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.

Very beautiful location! We had a very informative tour guide who really seemed to enjoy his job!…read moreThe grounds are very well maintained and all of the staff were very kind! Definitely worth a visit!

What a great tour of a beautiful and interesting home. Our Docent (tour guide), Linda, was a great…read moresource of information about the Jeffers family and the Tor House. She had great back-stories and anecdotes, and showed great enthusiasm. The 90-minute tour breezed by and the cost is incredibly reasonable at just $15.

I had not been to this museum in about 20 years but I returned this past weekend and I was so glad…read moreI did. The entire place has been remodeled. It is a small museum but an absolutely beautiful one worth visiting. As a birder, I loved the cases of taxidermied birds, one of the largest collections of this type on the West Coast with over 400 specimens. I was even more enchanted by the jade room full of jade pieces and artwork derived from right here on the Central Coast, the giant Grizzly Bear, the gorgeous nature field guide mural/artwork upstairs, and the imaginative Room of Wonder full of items that had long been stored in the Museum basement and now brought back to viewing public in artistic settings. This room is mesmerizing and hard to describe but you should definitely see it for yourself. Native Americans are included as well as Asian Americans in the different displays, which I appreciate and feel contributes to the holistic and unified way in which the natural history of our state is explained here. One of the highlights, though, was meeting Bill, a volunteer guide at the museum. He gave so many interesting facts, helped with cool photo ops, and conveyed his genuine love for nature and the community. He is the heart of this fine place. We hope to see him again! If you haven't been to the Natural History Museum, I highly recommend a visit. Locals can get in free.

Made an effort to stop by during open hours, really cool location. Very kid friendly, and the staff…read morewere very helpful. We had a great conversation about the albatross we had seen whale watching the day before. I really liked the model Chinese fishing village.

Don't miss the Convento Museum which you will see right before you exit the Mission complex. The…read morecell used by Saint Junipero Serra and where he died in 1784 is on display here. The other museum rooms present interpretive displays and provide visitors with a historical education of this beautiful heritage site

I recommend checking out the museum while hiking around Point Lobos Nature Preserve. You pay $10 to…read morepark in the preserve but the museum is free.

$10 to park. Great free museum. Love seeing the history of the place and great to know so many…read moredifferent ethnic cultures getting along and working together to make a living.

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

Such a great place to go to for all young ages! We've gone with 1-6 year olds and they have all…read moreloved it. Their soft play is perfect for the under two's and they have the section marked off as off limits for the older kids. But the over two's have so many options to choose from: dress up, tree house, sciencey stuff, and crafts! We easily spent half a day here and probably could have stayed longer if there wasn't a nap time to plan for one of them. Something for everyone and as long as it's not too busy, it's relatively easy on the parents to let their kids roam and calmly monitor versus anxiously chasing after!

What a great place for kids.Lots of activities to do. They can learn how things work .Place is…read moreclean and friendly

Visited the aquarium with family. This is my second time during my conscious memory…read more I took a look through some of the reviews here, mostly of which complain about how crowded it is. Granted, but there's a reason why this is so packed, and frankly, even though it is packed, this place is actually still quite enjoyable to visit and see everything, well within a few hours. If y'all want a less crowded museum where you can hear your own thoughts, there are plenty of other places, but this is the top level of aquariums for sure. Second knock in the reviews is the ticket price. Also granted, but you have in and out privileges, so you don't have to fork over more for the in-aquarium food, and you can spend as much time as you'd like deeply introspecting in front of the Open Sea exhibit. Plus if I'm going to spend this much, I'd rather give it to an aquarium and a research organization that's top of their class in their research and conservation efforts. All that being said, even on revisits this museum still holds up. Exhibit quality, thoroughness of informational learning opportunities, even the caliber of their volunteer docents is unmatched. Great views of the Monterey Bay too from the various balconies on a nice day. Low-key I'd be happy to even just stay in the auditorium for the entire day and watch their films which alone are good stuff. A must visit for sure, even with the crowds. Definitely plan ahead, but don't skip out.

Maybe I'm in the minority, but I honestly don't understand the hype. We paid about $180 for three…read morepeople, and I kept waiting for the "wow" moment it never showed up. The exhibits were clean and well maintained, but after hearing this place was better than the Aquarium of the Pacific, I expected a lot more. Instead, I found myself thinking I could have gone to a fish market, gotten a closer look, and had dinner too. Then came the gift shop. My son picked out a stuffed animal and an apple juice, and somehow that turned into another $67. I was starting to wonder if the stuffed animal came with its own aquarium membership. I'm pretty sure Amazon has the same thing for around $12. The staff we interacted with also came across as rude, short, and dismissive, which made the experience even less enjoyable. What really put it into perspective is that I paid about the same amount for dinner at The Sur House the night before, and the food, service, and views were actually worth the money. For our family, this aquarium just wasn't worth the cost. Next time I'll watch the fish on YouTube, order the stuffed animal online, and spend the rest on a great dinner.

Many of the local artists featured in this gallery are foundational to understanding Carmel's…read moreartistic origins. Nothing wrong with people wanting to spend their money on fancy clothes and whatnot, but other than the beautiful natural area, the local artists is what's it's all about! Deep selection in the stacks, not just what's on the walls.

Lots of great local artists and amazing works covering many different scenes, topics, animals, etc…read more Great layout and location if you are in DT Carmel. Take a visit, it's free to look.

My review is not for the active San Carlos Cathedral church services. Instead it's for the Royal…read morePresidio Chapel historic federal landmark. They are both the same building. Currently the San Carlos Cathedral Catholic Church uses the Presidio Chapel. When services are not occurring, visitors can explore the interior and outside facade. There is no charge to walk about, it's free. The present sandstone chapel construction was completed in 1795. The native Americans labors built the chapel. The Monterey Presidio was founded in 1770 as the second of four Spanish Presidios. At that time, the presidio's chapel served for the Spanish soldiers and dignitaries. It's the oldest stone building in California. When walking about the exterior of the chapel take note of the marked lines to the right of the building. Those lines indicate chapel construction (where, what, and when). The current building is shaped as a cross. Directly in the back there is a plaque memorializing where the Oak tree stood in 1770 where Father Junipero Serra broke ground for the chapel construction. The tree was removed in 1905 when it was damaged. But the tree holds important place in Monterey history. In 1602, it is said that Spanish explorer Vizcaíno followed the creek from the Bay and noticed this majestic oak tree. Under that tree he and with the friars, traveling in his expedition, held Mass under the tree and claimed the area for Spain. Father Serra followed Vizcaino's directions to the site in 1770 to establish a mission and presidio. But a year or two later he decided to build the mission in Carmel instead. But the presidio continued with building the chapel. Pieces of the grand tree have been preserved and are located in various local museums. Now let's talk about out the interior. The church doors are left open during the day welcoming all inside. Inside there are paintings and statues including are originals such as the Stations of the Cross, St John, Sorrowful Mother, and Spanish Madonna. As you enter the church, look up and the exterior and take notice of the Our Lady of Guadalupe statue; it's still the original making it the oldest non-indigenous statue in California. Also throwing it out there that there are cameras all over and everything is monitored. So don't be a doofus. Just enjoy and soak in the history.

The homilies are introspectively conducted. It is a beautiful Cathedral in a beautiful, small town.read more