I am a wedding planner based in Carmel/Monterey and recently worked with Church of the Wayfarer to…read morehost a wedding for 150 guests at the church after our original plan for the wedding ceremony was rained out. From my very first conversation with Allison at the church I was so impressed. Not only is the church lovely but everyone we worked with was kind, patient, accepting and just genuinely loving and supportive of my couple having to make a tough call to move their wedding from the original outdoor location they envisioned to a new location. Pastor Karla worked with the couple to customize a beautiful and thoughtful ceremony and honestly the whole thing was amazing. I am so thankful for their help and support and was really impressed by the caring and welcoming people in the church!

Terrible church... I went to a wedding here and the "minister" was trying to control everything and…read moreseemed full of anger. Made it very hard for the people getting married on what is supposed to be the best day of someone's life. Please go else where to get married. I wish I could give this star's but this is not a Christian environment.

Carmel Mission Basilica (formal name 'San Carlos Borroméo de Carmelo') is one of six minor…read morebasilicas in the state of California (five being former Spanish missions). It is the oldest one, founded in 1770, and elevated to basilica status by Pope John XXIII in 1960. My wife, her mom, and I visited it during a late Sunday afternoon during our first day in Carmel, and found it to be a great, worthwhile experience, especially if one is Roman Catholic. The basilica is still a working parish, so parking during non-mass hours was easy to find. A ticket booth was set-up at the visitor entrance, with cost of $15 per adult ($13 for senior). There is an adjacent gift shop that doesn't require admission and sells all the various religious items that one would expect from a religious tourist attraction. We ended up spending about 90 minutes here (there is a lot of information here, along with a lot to see). -- Founding priest was Junipero Serra ("Apostle of California"). He was canonized by Pope Francis in 2015, and his shrine/remains are interned here. -- Only U.S. church visited by a pontiff during a papal visit: Pope John Paul II in 1987. He paid homage to Father Serra, and laid flowers at the tomb. This visit is clearly commemorated. -- the Munras Family Heritage Museum is worth going to, to see a short movie about the prominent Monterey family, along with early California artifacts from the family. -- the Nativity scene was one of the most intricate -- the large courtyard is a good place to stop and admire the architecture of a California Spanish mission, along with a thick trunk Cork Oak tree By the time we were leaving, the ticket office had closed (last call is at 16:30, to allow everyone to have enough time before official close at 18:00).

So grateful to been able to attend Sunday Mass. Basilica is so beautiful and it has so much…read morehistory and also they have free museum and a small shop. Sunday mass is full but the have lots of extra chairs in the back outside the church. Parking could be crowded so get there early.

I guess for some reason I was thinking and hoping to be in a mainline Presbyterian church like…read morePCUSA or PCA or something. But to my surprise I was not, and this is an ECO Church, which is really quite different. You can see it and hear it. The main minister is not robed in clerical robe or vestment neither is the Associate. It is very free feeling, almost as if I am in a non-denominational or Baptist church in a sense. I would not know this would be Presbyterian as I know it in the mainline sense. I come from a traditional high church Presbyterian PCUSA background with links to the Church of Scotland. I can see its Reformed in belief but has other influences. For me when looking for a Presbyterian church when out of town, I need something more structured, traditional and liturgical and Presbyterian. I can tell they are great people that love God and all, no doubt. I am sure a great home and place of visitation for many. I enjoyed hearing the service. Not sure this would be a place I would come to. I think I would stick more to another PCUSA or even UMC church either in Monterey or Carmel. That said, I do believe this most certainly can be a place for someone that would like more of a non-denominational or community style of worship and preaching.

