If you’re a golfer, you really should visit Carmel-by-the-Sea (Carmel) at least once. It’s not only the home of Pebble Beach Golf Links, but a number of other beautiful golf courses. If you’re not so in to golf, it has so much more to offer….amazing food, boutique shopping, wine tasting, white sand beaches, and more; all in a very quaint setting. This is an excellent destination for a couple, a girls’ trip, or adult getaway. It’s fine for kids too, but not a whole lot for them to do. Carmel hadn’t really been on my radar previously, but a friend of mine bought a home here a few summers ago and loved it, so we had to visit!
Summer is the busy season here, and its 60 degree temps were welcome vs our 110 degree weather in Phoenix in July. So grab your golf clubs and a jacket, and let’s spend a long weekend in Carmel-by-the-Sea!
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Here is a sample 3-day itinerary for Carmel, CA based on our couple’s getaway in July:
DAY 1: E-BIKE TOUR, WINE TASTING, AND DELICIOUS FOOD
Assuming you’ve flown in the night before (I recommend flying in to Monterey, CA (MRY) less than 10 minutes from the city center), Day 1 is a full day. As far as where to stay, this link has a ton of great options (my friend loves La Playa, and there’s a great little bar with live music during happy hour on Sundays). It’s really nice to stay right in the city center so that you can walk everywhere!
To start off Day 1, we grabbed breakfast at Carmel Belle…really great coffee / tea, and good breakfast too. There’s a cozy fireplace inside for cool mornings and a nice little patio outside for warmer days. After some fuel, we drove 15 minutes to Cannery Row in Monterey for our Guided E-Bike Tour with Big Sur Adventures, which we had booked through Trip Advisor. They have a few different options, but we chose the 17-mile drive along the coast. This option was about 17 miles (2.5 hours), and included several stops to see several beaches, sea lions, birds, golf courses, and more.
This was my first time on an e-bike, but they gave us some instructions before the ride and it was easy to pick up…and really helped on the hills! You are riding with traffic in many spots (not always a bike lane) and you do get going up to about 20 mph, so be sure you are up for the challenge! There were 8 of us plus our guide on this ride, and the cost included all of the equipment, snacks, and water. Our guide was very informative and we had a fantastic time…such a great way to see this area.
Our tour started at 10:30AM and was a 2.5-hour tour, so by the time we got back to Carmel, we were starving! We walked just a couple of blocks away to Brophy’s Tavern, a local Irish Pub with a really fun atmosphere and fabulous food. As usual, I was too hungry and forgot to take pictures of the food, but I had the Turkey Cobb Salad and my husband was craving a burger and fries…both were so good!
After lunch, we decided to do a little wine tasting. We prefer non-reds, so my friend took us to Dawn’s Dream Winery and tasting room right in Carmel. There were a bunch of tasty lighter varieties to sample, and a cute little patio outside. Definitely worth a stop in!
We explored the shops nearby and along Ocean Drive…such cute boutiques, hidden corridors, and neat architecture. We even found this spot with coffee and fresh baked cookies!
Finally, to finish our Day 1, we had dinner in Carmel Plaza at Nicolas Cocina de Herencia…a beautiful, upscale Mexican restaurant. Cocktails and food were both really good and the atmosphere was top-notch.
DAY 2: EXPLORING THE TOWN, BEACH WALK, AND A ROUND OF GOLF
On Day 2, start your day with a warm drink and breakfast at Carmel Valley Coffee on Ocean Avenue (this is the Main Street with lots of shopping and dining options. Take a coffee to go, and shop along Ocean Avenue, and eventually head West toward the beach! We started on the North End near Carmel Sunset Beach (if you look right you can see some of the iconic holes at Pebble Beach) and then walked along Scenic Road all the way to Mara Beach (about 1.3 miles each way). There were so many beautiful homes and landscapes along the entire route, including the Mrs. Clinton Walker House by Frank Lloyd Wright that’s shaped like a ship. There are even a couple of public restrooms along the way.
If you’re a golfer, on Day 2 make a tee time for one of the amazing golf courses in and around Carmel. Pebble Beach is an obvious option, but it can be very expensive. There are a few courses to choose from at different price points (The Links at Spanish Bay is one that doesn’t require a resort stay), so don’t rule it out either! Our friends are members at The Preserve in Carmel Valley (this is a private club, however) and wow, what an amazing golf experience! The weather was about 15-20 degrees warmer there too.
If you do golf on Day 2 in the afternoon you might choose to stay at the golf course for dinner, but if you’re heading back in to Carmel, I’d recommend La Bicyclette or Little Napoli for some Italian food to end this fantastic day.
DAY 3: SCENIC DRIVE TO BIG SUR & TRAVEL HOME
On Day 3 we decided to take a little road trip, so we grabbed iced coffee and bagel sandwiches at The Bagel Bakery on the way out of town. It’s a little hidden in a strip mall, but we were so happy to find this delicious gem! After breakfast, we headed to California Highway 1 and drove South along the coast toward Big Sur.
We drove about 25-30 miles down the highway until we hit a point where the road was closed (part of the highway had collapsed a couple months prior…when you see this road you will see how it could happen, but wonder how on Earth they repair it?!). Along the route there are a number of places to stop to take photos and do mini hikes down toward the water, including Point Sur. You’ll drive over bridges that were built in the 1930’s including the iconic Bixby Bridge, and there are a few places to stop to shop and grab lunch (like Nepenthe which is pictured above). The views are to die for! We also found a cute coffee shop / wine tasting room called The Village near the Big Sur River Inn.
By the time we got back to Carmel, it was time for a late lunch. My husband was craving some fresh seafood, so we stopped in to A.W. Shucks Cocktail and Oyster Bar. We had fresh fish, crab cakes, and salad, but were too hungry to remember to take pictures of our food (good thing I’m not a food blogger)!
This ended our long weekend in Carmel-by-the-Sea…we took the evening flight back to Phoenix from Monterey (such an easy way to go). We had a fabulous time and will definitely be back!