It is really like a world straight out of a fairy tale! Cute buildings line the streets, and…read morestylish people are coming and going. On the day we visited, there happened to be a car event going on (8/11-13) so parking spaces were limited, and it took us a long time to find a spot. All the shops were wonderful, and I'd love to come back and explore them at a more leisurely pace when I have more time.

Carmel is a great escape. It has a special charm and dramatic beach landscapes with blue waters,…read morecliffs and majestic cypress trees. It is quaint, perfect for a 1-2 stop, great to stroll on Ocean Ave. and check out the art galleries, the nice shops and enjoy a fresh seafood meal. Life stops its fast pace while here. Wear layers! I always get cold here and bring comfy shoes to explore the small, cute town! A landmark of California!

This is my second time using the Sand Guys for a team building event and all I can say is Wow!! I…read morehave referred them many times, and will many more!! This is an amazing team building event for any type of business unit, they are organized, incredibly friendly, and helpful .. in a word .. MAGICAL!! When you arrive, they have an example of what you can build .. folks arrive thinking .."This is so cool" .. "What the heck is Kim making us do??" "Really"?? Rusty the Sand Guy (as I like to call him) began by giving very clear, easy instructions on how to build your base. He got everyone started within their team then he and his partner went to each team individually to provide instruction on how to make a solid foundation, ways to build upon your base. and how to add details! teams began first by compiling a very large pile of sand .. and staring into space .. "what will we do". Within minutes your team is not only collaborating on the best way to execute, but WORKING together to create something really special. I participated the first time, I got to observe and help the second time. I learned so much about my team, who are the leaders, who is the most creative. who can advise and execute. We put this group into teams of people they did not know well, they all created and collaborated to create something very cool. You have about two hours to devise your plan and create. The entire group was fully engaged, everyone designated their own unique way of participating, and no one was left out or let their team down. Did I mention how competitive this became?? such a great day at the beach, and a new skill to show off to your kids and friends. Not only did I get amazing feedback form everyone on the team, I was told by those that laughed and thought it was silly; that it was one for the best team buildings they ever have had. I highly recommend the San Guys, the creativity and camaraderie it inspires is invaluable for all aspects of relationship building!

From the owner: Team building, corporate events, weddings, art & entertainment.read more

This is a famous attraction that is well worth your time. Enter at the Pacific Grove Gate and pay…read more$12.50 per car. Keep your receipt and the map they give you. Immediately after entering you will pass The Spanish Bay golf course which is worth a short stop to walk into the club house. This is the first of the golf courses that make up the Pebble Beach Golf Resort. Later you will pass by Spyglass and then the Pebble Beach Visitor Center. The 17 mile drive is a loop but I did not complete it because I had read that the more inland parts weren't very scenic. Then continue following the easy to see 17 Mile drive signs. Shortly you will arrive on the coast road that offers excellent water views and several designated stopping areas for viewing, picnicking and walking that are shown on the map. Later you will drive thru many large Cypress Trees along past many beautiful homes that must be in the 7 and 8 figure price ranges. Budget about 45 minutes to an hour to get to Pebble Beach Visitor Center. Be sure to stop there. Free admission and parking along with restrooms. When you get there go into the PB golf club. They have 3 or 4 restaurants and your $12.50 gate receipt is deducted from your bill. I dined at The Bench restaurant that overlooks the 18th green.

One of the most scenic drives I've ever driven on. Definitely worth the cost (it's about $13…read moresomething for the day). They give you a map and list of recommended attractions to visit. I started on the south end, near Carmel. I visited all of the recommended sites except for two of them. The first one was at Ford Meadow. The historical marker did not provide very much information on the man it was named after. Next was Pebble Beach Golf Course - in which I have heard of, but it wasn't until my visit that I realized how prestigious it was. There was another golf course nearby but I didn't spend very much time there. Next was the Lone Cypress tree. Usually this is the highlight of the drive, and it is said that it is the most photographed tree in America. The next stops were mostly waterfront places that had some history and great views. There was also Crocker Grove, where you can look at tall, tall trees. On one of the stops you can see elephant seals sunbathe on a fertilized rock. Again, I say it was worth checking out. Do it next time you are in Monterey, Carmel or traveling the PCH!

