the-Sea, California
Published Nov. 2021 | Updated Feb. 2024
Carmel-by-the-Sea is just 120 miles south of San Francisco and just a few miles south of Monterey Bay. It is arguably one of the cutest towns in California with fairy-tale cottages, incredible coastal views, and a quaint, Dutch-style town center.
Carmel was founded in 1902 by creative, artsy people. In the early days of the town, the majority of the citizens were artists, poets, actors, etc. — all involved in the arts in one way or another. The eccentric and creative influence is still very present in Carmel, which is one of the reasons why I love it so much!
Aside from the gorgeous coastline and adorable neighborhoods, Carmel is also known for being a very dog-friendly town. If you have a dog, bring them during your day trip!
If you aren’t able to spend a weekend (or even a week) here, I recommend taking a day trip to Carmel. It’s just a couple of hours from the Bay Area, which makes for an easy day trip.
Although it is a small town, there is still a great variety of things to do during a day trip to Carmel-by-the-Sea!
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Know Before You Go
Name: The official city name is Carmel-by-the-Sea, but it’s also referred to as just Carmel. I’ll refer to it both ways throughout this post!
Location: Carmel-by-the-Sea is located right on the central coast between Monterey Bay in the north and Point Lobos in the south.
Weather: Since this is a coastal city, it gets the typical coastal weather with cooler temperatures and more fog than more inland cities. You can expect more fog, especially close to the coast, in the fall and winter months.
Where To Stay in Carmel-by-the-Sea
If you decide a day trip isn’t enough (it’s not!), there are some great hotels and inns in Carmel-by-the-Sea! While most places to stay in Carmel are on the more luxury side price-wise, there are some more affordable ones as well.
Best Overall:
Coachman's Inn, A Four Sisters Inn (owned by the same company as the Inns of Mendocino and Gosby House Inn!)
Best Luxury:
Villa Mara Carmel (beachfront)
L'Auberge Carmel, Relais & Chateaux (1920s historic luxury hotel)
Carmel Beach Hotel (one block from the beach)
Best Mid-range:
Candle Light Inn (downtown Carmel)
Best Budget:
Carmel Bay View Inn (one mile from the beach and mission)
Svendsgaard's Inn (pet-friendly rooms)
Want to find something on your own? Search for hotels below! If you cannot see the map, try turning off your ad blocker and refreshing the page.
What to Bring on a Day Trip to Carmel
For a day trip to Carmel, you don’t need to bring much!
All you need for a fun-filled day in Carmel is a water bottle, backpack, sunscreen, some good walking shoes, and a Turkish towel if you plan on hanging out at the beach.
You may also want to bring some drinks and snacks in the car if you’re planning on doing the 17-mile drive since there are no restaurants or food places along the way.
What to Wear on a Day Trip to Carmel
If you’re visiting Carmel in fall or winter, layers are key to comfort! A tank top or short sleeve with a warm, cozy jacket/sweatshirt is ideal. If the sun peeks out, you will warm up quickly and want to take your jacket off.
In spring and summer, it warms up enough for a sundress or shorts and a tank top, but I still recommend bringing layers for when the cool coastal breeze picks up. If the fog rolls in, the temperature cools down and a jacket is a must.
For some great photos with the fairy tale cottages in Carmel-by-the-Sea, a pretty dress is great to wear or bring along to change into for photos.
Things to Do in Carmel-by-the-Sea
Carmel-by-the-Sea isn’t just your ordinary beach town. There are tons of things to do in Carmel and the Dutch-style town transports you to a whole new world!
17-mile Drive to Carmel
One of the most popular things to do in Carmel is the 17-mile drive. It stretches from Pacific Grove to Carmel-by-the-Sea, winding along the coast with stunning lookout spots throughout the drive.
The whole drive is only 17 miles, but with all the stops, it can add up to a few hours.
Enter at the Pacific Grove entrance and follow the 17-mile drive south until you reach the end, which pops you out in Carmel! If you’re coming from the north, this is a great way to start the day and make your way to Carmel for a full-day trip.
Get out early and give yourself plenty of time to enjoy each stop, take photos, have a picnic, and go for a walk!
For a unique experience, book a 17-mile drive sightseeing tour with a guide who will drive you while providing information about the local history.
Recommended: The 17-mile Drive From Pacific Grove to Carmel-by-the-Sea
Fairy Tale Cottages
Carmel-by-the-Sea is famous for its fairy tale cottages, though they are also referred to as storybook houses. Visiting these houses is one of the best things to do in Carmel!
All the houses were built by Hugh Comstock, who was an American designer and master builder. The first house Hugh Comstock built was named Hansel, which he built in 1924 for his wife to showcase her handmade felt dolls (called Otsy-Totsy dolls). Today, there are 21 remaining fairy tale cottages in Carmel-by-the-Sea.
Some specific fairy tale cottages in Carmel are more well-known than others, but it’s fun to just walk around and explore the neighborhoods!
If you’re walking around and taking photos, be mindful of the fact that these are people’s actual homes. Don’t trespass, keep your voices down, and be respectful.
Carmel Mission Basilica
The Carmel Mission Basilica, also called Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo, is an active mission with weekly mass – they even host weddings! It’s called the “Father of the California Missions” and is a shrine to Father Junipero Sera.
The mission is both a National and State Historic Landmark, and it’s open to the public to tour the grounds, visit the museum, and shop at the gift shop.
This is one of my favorite California Missions (Old Mission Santa Barbara takes first place) and one of my favorite things to do in Carmel! The interior courtyard is large and well-maintained, while the front entrance has lovely gardens, a fountain, and benches to sit and relax.
