One of the many treasures along the coast of California is Carmel By-The-Sea. Snuggled along the shore of Carmel Bay is this extraordinary little town with a unique array of restaurants, hotels/inns, art galleries, and a seemingly endless number of shops of various kinds. Olive oil tasting as well as wine tasting are a favorite pastime. Only about one square mile in size, Carmel By-The-Sea has one of the most popular post offices we have ever had the pleasure of visiting. In this friendly town residents and business proprietors alike check in at the post office regularly. You see, there are no numerical addresses in Carmel By-The-Sea. Not a one. We stayed between 3rd & 4th Ave on San Carlos Street. That’s the location of the Hofsas House Boutique Inn. While there we had dinner at Basil Seasonal Dining, which is also on San Carlos, but between Ocean & 7th Ave. Not having a specific address may sound confusing, but it’s not. It’s a kick and we had so much fun exploring.
With that said … at the end of Ocean Avenue in Carmel By-The-Sea is the iconic Carmel Beach City Park. Rated “One of America’s Top Beach Towns,” Carmel Beach is open 365 days a year and welcomes dogs. And unleashed, no less!
We sat for quite awhile observing several varieties of canines enjoying the surf and sand and running like the wind. It was a refreshing sight seeing them frolicking about, sometimes at full speed ahead. They seemingly paired up with two or more in a group, as if they were there for a meet and greet.
The famous white sands are surrounded by beautiful blue water and lush greenery. Popular with visitors and locals alike, Carmel Beach offers volley ball on sand courts, parking and restroom facilities.
There are hiking paths for hikers, and of course waves for surfers. And it’s also a popular backdrop for weddings. Having grown up around Southern California beaches we were both very impressed with the beauty of Carmel Beach.
Why: Road trip
When: March 2016
Who: Just the two of us
What: Carmel Beach City Park – Dog friendly beach
Where: Carmel By-The-Sea
Open For: 365 days a year
Vibe: Beachy keen!
Website: Carmel Beach
Debra says
Looks absolutely beautiful…….and relaxing! A must on the California to-do list!
Cathi says
You will love it Debra. This little town has so much personality. We look forward to another trip there.
diane says
Ive been to California a couple times and have never had time to hit the beach. The photos look spectacular!
Scott says
I feel bad that when we lived out there we never made it to Carmel. Really wish we had, it looks so beautiful!
Leah says
I’ve not been to California before, but it is on my list of places that I would like to visit! I will have to add Carmel to my list. It looks gorgeous!
Raijean S says
That beach looks amazing. I’m going to add it to my list of places to visit. Love this!
Kim Croisant says
That looks like the perfect road trip to me. White sands beneath my feet….I can only dream of it. Thanks for sharing your beautiful photos.
Janice says
We love living here, but sometimes it is a pain that we don’t have a street address. We had our refrigerator go out and it took us a month to get the replacement part because the company we were dealing with couldn’t put the 4th house NE of 10th on (street name here) in their system. Imagine living out of an ice chest for a month. We eventually had to hunt down the part at the UPS delivery center as the offshore call center for the American company we were dealing with couldn’t get the delivery location right (they had entered the delivery address as the 4th house NE of 10th, which could be on Mission St., San Carlos St. Carmelo St, Lincoln St. etc). In addition, many companies we try to buy from won’t deliver to a PO Box (which is how you receive mail in Carmel; there are no mail boxes in front of your home as there are no street addresses). Part of the pain of living in one of the most beautiful places on earth.