The 7 Best Things to Do in Carmel-by-the-Sea: My Favorite Activities in 2026

I’d had Carmel-by-the-Sea on my list of places I wanted to visit for quite some time, so when we finally started our California road trip, I made sure to include it as one of our stops.

We spent a weekend here, and Carmel is definitely one of the cutest little towns I visited in California. Between the fairytale-like downtown, the beautiful architecture and the beach right there, I pretty much fell absolutely in love with the place.

And of course, I wasn’t going to spend a whole weekend here without exploring the surrounding area too. From driving the famous 17-Mile Drive to visiting wineries in Carmel Valley, there’s actually quite a bit to do in and around Carmel-by-the-Sea.

To help you plan your own trip, I’ve put together this guide to the best things to do in Carmel-by-the-Sea, including my favorite activities in town and a few spots nearby that I definitely think are worth checking out.

What Are the Best Things to Do in Carmel-by-the-Sea? My Experience

Before we get into the actual activities, I want to give you a little bit of context about Carmel-by-the-Sea, just so you know what to expect.

I absolutely loved Carmel. It’s stunning, the architecture is gorgeous, there’s plenty of shopping, and the food scene is really good too. But the town itself is also really small. After spending a full day wandering around the streets, checking out the little shops and exploring all the hidden courtyards, I felt like I’d seen most of what Carmel had to offer.

Luckily, there’s a TON to do in the surrounding area. We drove the famous 17-Mile Drive toward Monterey, went wine tasting in Carmel Valley, and spent a day hiking in Big Sur. So we definitely didn’t run out of things to do during our weekend here!

Looking back, I’d actually consider Carmel-by-the-Sea more of a base for exploring the surrounding region than a destination where you need to spend several days sightseeing in the town itself.

Of course, if your idea of a great weekend is staying at a beautiful hotel, spending time at the beach, shopping and enjoying long lunches and dinners, you could easily spend more time in Carmel itself. But I prefer having a few activities planned, which is why I loved using Carmel as a starting point to explore more of this part of California.

My Quick Tips for Visiting Carmel-by-the-Sea

Stay Somewhere Central

Since Carmel is so small and beautifully walkable, I personally wanted to stay somewhere where I could actually take advantage of that. What’s the point of staying in a walkable town if you have to drive 15 minutes just to get to the nice part?

We stayed at Normandy Inn, which was right in the town center. It had parking, the hotel itself was really cute, and we could walk pretty much everywhere in Carmel without having to think about the car at all.

Make Sure You Have a Car

You don’t need a car to explore Carmel-by-the-Sea itself. The town center and Carmel Beach are both easy to reach on foot, so you can leave your car at the hotel and explore at your own pace.

However, we also wanted to drive the famous 17-Mile Drive, explore Carmel Valley and spend some time hiking in Big Sur. For that, having a car was pretty much essential, so I’d definitely recommend renting one if you’re planning to explore the surrounding area too.

Carmel Is Very Small

And I mean very small! We stayed at Normandy Inn, right in the town center, and after a full day of wandering around, we’d already seen pretty much all of Carmel itself. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it’s worth keeping in mind when planning your trip.

Personally, I’d use Carmel as a base for exploring the surrounding region rather than planning several full days of sightseeing in the town itself.

It Can Get Crowded on Weekends

If you’re flexible with your dates, I’d recommend visiting during the week, especially in summer.

Carmel-by-the-Sea has become suuuper popular, partly thanks to social media, and the town can get pretty busy with tourists and day-trippers on weekends. We visited during the week, which made exploring the little streets and shops much more enjoyable.

Be Prepared for June Gloom

Just like much of California’s Central Coast, Carmel-by-the-Sea gets its fair share of June Gloom. If you haven’t heard of it before, it’s that lovely time of year when you come to California expecting endless sunshine and end up with gray skies and overcast weather instead.

And guess who got caught in it? Yep, us!

