ELLE Escapes: Carmel-by-the-Sea

Carmel-by-the-Sea is full of whimsical surprises, but its main attraction happens nightly like clockwork: Residents and visitors head west with blankets, kids, and dogs to watch the sunset from one of the prettiest white-sand beaches on the West Coast. A blend of natural beauty and tight-knit community defines this Brigadoon of a destination on Central California’s Monterey Peninsula. Many travelers have come to Carmel for a weekend and left fantasizing, à la Gene Kelly, about staying forever.

I visited recently for Carmel-by-the-Sea Culinary Week, which, in June, takes over the seaside town with special restaurant offerings, tasting events, and La Dolce Vita on Dolores Street, an Italian feast set around a communal table as long as a city block. It all made for a perfect introduction to the hyperlocal village, which is nearly devoid of chain stores and restaurants. Carmel’s coastal microclimate keeps it cooler than surrounding areas, and you’re never far from a fireplace and a glass of wine to keep you cozy.

By a quirk of law, high heels are technically banned in Carmel without a permit, but you won’t miss them anyway. The area is built for wandering, whether you’re exploring the hidden passageways and fairy-tale architecture of the town, walking along the shoreline, or taking 17-Mile Drive along the Pacific coast through Pebble Beach, home to one of the nation’s top public golf courses. Make your plans (but leave room for the unexpected) with our list of what to see and where to eat, drink, and stay in Carmel-by-the-Sea.

Carmel has excellent shopping along its main drag, Ocean Avenue, and the upscale outdoor mall Carmel Plaza (also the site of Party on the Plaza, an epic food and wine tasting that kicks off Culinary Week). But duck into Carmel’s narrow alleyways, and you’ll find another world: a network of 41 passageways and courtyards hiding restaurants, art galleries, wineries, and shops selling everything from heirloom jewelry to dog sweaters. Don’t miss the Secret Garden Passageway, which leads to the Pilgrim’s Way garden shop and bookstore; Las Tiendas Passageway, dotted with the patio tables of the Carmel Coffee Shop; and The Court of the Golden Bough, a collection of eateries and shops tucked behind the iconic storybook-style building The Cottage of Sweets.

Just south of Carmel on Highway 1 is perhaps the prettiest of California’s 280 state parks. Photographers, painters, poets, and ecologists have long been drawn to this small promontory, which today has roughly six miles of easy-to-moderate trails combining peaceful pine forests, rocky coastline, and steep cliffs covered in wildflowers. The Monterey Cypress Trail offers some of the most Instagrammable views; Sea Lion Point is the place to spot sunning pinnipeds, floating sea otters, or even migrating whales.

Local art makes the best souvenir and helps support the artists, too. This nonprofit organization is the city’s oldest gallery and a must-visit cultural destination, showcasing the work of 80 professional artists living on the Monterey Peninsula through rotating exhibits, monthly receptions, and artist talks. You could flip through the affordable art in the back rooms here for hours, and I may have. Find more art in the nearby Su Vecino Courtyard and Passageway, home to a number of appealing galleries.

Married co-owners Monique and Jonny Black—she runs the front of house, he runs the kitchen—worked at some of the country’s top restaurants before moving to Carmel to open this warm, polished spot in 2022. Glowing in the golden-hour sun, the bistro has an effortless neighborhood vibe that belies its Michelin-starred status. But the food leaves no room for doubt. Our Spanish-influenced tasting menu (technically five courses, but so many little treats came out of the kitchen that we lost count) made the most of seafood and produce from nearby Monterey Peninsula farms.

A coveted reservation for lunch, The Bench offers a view that golfers know well: the 18th hole at Pebble Beach Golf Links. It might be the most famous finishing hole in golf, known for its history of championship drama and jaw-dropping Pacific backdrop. One of several dining rooms at The Lodge at Pebble Beach, The Bench stands out for its indoor-outdoor setting, fire pits, and wood-fired specialties like organic mushroom flatbread and roasted strawberries for dessert. Take the route from Carmel along scenic 17-Mile Drive—if you spend $35, the restaurant will reimburse your gate fee.

