Carmel-by-the-Sea: So Very Charming!, Carmel, California

In Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, you will delighted by all the charming shops, galleries, and restaurants. They are housed in cottages that all look rather European. With cobblestone walkways, hidden courtyards, shapely Monterey pines and lots of gardens, it is definitely very picturesque. Plus there are no stoplights or chain restaurants here. Carmel-by-the-Sea is known as “a village in a forest by the sea.”

If you’re in the area, I would highly recommend you stop and see Carmel-by-the-Sea, even if only for a few hours. So…what can you do if you have the time to visit?

On a recent visit, we parked on San Carlos St, near Ocean Avenue and just started walking down Ocean towards…the ocean! Pretty much everywhere you look, you will see something beautiful or interesting. On San Carlos St, where we parked, there were two very welcoming inns - the Carmel Fireplace Inn and the Candlelight Inn. Even the Best Western next door was super cute! They look like great places to stay if you’re interested in an overnight getaway. It seems all the businesses stick with the European village theme, and everything is so quaint.

As you walk, enjoy all the beautiful details - window boxes full of flowers, sloped roofs with wooden shingles covered in moss, quiet courtyards and winding paths. Art galleries display stunning pieces in the storefront windows inviting you in to see more. Business names like Hog’s Breath Inn and Galerie Rue Toulouse make you wonder if you are in Europe. The scent of freshly-baked goods emanates from a bakery, and restaurants with white tablecloths attract those desiring a more refined dining experience. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).