The Perfect Day Trip to Carmel: A Complete Itinerary

Grab Breakfast

Fuel up for your day with breakfast in town. Here are a few recommendations:

• Carmel Belle: This casual eatery (pictured below) has a great selection of coffee drinks and breakfast dishes, including breakfast sandwiches and burritos, hot polenta bowls, pastries, poached eggs, and much more. I really like their tofu scramble! There are also options for vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free diets. 
• Stationæry: This popular restaurant serves brunch daily in a modern, welcoming environment. Some menu highlights include chilaquiles, potato pancakes, shrimp and grits, avocado toast, and much more. 
• The Little Swiss Cafe: For a classic breakfast experience, you can’t go wrong with The Little Swiss. They are known for their buttermilk pancakes and blintzes, but there are plenty of other traditional breakfast dishes on the menu, as well.  

Enjoy a Low-Key Nature Walk at Point Lobos

You can’t miss Point Lobos State Natural Reserve while visiting Carmel. There are tons of easy walking paths with minimal elevation gain throughout the reserve – meaning you can enjoy incredible views without too much effort. 

There are miles of trails that take you through the area, with one 6.4-mile loop that leads around the entire perimeter of the reserve. However, since you have limited time in Carmel, you’ll just want to hit some of the highlights. 

I recommend first parking at the Cypress Grove and Sea Lion Point Parking lot. From there, you can walk along the beautiful Cypress Grove Trail, which is just under a mile. You’ll walk underneath a stunning forested area while getting picture-perfect views of the rocky coast. After that, walk over to the Sea Lion Point Trail (which is less than half a mile long) for more gorgeous coastal views. 

Once you finish that loop, head back to your car and make the short drive down to the Bird Island Trail Parking Lot (if it’s full, you may have to park at this lot). From there, follow the Bird Island Trail to get breathtaking views of China Cove. This full out-and-back trail is 0.8 miles, but if you are short on time, you can just walk until you see the cove (about a quarter of a mile in). 

Note: you can choose to walk over to China Cove from Sea Lion Point, which I do recommend if you have the time. There is a gorgeous and easy walking path (called the South Shore Trail) right along the coast. It’s about a mile to get from the Sea Lion Point trail to China Cove, which will take about 20 minutes. This means you’ll walk about two miles to get to the cove and then head back to your car. If you got an early start to your day, this is completely doable – just be mindful of your time!

Stroll Down Ocean Avenue

Next up on your Carmel day trip itinerary is a walk down Ocean Avenue – the main artery that runs through town. This road stretches from Highway 1 all the way down to the water, but the main shopping and dining area sits between Junipero Street to the east and Lincoln Street to the west.

Ocean Avenue (and the surrounding streets) is chock-full of cool art galleries, fun boutiques, and plenty of cafes and eateries. Take a leisurely walk and stop in whatever shops pique your interest. The town is also famous for its picturesque courtyards and passageways, which you’ll see plenty of as you stroll around town. 

If you need a coffee while you explore, I suggest stopping by either Cafe dal Mare (on Dolores Street) or Carmel Valley Coffee Roasting Co (on Ocean Avenue). 

Enjoy Lunch in Town

After strolling through town, stop at a local eatery for lunch. Here are some options that are all on or right around Ocean Avenue:

• Rise and Roam: This bakery and pizzeria (pictured below on the right) has a great selection of dishes. In addition to pizzas, you’ll find soups, salads, and sandwiches. There are also plenty of vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options. 
• Dametra Cafe: If you’re craving Mediterranean food, there’s no better spot than Dametra. The lunch menu includes dishes like kebab wraps, falafel wraps, gyros, lasagna, grilled salmon, and much more. 
• Alvarado Street Brewery: This modern brewery (pictured below on the left and center) is the perfect spot if you want to enjoy a beer alongside your lunch. I highly recommend their artichoke tempura sandwich, but if that’s not your speed, there are tons of other options, including salads, fish and chips, pizzas, burgers, and more. There are plenty of vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options. 

Visit Carmel Beach & Walk Along Scenic Road

Once you’re done with lunch, it’s time to make your way down to the coast. I recommend walking if you can (it’s the best way to explore Carmel!), but you can also drive and park near the beach. 

Carmel Beach is a gorgeous, white sand beach. Of course, you can head down to the beach and dip your toes in the water. But if you’d prefer to stay out of the sand, you can enjoy the views from above along Scenic Road – a must-add to your Carmel-by-the-Sea itinerary. 

There is a walking path that goes along Scenic Road, starting at 8th Avenue and ending right by Martin Way. As you stroll down the cypress tree-lined path, you’ll get picturesque views of the crystal clear water. There are also plenty of stairways leading down to the beach.

While on the path, you’ll catch a glimpse of the Clinton Walker House (designed by Frank Lloyd Wright) sitting on the coastal cliff to the south. 

If you want to see another Carmel architectural landmark, you can walk about a third of a mile past the Clinton Walker House down Scenic Road to check out the Butterfly House, designed by Francis W. Wynkoop. Note that neither of these homes are open to the public.

Go Wine Tasting

After visiting the coast, it’s time to relax with a glass of wine. You have two options: either go back into town to visit one of the local wine tasting rooms, or do the quick drive inland towards Carmel Valley to visit a winery. 

For the first option, there are a ton of different wine bars in Carmel to choose from – there are over 15! A few highlights to consider are De Tierra Vineyards, Blair Estate, Scheid Vineyards, and Galante Vineyards.  

If you’d prefer to go to a vineyard, make the 15-minute drive over to Folktale Winery (pictured below). The idyllic winery is a beautiful place to enjoy a wine tasting while soaking up the sun. They also have live musicians on Fridays and Sundays. It’s popular, so definitely make a reservation in advance. 

End the Day with Dinner

Finish your day trip to Carmel-by-the-Sea with dinner at an iconic restaurant in town. Consider stopping by one of these spots: 

• Cultura Comida y Bebida: This upscale Mexican restaurant (pictured below on the left) is a personal favorite. I highly recommend their plantain tacos, as well as one of their creative tequila or mezcal cocktails. Other standout menu items include the mole, chile relleno, yam enchiladas, and the esquites. They also have plenty of vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free dishes.  
• La Bicyclette: Perhaps one of the most popular restaurants in Carmel, La Bicyclette is a cozy spot offering French and Italian dishes. Think oysters, gnocchi, wood-fired pizza, and more. 
• Toro Sushi: You can’t go wrong with Toro Sushi (pictured below on the right). You’ll find traditional, high-quality sushi dishes on the menu, as well as some fun specialty rolls (I love the geisha roll!). The restaurant is also vegan and vegetarian-friendly. 

Additional Things to do in Carmel-by-the-Sea (and the Surrounding Area)