The passion project of another husband-and-wife team, chef Michael Chang and sommelier Caroline Singer, Foray takes local to the next level. The California cuisine looks like art on a plate and is elevated by ingredients foraged with the aid of the couple’s truffle-hunting dog, Falco. (Try the chicken torchon, velvety with butter and featuring house-foraged morel mushrooms and nettles.) The vibe here is formal but not stuffy—we’re still in Carmel, after all—and the exceptional, thoughtfully chosen wine pairings are not to be missed.

The Central Coast climate favors similar grapes to Burgundy—think Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Download this self-guided mobile tour, and you’ll unlock special offers at nearly a dozen village wineries. My favorites included Tira Nanza, which makes lush, organically farmed Viognier to die for, and Dawn’s Dream Winery, where the rosé is award-winning and the inspiring business model supports charities for women, children, and rescue animals. Domaine Messier, located in the Winfield Art Gallery, gives a $20 discount on tastings to Wine Walk participants; VIN by the Sea, known for its food pairings and evening hours, offers a free bite with your wine.

With its hardwood floors, Chesterfield sofas, fresh flowers, and walls of hipsterish dog-themed merch, this is one of the most welcoming cafés on Ocean Avenue. Even better, the coffee is outstanding, with creative brews like vanilla cardamom latte and black sesame matcha. Once you’re fueled up, visit the bike shop around back, where you can sign up for a guided e-bike tour of 17-Mile Drive that was one of the highlights of my visit. And yes, we bought the T-shirt.

With two Michelin stars and a location at the Relais & Châteaux property L’Auberge Carmel, Aubergine is destination dining with a $285 tasting menu from star chef Justin Cogley. But one doesn’t need a special occasion to pop into the restaurant’s jewel box of a cocktail bar, a local favorite where Chef Cogley creates the bar snacks and might even stop by to say hello. The bartenders are known for their personalized mixology—you share your mood and tastes, and they’ll craft something meant only for you.

With just 24 rooms around a leafy courtyard, this Craftsman-style boutique inn feels like home (or at least a wealthy California relative’s home). Opened in 2023 by the design-forward hotel group Palisociety, the rooms feature a soothing sage green palette, playful pattern mixing, and luxury touches like T3 hair tools, Smeg mini-fridges, and Diptyque beauty products. But comfort is never sacrificed for style—in fact, it was hard to pull myself away from the overstuffed fireside couches in the hotel’s lounge. Breakfast brings jammy eggs and fresh pastries; in the late afternoon, staff pour complimentary regional wine; and each night, a knock on the door heralds the arrival of a plate of fresh chocolate chip cookies. A sister location, Le Petit Pali at Ocean Ave., has a few more rooms, on-site parking, and a martini social hour.

This “Grand Dame” of Carmel hotels is the place to stay if you value a historic space, an ocean view, an awesome pool, or all of the above. Built in 1905 by an artist married to a Ghirardelli chocolate heiress, the stone mansion is newly sparkling after a $20 million renovation. The beachy rooms have nostalgic turn-of-the-century touches like rotary phones, and the outdoor spaces—flowering gardens, grassy terraces, and a year-round heated pool—are romantic and transporting.

It’s not hard to see why movie legend Doris Day chose to buy this property a few decades ago: Originally built in 1929, the white stucco walls and ornate black balcony railings scream Old Hollywood glamour. Day, a famed advocate for animal rescue, made the hotel her own, instituting dog-friendly policies that were ahead of their time and helped establish Carmel as a magnet for pet lovers. Dogs of all breeds remain welcome here and are even offered their own menu at Terry’s Restaurant & Lounge, the clubby restaurant in the hotel’s inner courtyard. Ideally located, the hotel is a short walk to both the village and a dog-friendly beach (no leashes required!).

This firming body cream boasts a velvety smooth soufflé of shea, cacao, and mango butters that work with active marine extracts to visibly smooth, plump, and tighten skin. Its scent profile is an earthy blend of cool citrus, wild strawberry, and exotic woods, which beautifully mirrors the cypress and pine groves lining the Carmel coast.

Whether you’re biking down Ocean Avenue or sipping wine at a local vineyard, sunscreen is essential for staying protected from the California sun. EltaMD’s sunscreen is especially well suited for sensitive and acne-prone skin, and the tinted formula provides a dewy veil that helps even out the complexion.

There’s no easier way to pull your hair up into an effortless updo than with an Emi Jay hair clip. Each chic design perfectly complements the cozy, quiet-luxury aesthetic of Carmel-by-the-Sea.