My 7 Favorite Things to Do in Carmel-by-the-Sea

1. Explore Ocean Avenue

First things first, and this one is pretty much a given when visiting Carmel-by-the-Sea: explore the town itself.

The first thing we did when we arrived was walk up and down Ocean Avenue, the main street leading from the beach into the town center. This is where you’ll find all the fairytale-looking cottages, little shops and beautiful houses that make Carmel so special.

We grabbed a coffee from Mad Dogs & Englishmen Coffee Bar (my favorite coffee shop in town, by the way) and then spent some time exploring the little alleyways and hidden courtyards on either side of the street. There are so many little corners to discover, and I could’ve spent hours wandering around here.

A couple of fun facts about Carmel: the town doesn’t use conventional street addresses in quite the same way as most places, and neon signs and chain restaurants are restricted to help preserve its unique character.

2. Drive the Scenic 17-Mile Drive

My favorite activity starting right from Carmel-by-the-Sea was the famous 17-Mile Drive, which runs along the coast between Carmel and the Monterey area.

We did this scenic drive one afternoon, and it was definitely worth it. The road takes you along some gorgeous stretches of coastline, and we stopped at least five or six times at different viewpoints and beaches to check out the rock formations, watch the birds and, of course, spot some sea lions.

We even stopped for a little while to watch the golfers at Pebble Beach Golf Links, one of the most famous golf courses in the USA. I’m not even a huge golf person, but watching people play on a course with those ocean views was pretty cool!

A couple of things to know before you go: 17-Mile Drive costs $12.50 per vehicle. However, the entrance fee can be reimbursed when you spend enough at some of the restaurants here. I can definitely recommend Hay’s Place, they have pretty good tacos!

3. Relax on Carmel Beach

One of the biggest highlights of Carmel-by-the-Sea is, of course, Carmel Beach, which is genuinely one of the most beautiful beaches I’ve seen in California.

You’ve got soft white sand, clear water and a gorgeous stretch of coastline. On a sunny day, I can imagine this being an incredible place to spend a few hours.

Unfortunately, we got hit pretty hard by June Gloom during our visit. Even though it was the middle of summer, the weather was gray, windy and surprisingly chilly, and the ocean definitely didn’t look inviting enough for a swim.

So instead of having the beach day we’d imagined, we went for a walk along the sand, which was still beautiful. But I won’t lie, I was a little disappointed that we didn’t get to enjoy it properly.

4. Go Wine Tasting in Carmel Valley

I wouldn’t necessarily call myself the biggest wine expert out there, but during our California road trip, I visited maaaany different wineries and vineyards, especially around Central California.

Just inland from Carmel-by-the-Sea, there is the Carmel Valley, which is a really cute little wine region that we went to. We visited Folktale Winery, and it’s still one of my favorite wineries in California.

The location is just gorgeous, with beautiful buildings, vineyards all around and a really nice outdoor seating area. We came here one afternoon, ordered a bunch of food to share, and ended up going through about four bottles of wine with our group. We even got one bottle on the house, which was a pretty nice surprise!

The food was delicious, the wine was great, and they even had live music playing while we were there. So if you’re looking for a fun, slightly livelier afternoon of wine tasting rather than just sitting at a tasting counter sampling wines, I can highly recommend Folktale Winery.

5. Visit Point Lobos State Natural Reserve

One place on this list that I haven’t actually visited myself is Point Lobos State Natural Reserve.

Before you ask why I’m recommending somewhere I haven’t been, hear me out! I spent quite a bit of time exploring Big Sur during our trip, but I didn’t manage to visit Point Lobos specifically.

The reason I still wanted to include it is that it’s absolutely gorgeous, and it’s basically right at the northern gateway to Big Sur, just south of Carmel-by-the-Sea. So, if you want to experience some of the incredible California coastline without driving all the way down Highway 1, this is a great place to visit.

Point Lobos is known for its beautiful coastal trails, forests and turquoise water, as well as opportunities to spot sea lions, sea otters and even whales from the shore.

