CARMEL BY THE SEA
I totally understand why people love Carmel so much now! This quiet sleepy town on the California coast is so dang cute. So a little backstory… This was part of the trip I was supposed to take with my ex-boyfriend over Valentine’s Day. I wasn’t going to let it go to waste so I asked my brunette bestie and other single gal pal, Lynlee. We’ve traveled together a ton and always have the best time. Believe me we made the BEST of this girls trip…
We had three days to explore the Carmel area so we decided to make the most of it and visit Big Sur and Pebble Beach since they were so close. Honestly, we didn’t really need more than a few days to explore everything. I mean we don’t golf and we could only drink so much wine, haha. So we basically ate and drank majority of the trip… Not complaining!
Our Mexico trip was a bit of a whirlwind so all we really wanted to do was relax and have a good time. We went to bed early every night and it was glorious. You really can’t wake up or ever be in a bad mood if you lived in Carmel. I mean all you have to do is walk down the street to the beach and everything just seems so peaceful.
The weather is around 65 degrees year round so pack layers! I recommend a denim jacket for sure and sneakers. Everywhere is fairly casual so you’ll be just fine in a pair of jeans.
CARMEL BY THE SEA TRAVEL GUIDE
WHERE TO STAY
I found my future home while we were in Carmel… It was even for sale! I just need fifty more years to save for it. However, if you want a quaint place to stay I highly recommend La Playa Carmel. Everything about this place was adorable. The amazing flowers all over the property are gorgeous. And let’s just talk about the beautiful decor and attention to detail from this 1900s hotel. Yes, it’s that old but has been restored so we can enjoy this piece of history. The property was actually a gift to the guys wife who was part of the Ghirardelli family.
Also, I would recommend their sister property Hotel Carmel which I hope to stay at next time! Both are walking distance to the square where all of the shops and restaurants are located.
WHERE TO EAT IN CARMEL BY THE SEA
Honestly, I don’t think you could have a bad meal here. We were overwhelmed with options so we tried to pop into as many places as we could even if it was just for a drink. There are also a lot of wine tasting rooms which I’d highly recommend doing a fun wine tour one day. If you have time I’d take the 20 minute drive into Carmel Valley and explore the wineries too!
Casanova’s
(We went here twice because it was that good. I’m not joking. You MUST get the spinach gnocchi!!!)
Hog’s Breath Pub
(Clint Eastwoods place)
WHAT TO DO IN CARMEL BY THE SEA
Drive the coast to Big Sur
17 Mile Drive
Bagpiper at Pebble Beach
Wine tastings around town OR Carmel Valley vineyards
Play golf (or drive the cart like I would do)
Go to the cheese shop
Picnic on the beach
Find the purple beach in Big Sur
Get up early and walk around the neighborhood
RELAX…
So many beautiful outfits and Carmel is gorgeous place. I am glad you were able to have fun with your friends and relax.
Maureen | http://www.littlemisscasual.com
Where was the the first picture of you holding a wine glass taken? I’m going to Carmel in a couple weeks and looking for spots. Thanks!