Carmel Travel Guide

Holy happy place, friends. Whether you choose the sea or the valley or both, you will not be disappointed. Like most of the places we visit time, and again, there is too much magic to capture in one guide.

Of all the magical hotels in Carmel, Bernardus Lodge hits the top of our list. The hotel's grounds are spectacular, the hot tub overlooking the valley, the bocce court, and the garden. Every square inch is swoon-worthy. The best part about Bernardus? It’s dog friendly! So your best bud can come along for the weekend. Our next visit I’d love to stay by the sea, and Villa Mara has my eye. What a beaut.

Let’s skip to the important stuff, food & you guessed it, wine!

If you can, I highly recommend visiting all of the wineries below. Most of the wineries listed are in the same general vicinity, so once you are in downtown Carmel Valley, it’s fairly easy to walk to each location. Or better yet, track down Cowboy Pete and hop aboard the wine wagon, truly one of the best days we’ve had.

While in downtown Carmel Valley you cannot go without having lunch at Corkscrew Cafe, we seriously have dreams about their pizza, and even better, you can enjoy your food at one our favorite Carmel Valley wineries, Georis, over a game of doms.

Our all-time favorite spot is La Bicyclette in downtown Carmel by the Sea. We are big pizza fans, so yes, we also highly recommend the pizza, but everything on the menu is divine. This is truly the most romantic town and the most romantic restaurant! Head to the beach for a sunset walk before dinner; you won’t regret it.

The obsession doesn’t stop here. Read on for all of our favorites.

Please always make reservations and confirm your destinations are open for business.