I personally did other hikes around Big Sur, including Timber Tops and Pfeiffer Falls, and also stopped at the famous Bixby Bridge. However, those spots are much further south along Highway 1, whereas Point Lobos is just a short drive from Carmel.

6. Have a Cocktail at Bud’s at La Playa

My favorite place in Carmel for a post-dinner drink was, Bud’s at La Playa.

La Playa Hotel is one of the most beautiful and upscale hotels in Carmel, and part of it. is their newly renovated cocktail bar Bud’s.

We came here one evening after having dinner at Nora’s Carmel, which has really yummy Italian food, and it was the perfect place to finish the night with a cocktail.

You don’t need a reservation just to stop by for drinks, as far as I know, although prices are definitely on the higher end. So just keep that in mind if you’re trying to stick to a budget.

7. Go Whale Watching in Monterey

And lastly, we have whale watching in Monterey, which I can highly recommend if you’re interested in seeing some of California’s incredible marine wildlife.

The Central California coast is such a cool spot for whale watching throughout much of the year, although the types of whales you’re likely to see depend on the season.

We went out with Monterey Whale Watching, and it was such a fun experience. The guides were super friendly and knowledgeable, and we got really lucky with some amazing humpback whale sightings.

We enjoyed it so much that we actually went whale watching again a few days later in Morro Bay, further down the coast. Both trips were fantastic, and I’d happily recommend either one.

FAQs About the Best Activities in Carmel-by-the-Sea

What Is There to Do in Carmel-by-the-Sea?

Carmel-by-the-Sea itself has a really cute town center to explore and an amazing beach. But there’s also plenty to do in the surrounding area. We went wine tasting in Carmel Valley, hiking in Big Sur and drove the famous 17-Mile Drive, so there’s definitely enough to keep you busy for a few days.

Where Should I Stay in Carmel-by-the-Sea?

In terms of location, I’d definitely stay as central as possible so you can take advantage of how walkable Carmel-by-the-Sea is. We stayed at Normandy Inn, which was great value for money and in a really good location.

Is Carmel-by-the-Sea Worth Visiting?

Yes, for sure! I just think you should know that the town itself is fairly small, and one full day is enough to explore most of it. However, there’s plenty of fun stuff to do around Carmel-by-the-Sea too, so you can easily spend a few days here if you want to explore more of the surrounding area.

Is Carmel-by-the-Sea Expensive to Visit?

I’d say yes. From my experience traveling along the California coast, Carmel-by-the-Sea was definitely one of the more upscale and expensive places we visited, especially when it came to accommodation, restaurants and shopping.

Final Thoughts on the Best Things to Do in Carmel-by-the-Sea

To wrap this up, I can only say it again: Carmel-by-the-Sea is beautiful, and I had a great time here. But it only took me about one day to explore the town itself. If the weather had been nice enough for a proper beach day, I could easily have spent another day doing that.

And that’s not a bad thing at all! Just know that, as cute as Carmel is, there isn’t a huge amount to explore within the town itself.

However, we used Carmel-by-the-Sea as a base to visit some amazing places nearby. We went to Monterey for whale watching (and clam chowder, of course), visited a winery in Carmel Valley, and spent time hiking in Big Sur.

So, Carmel-by-the-Sea can really be whatever you want it to be, depending on how much you want to pack into your trip.

I hope this guide to my favorite things to do in Carmel-by-the-Sea helped you get a better idea of what there is to do here and how you might want to plan your own visit.

Check Out my Other Carmel-by-the-Sea Guides

Where to Stay in Carmel-by-the-Sea: My Favorite Hotels & Areas

Is Carmel-by-the-Sea Worth Visiting? My Honest Review

How Many Days in Carmel-by-the-Sea Do You Need: My Day Guide

2 Days in Carmel-by-the-Sea: How I Spent 48 Hours Here

Things to Do in Carmel-by-the-Sea: My Favorite Activities in Carmel

Coffee Shops in Carmel-by-the-Sea: My Top Cafes in Carmel