With its white sand beach and watercolor skies, Carmel-by-the-Sea evokes the kind of exclusivity usually reserved for world-class resorts. Yet the city’s cobblestoned paths and fairy tale cottages hold a cozy, small-town charm straight from a storybook.
It’s a study in contrast that offers a preview of what to expect in this Central Coast destination. Here, you can choose to vacation like an A-lister with indulgent spa treatments and dinner at a Michelin-recognized restaurant or opt for a more low-key escape filled with self-guided strolls and coastal beauty.
Note: Prices are current as of publishing time in June 2025. Please check individual business websites for exact prices.
Where to stay
Splurge: Fresh off a $20 million renovation completed in fall 2023, La Playa Hotel brings a new level of refinement to one of Carmel’s most historic hotels. All 75 guest rooms have been reimagined with a modern coastal palette and custom furnishings that nod to the property’s century-old heritage. The Terrace Suite (upwards of $1,900 per night) is the hotel’s crown jewel—an airy, light-filled space with garden views, a private sitting area, and elevated finishes designed to delight the most discerning traveler.
Save: If no-frills is more your style, the Carmel River Inn offers a more rugged retreat on a 10-acre property. The studio cottages with kitchenettes and fireplaces ($175/night) let you play house in a forested setting a few minutes from the heart of downtown. Don’t need a kitchen? Then go for a motel-style inn room (from $145/night).
Where to enjoy a great meal
Splurge: Carmel’s dining scene punches well above its weight, with several Michelin-recognized restaurants in town, including the bistro-inspired Chez Noir.
For haute cuisine at its finest, turn yourself over to the creativity of executive chef-director Justin Cogley at Aubergine. This two-starred restaurant is a destination in itself, offering a changing tasting menu of ingredient-forward dishes ($285 per person). The restaurant’s lead sommelier, John Haffey, can guide you through the best of the restaurant’s 3,500-bottle collection during a reserve wine pairing ($250 per person).
Save: If you’re looking to save without sacrificing on flavor, line up with the locals at Bruno’s Market & Deli, a Carmel favorite since 1953. The neighborhood shop has stayed true to its roots over the years, keeping prices low and portions hearty. Build your own oak-grilled tri-tip sandwich ($14) with a choice of seven breads at the deli counter, or take your pick of grab-and-go salads and wraps.
No tables, no problem. Grab your goods and walk about 15 minutes down Ocean Avenue to enjoy a picnic on Carmel Beach.
Where to relax and unwind
Splurge: Nothing says splurge quite like a day at the spa. Spend the day pampering yourself from head to toe at Carmel Valley Ranch’s Spa Aiyana, which features treatment rooms with private outdoor terraces.
Combine the 80-minute Organic Fruit Enzyme facial ($350), with the 80-minute Mind Wellness mental detox ($505), and the indulgent 80-minute Shea Butter Body Wrap ($350), which includes a foaming rosemary foot polish. In between treatments, take a dip in the saltwater pool and infinity hot tub, then finish your day with a soothing eucalyptus steam.
Save: Self-care doesn’t have to cost a dime. Turn off your phone, surrender to your senses, and get recentered with a forest bath beneath the Monterey pines and coast live oaks at Carmel’s 34-acre Mission Trail Nature Preserve. Forest bathing is a Japanese tradition known as shinrin-yoku that encourages immersion in nature to reduce stress.
Top spots for shutterbugs
Splurge: A renowned artists’ colony, Carmel boasts nearly 100 galleries in the downtown area alone.
Since the heyday of Ansel Adams and Edward Weston (both of whom had homes in Carmel), it’s also been a major center for fine art photography. If you’ve ever dreamed of owning a print by one of these legends, check out the masterpieces at the Weston Gallery and Photography West. At Photography West, you can even take home a 1945 Adams portrait of Weston in the Carmel Highlands—yours for a cool $15,000.
Save: Think you’ve got the goods? Test your own photography skills (and save a few thousand dollars) by visiting the local landmarks where Adams and Weston worked, including Point Lobos State Natural Reserve ($10 per car), the white sands Carmel Beach (free), and the historic Carmel Mission ($13).
Where to hear amazing music
Splurge: If music is your medium, score the best seats in the house at the Sunset Cultural Center’s renovated Gothic-style auditorium. The venue draws a wide range of top-tier talent, with past performers including Jackson Browne, Melissa Etheridge, and showtunes superstar Michael Feinstein ($125).
Save: To enjoy live performances for free, head to Terry’s Lounge at the Cypress Inn, a landmark hotel dating back to 1929. The local hangout spot has a sleek, retro vibe that honors Terry Melcher, the celebrated record producer and son of one-time inn owner Doris Day.
There’s no cover charge or drink minimum, but you can sip on classic cocktails (around $15) while listening to talented vocalists and jazz groups from the Monterey Peninsula area.