We decided to hold mom's second memorial service here. Peg and Lily did an amazing job making sure…read morebrother, dad and I were comfortable. They recommended a florist who did a gorgeous white rose bouquet, and they also helped us with the program. Peg held her ground at the entrance and made sure everyone got a program and was properly greeted. Although mom only went here for a little bit, they made us feel so welcome and if we had been a part of the Church for years. The church itself is stunning. They have two Flat screen TVs and an LCD projector, full wiring-- it is one of the most high tech churches I have entered. What caught my eyes were the window panes. The glass shone and sparkled as the bells rung... I briefly got lost in a moment. The pastor here lived in Brazil for quite some time. He as well as the church speaks to the international relationships developed amongst several countries. Who knew a little church in Carmel would have connections in Asia, Africa and all over Central America. They also from what I hear have a strong youth group. Being of non faith I am always anxious when it comes to doing these types of services... I was put to ease. The member also put together a nice reception after the service. I highly recommend this place for a wedding or a service. Thank you all for being a part of our healing process.

Love this church! Here are the top 5 reasons I love it: 5…read more Amazing program for high school kids 4. People of all generations coming together to make a difference 3. A worship service that is fun and educational 2. People learning to love their neighbors 1. Hanging out with positive people who love God

We felt at home three years ago when we decided to evaluate churches. We were immediately welcomed…read moreand have been involved ever since. While we don't consider ourselves church people, we found home at CPC. Truly authentic people here who sincerely care and are trying to make a difference- we are growing in our faith here and feel loved.

This mission is one of my favorites in the state. Whether you're Catholic or not, I highly suggest…read morevisiting this gorgeous historic landmark. From the meticulously restored church to the lush gardens and open plaza, there's so much to see and enjoy here. One thing to note is that the gift shop can be very crowded. There's not a lot of space in there to begin with and it can be hard to shop if there are a lot of visitors. Plus, the gift shop is also the entrance to the paid museum. If you have some time to spare, I suggest going through the museum to see some pretty cool historic artifacts. There's also an old garden shed in front of the church that has been converted into a small museum space with a room where a documentary plays. I don't think you have to pay to access this part of the property. Parking can be an issue so be prepared to circle the neighborhood for parking if the front and back lots are full.

I had this on my "must see" list while in Carmel and was excited to visit but was disappointed…read more Though I respect the history and the church we were out of there in 20 minutes. There really is nothing much to see. There is a miniscule "museum" with a few tiny displays, a small cemetery with no information/explanation etc. At $9.50 it was to much to charge for admission. I did find it cute though to see the kids in class while we were there (during the week) This is still an active Parish.

If you, like me, are looking for a place where you can enjoy and participate in all the positive…read moreaspects of a traditional church (community, inspirational sermons, opportunities to help and support the people & causes that need help and support) without the negative ones (requisite blind faith in a particular deity and divisive/exclusionary/problematic dogma), then consider UUCMP. You'll fit right in with our diverse, spirited, wonderful, beautiful, witty, loving, and caring congregation!

I found this community on Yelp 11 years ago when I moved here and I'm really glad I did. I have…read moremade friends and the people at this church are my "peeps." It's a welcoming, liberal group of people and the church is in a beautiful wooded setting. Social justice and inclusivity are important to this congregation. Many people are not religious. Buddhists, Jews, atheists, Christians, etc. congregate here. If you're looking for a progressive, spiritual community or liberal minded friends, this is the place to come.

This is a privately owned home so there is no tour. It sold to a new owner I believe in 2023. You…read morecan see the exterior from the road. It is worth a visit if you are a Frank Lloyd Wright fan. You can park nearby for free and walk over and see the exterior of the home overlooking the water. It is a pretty area. Hard to rate when you are unable to see the interior. So it is worth seeing but the experience isn't ideal since there is no interior access nor tour. Glad I saw though.

You can see the house from the street through the gate, but also from the beautiful white sand…read morebeach. It's a lovely neighborhood and no problem parking and the beach is BIG. Prepare to walk a lot if you want to see more of the house. It's on a promontory rock, and you have to walk out to the water to really see it. I walked all through the neighborhood--there's a historic home from a famous poet among other things. A nice trip even if you cannot get a tour because it's a private home. I also recommend the drive down the coastal highway. Makes a great stop on a scenic drive. I drove all the way down to the Esalen Institute where the road was barricaded about a mile further down and it was worth driving down there for the smell alone, let alone the absolutely stunning scenery and views. Just a tip!