I stopped by with my husband this afternoon for a tasting. The space itself was small but had a…read morehomey feel to it. During the winemakers tasting, we fell in love with one of the wines and purchased a bottle to take home. The wines we tasted were all very great choices. However, the wines are not the main reason I'll be returning... it was the service. The woman working today was a 10/10 treat. She held a lot of knowledge about the wines while also being such a delight to talk to. She alone will be the reason why my husband and I return, amazing service.

During a trip to Monterey for my folks' 40th wedding anniversary, we were strolling around Carmel…read moreand looking for some wineries that had affordable tastings and solid reviews. My brother had visited Wrath only to purchase a bottle a couple years ago, and out of convenience, having parked in the garage right by the Carmel Plaza, Wrath seemed like a decent place for a wine tasting on a Saturday afternoon. Kathy was fantastic - very accommodating to our party of 6+baby+stroller, as we were able to sit outside and also listen to some of the live music, which the non-wine-tasters in the party enjoyed. I ended up getting the Single Vineyard Tasting, which came with 5 wines (one white, four reds, mostly Pinot). All were very tasty, had a great smell (i.e. not too vinegar/alcohol-y), and were overall decently priced between $29-$55 per bottle. I personally enjoyed the KW Ranch - sweet and smooth, and purchased a bottle, but we also just really appreciated the atmosphere and service of Wrath winery!

My son literally said "this sand feels expensive" hahaha. Seriously though, the sand is so fine…read moreand soft. White smooth sand. A bit of a hill to climb back up from the beach, but the views are gorgeous. Nice walk from the shops and restaurant area. Very lucky for those that live around. Definitely detected auras of either a rich local, rich tourist speaking foreign language but can afford to go on international trips, or out of town visitor like me who can't afford to live there or anywhere near 'by the sea'

Briefly stopped by the beach after having lunch in downtown Carmel. Now clearly understanding why…read morethe beach is loved so much. Carmel Beach is recognized as having the 'whitest' sand in the United States, and number 14 globally. This color comes from quartz deposits eroded by the waves. There is a parking lot at the north end of the beach on Ocean Avenue (maybe 30 spots or so), that is usually filled, meaning people are constantly idling in the parking lot, waiting for a spot. The parking lot is elevated from the beach, requiring carefully going down a sand bank. My wife and her mom decided to admire the view by sitting on a retaining wall at the top of the bern, while I happily went down to the shoreline to admire the views. The sand here is more golden than white. The road that runs parallel to the beach and boardwalk in Carmel is Scenic Road and we took it as we headed back to our cottage. There was street unmetered parking spots available and I noticed how much brighter/whiter the sand was in this area (a lot less crowded as well). Thinking back, wish we had stopped so I could have admired this part of the beach a bit more.

This work of art can be found in the patio area of Terry's Lounge at the Cypress Inn in Carmel. The…read moreartist, Thierry Guetta (aka "Mr. Brainwash"), has collaborated with and done artwork for Madonna, Michael Jackson, and Red Hot Chili Peppers. He starred in Banksy-directed film, Exit Through the Gift Shop, and has created art pieces resemblant of Banksy's style... perhaps controversial as to the true creator, it doesn't take away from Guetta's Chaplin mural one bit, the quirky character portrayed carrying a can of pink paint. A giant pink heart in the background, displayed with a dripping paint technique. Quite simple, but worth checking out if dining at Terry's or just strolling along 7th Avenue in downtown Carmel.

