Activities

Some places are made for girls' trips. Carmel-by-the-Sea just happens to be one of them.

It's walkable, charming, a little luxurious without trying too hard, and full of the kind of spots that turn a quick weekend into one of those trips you talk about for years. Think wine tastings hidden in storybook courtyards, boutique shopping tucked into secret passageways, long beach walks, and dinners that somehow turn into late-night conversations over one more bottle.

If you're planning a girls' getaway and want equal parts relaxation and fun, here's how to do Carmel right.

For anyone who loves books, Carmel-by-the-Sea feels like the kind of place a writer would dream up. The Monterey Peninsula has long drawn storytellers who were inspired by the coast, the quiet pace of the town, and the feeling that time moves a little slower here.
Writers like John Steinbeck and poet Robinson Jeffers helped shape the literary identity of this stretch of California. Their words captured the spirit of the Central Coast, and that connection to literature still lingers in the air.

Just a short drive from Carmel-by-the-Sea, this protected stretch of coastline feels like a quiet exhale—where rugged cliffs meet the Pacific, cypress trees frame the trails, and the pace of the day softens almost immediately. If Carmel is the soul of the coast, Point Lobos is the deep breath.

Read to the end for a festive surprise waiting for you on your next stay. December in Carmel-by-the-Sea feels like stepping into a holiday storybook, but the real magic isn't just the glowing tree or the charming cottages wrapped in ribbons and lights. It's the people. This town comes alive during the holidays in a way that's unmistakably Carmel — warm, connected, and joyfully festive. Even our four-legged locals join in, wearing holiday sweaters with a confidence that would make Santa proud.

There's something about Garrapata State Park that always brings me back. Maybe it's the smell of the ocean breeze cutting through the wild sage. Maybe it's the way the cliffs seem to glow gold just before sunset. Or maybe it's because, just a short drive from Carmel-by-the-Sea, it somehow feels like another world entirely.