It’s easy to spend a couple of hours walking around, sitting on the benches, and exploring the inside of the mission.
Lunch at Alvarado Street Brewery & Bistro
All the restaurants in Carmel-by-the-Sea are located a few blocks inland from the coast in the downtown area, all within a couple of blocks from Ocean Avenue.
Alvarado has a great selection of typical brewery foods, like pizza and burgers. They have a location in Monterey as well, which is the one we went to. I got the vegan Beyond Burger and it was amazing!
The Carmel location is in the Carmel Plaza shopping center and has both indoor seating and an outdoor courtyard.
There is street parking, but it can be tricky to find a space on busier days. The Carmel Plaza has an underground parking garage where you may have better luck.
Walk Along the Carmel Beach Walk
My absolute favorite thing to do in Carmel is walk the Carmel Beach Walk on a sunny day. The ocean views are jaw-dropping, especially with the pink candelabra aloe in the foreground.
Park at the Mara Carmel Beach parking lot (there are public restrooms here) and walk along the trail next to Scenic Rd. The walk can be as short or as long as you’d like since you can turn around and walk back at any point.
For a 1-mile walk, start at the parking lot and walk to Stewart Way (just past Butterfly House) and back.
For a 1.6-mile walk, start at the parking lot and walk to the Clinton Walker House (created by Frank Lloyd Wright) and back.
For a 3-mile walk, start at the parking lot and walk to 8th Avenue. The Clinton Walker House is your halfway point and you’ll turn around at the north end of Carmel Beach.
Many of the people I encountered on the trail were friendly locals enjoying a stroll in the sunshine or couples visiting for the weekend.
There are many picturesque spots along this path and you can even bring binoculars to do some bird watching!
Relax on the Best Beaches in Carmel-by-the-Sea
This goes without saying, but the beaches in Carmel are beautiful. On a warm summer day, they are dotted with people lying out to enjoy the sunshine and waves.
Since Carmel is small, there are just a few beaches that are accessible to people.
Carmel Beach: This pristine, white-sand beach is the northernmost beach in Carmel. It backs up right to the Pebble Beach Golf Course and 17-mile Drive gate and ends at the Clinton Walker House. If you do the 1.6-mile or 3-mile Carmel Beach Walk, you will end at this beach where you can set up your beach towel and cool off in the ocean.
Carmel River State Beach: If you park at the Mara Carmel Beach parking lot, you’ll be right at Carmel River State Beach. This is a large, protected beach with pristine white sand and a river that runs right to the beach. It’s part of the Carmel River Lagoon and Wetlands Natural Preserve.
Monastery Beach: Although this beach is gorgeous, swimming is prohibited due to the dangerous waves. Monastery Beach is thought to be the most dangerous beach in California! Stay safe and keep to the shores if you visit, but make sure to bring your camera to photograph the intimidating waves.
Shop in Downtown Carmel-by-the-Sea
The main street in Carmel is Ocean Avenue. It is lined with shops, restaurants, hotels, and inns. It’s a great place to window shop before or after getting lunch/dinner downtown!
If you’re having trouble finding street parking and don’t mind walking, drive to the very end of Ocean Avenue and park in the public parking lot next to the beach.
Go Wine Tasting
Some of Carmel-by-the-Sea is part of the Monterey AVA, an American Viticultural Area that stretches from northern Monterey Bay to Paso Robles. In other words, there are great wineries here!
Skip the planning and book a highly-rated Carmel Valley Wine Tasting Tour that sets the itinerary for you and includes hotel pick-up/drop-off, wine-tasting fees, and a guided vineyard walk.
Dinner, Dessert, and Drinks at Forge
At the end of a perfect day trip to Carmel, treat yourself to a nice dinner with dessert and drinks to close out the day.
We stopped for just dessert and drinks at Forge in the Forest, which has a lovely outdoor patio with red bricks, gorgeous wood tables, and tons of plants.
They also have an outdoor firepit which adds to the relaxing and cosy atmosphere. Their chocolate cake was incredible, as was their mulled wine (seasonal).
Things To Do Near Carmel-by-the-Sea
Marina Sand Dunes
One of the most unique things to do in California is walk up the dunes in Marina, CA. They overlook Marina Beach and the Pacific Ocean and are typically pretty empty.
These in particular are not frequented and you may have the dunes to yourself. There is a launch area for hang gliders and if you’re lucky like we were, you can watch one take off!
To get here, enter Lake Ct. Monterey Bay, CA into your navigation to find the parking and trail up the dune. You’ll follow along Lake Drive until you reach Lake Ct. and then turn left. You can’t miss them!
Location coordinates: 36.68292013254476, -121.80952783253696
Pacific Grove
North of Carmel is the gorgeous coastal town of Pacific Grove. It has cozy bed and breakfasts, a quaint downtown with shops and restaurants, and a stunning coastal trail with ocean views and great bird watching.
If you’re planning a day trip to Carmel but want to stay nearby, I highly recommend a night or two in Pacific Grove! We stayed at the Gosby House Inn and had a lovely time.
Monterey
One of the most well-known towns in California is Monterey, mostly thanks to the famous Cannery Row and award-winning aquarium.
It’s located right next to Pacific Grove and a great area to enjoy whale watching, walk down Old Fisherman’s Wharf, and of course visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium — the best aquarium in the world!
Big Sur
About an hour south of Carmel-by-the-Sea (39 miles) via Highway 1 is Big Sur. Take the scenic PCH (Pacific Coast Highway) south to see one of the most recognizable spots along the California coast: McWay Falls.
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