We visited Carmel CA this afternoon and were lucky to find this amazing restaurant! It specializes…read morein Mediterranean, Italian and Thai food! Our 3 appetizers of gyro, Caesar salad and roasted garlic were perfect for our party of 5 adults 2 kiddos. Our food came out and were so plentiful. Each dish was delicious! The 2 desserts of chocolate cake ( was like the best chocolate fudge with a little cake) and the key lime pie was perfect! So glad we found this gem of a restaurant on our trip out to the west coast..

We came by at 11:15 am on Sunday. There were two tables with customers outside and one inside. A…read morefew more were seated while we had brunch/lunch. They said everything was good. I asked about the fish and they recommended the grilled sea bass, which was on a bed of mashed potatoes and spinach, with a caper cream lemon sauce. It was the sauce that made it work, with mashed potatoes that were a bit lumpy, and it sat on a handful of wilted spinach. I can't complain but it did remind me the of the frozen sea bass from Costco. The Osso buco was good too, a braised lamb shank, veggies, red wine sauce, mashed potatoes, and sautéed spinach. It reminded me of the lamb shank from Costco too. Don't get me wrong. Both were good. My mother always tells me I shouldn't order food that I make myself and now I know why. Tree House Cafe is a cute rustic place, has nice employees, and is a comfortable place for brunch with a satisfying big plate of food.

Our friends bought us a private tour - Enjoy Carmel by Carmel Food Tours. We would highly recommend…read moreCarmel Food Tours - we thought they did a great job. They were super responsive when we wanted to book our tour with just a few days notice - so mad props for their fast, friendly service in getting us booked so quickly!! Our guide was friendly and very knowledgeable about Carmel, and provided an overview about the area and was very willing to answer any questions we had. We enjoyed chatting with her throughout the 4 hour experience. We enjoyed tastes from 5-6 different locations throughout the downtown Carmel area. We were definitely provided a lot of variety and everything was delicious - from doughnuts and coffee and nuts to French onion soup and sushi. We had the opportunity at one of the locations (Toro) to have an interactive experience, spending time speaking with the general manager learning the background about the restaurant. We also had a special sake tasting featuring three different sakes. It was a very unique experience and the sushi was also extremely fresh and delicious. Overall, it was a good experience and we were able to enjoy a nice variety of food that local restaurants provide. Important tips for future tour goers: 1. Don't eat before going on a food tour. We thankfully didn't eat -otherwise, we would not have been able to enjoy the food tour to its fullest. 2. Don't book any reservations to restaurants that same day. We were still stuffed by the time it was time to go to dinner - and that was more than 5 hours later!

This was such an amazing experience! I learned so much about Carmel. Our tour guide Bonnie was…read moregreat! All the food and wine stops were exquisite! Lives this and will definitely do this again!

This place was delicious! When you walk into the restaurant you just seat yourself and someone will…read morecome and help you. We ordered the crab ravioli and diavola pizza, it was plenty of food for the two of us, we were so full after. The crab ravioli were huge, filled with crab meat and the sauce had a hint of sweetness to it. It got quite filling as we were eating it so pizza to pair with it was perfect. The diavola pizza was also delicious, the crust was perfectly crunchy and bouncy. It had a slight spicy kick to it to balance out the savory. The spicy salami on it was very good too.

Celebrating my niece's going away to UCLA!…read more I was able to reserve the private library room for our party of 8 with no extra charge. It was nice to have the room all to ourselves. Their apps are the strongpoint at Little Napoli: my niece loved the truffled gnocchi. The garlic bread, calamari and meatballs were good too. I got the lamb osso bucco and my fiancé got the cioppino and added on the spaghetti. The portions here are very healthy. I could barely touch my osso bucco, but thought it was ok. The mashed potatoes were fluffy and creamy. The osso bucco was actually way better leftover two days later when it all melded together. The others thought their entrees were alright too, I didn't try them even though they offered. :) You'll be stuffed, but get the dessert anyways! We got a creme brûlée which was creamy and nicely caramelized, but the big winner here was the Carmel bakery brownie. So rich and decadent! Service was friendly and quick. Street parking only. I'd come back for apps and dessert.