The Most Charming Homes can be found in Carmel by the Sea

 

 

 

Carmel by-the-Sea is an old artist colony located a couple of hours south of San Francisco and just south of Monterey.   Side streets are lined with one quaint house after another and the main streets are adorned with charming shops and restaurants.  It’s a town I could move to in a heartbeat!

While dining at one restaurant, we ordered a bottle of wine.  We watched the waiter get on his bicycle to ride down to the wine shop to pick up that specific bottle that they ran out of!  On our daily walks, I couldn’t stop taking pictures of the adorable homes … some were thatch roofed and each one had more character than the other.  I much prefer these quaint homes to the million dollar ones that surround Pebble Beach but those were fun to see as well.

On my most recent trip to Carmel, I heard my nieces and sister react to the homes as I did on my first trip – –  OMG, they are sooooo cute!  Here’s a sampling of these charming cottages.

 

 

 

 

 

Quaint Carmel-by-the-Sea Hotel, Shops and Restaurants

The hotel we stayed at was just as charming!  The La Playa is a boutique type hotel located near the water and was in walking distance to the beach, restaurants, shops and all of these adorable homes.  The town is so well-kept, each shop and restaurant well manicured and so inviting.

 

 

 

 

 

 Carmel’s Famous Seventeen Mile Drive

While in Carmel you must see the famous Seventeen Mile Drive which loops around Pebble Beach (stop at the Club House for a drink and tour their shops) and also stop to take in the beautiful Lone Cypress which is hundreds of years old.  It’s probably the most photographed tree in America.

 

 

 

 

Note:  We have been to Carmel several times and quite often, even in the summer, it has been chilly!  Either plan ahead and take some sweaters and/or jackets or be prepared to buy one there!