Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

Posted by JSFashionista on 29 Jan 2012 / 0 Comment

During the fall of 2011 my friend Dana got married at this seaside town a couple of hours from San Francisco. I was thrilled to be invited to her big weekend not only to celebrate her and her husband Jimmy but also because I’ve heard how fabulous Carmel is and it’s always nice to visit Cali during the fall. I only spent a night in Carmel (came directly from San Francisco). It’s a pretty easy drive with plenty of nice scenery along the way. Some of the highlights of my visit are below. I highly recommend Carmel; it’s a beautiful, very charming, quaint beach town especially awesome if, like me, you LOVE to golf.

What to see -

The beach is a must see. I walked around town and grabbed an amazing sandwich at an Italian market (below in where to eat) and had a picnic lunch on the beach. For early October I would have never imagined how many people were at the beach, surfing, laying out or just strolling enjoying the beautiful scenery. The beach borders Pebble Beach Golf Course, which was super cool to see in person as a tourist and as a big golfer. I’d love to return to Carmel and hit the links at Pebble Beach. A girl can always dream.

Pebble Beach Golf Course - This must be one of the most fabulous courses to play (Sadly I don’t know I’m just imagining). The views from the beach are fabulous. I can only imagine what it’s like to play 18 holes (one of my favorite activities) in such a gorgeous, serene environment overlooking the fabulous ocean. 1700 17-Mile Drive. Pebble Beach, CA. 93953. 831-624-3811.

Where to Eat -

Salumeria Luca- This was an adorable Italian market/deli I stumbled upon during my brief walk around town before heading to the beach. I literally arrived at 11:30 a.m., checked into my hotel, walked around town and had to be showered and ready to go to the reception by 2:30 .p.m. Talk about quick efficient sightseeing! Dolores Street between Ocean & 7th. Carmel-by-the-sea. CA. 93921. 831-625-0264.

Cottage of Sweets - If you’re a candy girl like me this should be your first stop during your visit. It’s absolutely one of the CUTEST candy shops I’ve ever been to. Best news is they have the greatest assortment of my favorite Laffy Taffy ever (picture below). It’s on the main drag and super easy to stumble upon. In my case it was right across the street from my hotel! Ocean Avenue between Monte Verde & Lincoln. Carmel-by-the-Sea. CA. 93921. 831-624-5170.

Laughy Taffy assortment, to die for!!!

Il Fornaio - This was a great Italian bistro/restaurant in my hotel. The menu was terrific with lots of little light options (in the bistro) and a more thorough menu in the hotel restaurant. If I had more time than just my beach picnic I would have loved to try to eat here. Ocean Avenue & Monte Verde St. (at the Pine Inn). Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA. 93921. 831-622-5100.

Where to Stay:

Pine Inn - The wedding had various hotel options for guests and I ended up at the Pine Inn. It was the middle of the road, the website looked nice, it was super convenient and they had availability. It was great, conveniently located on the main drag. The room was small but cute and I enjoyed a great view of the main street. Ocean Avenue between Lincoln St. & Monte Verde St. Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA. 93921. 800-228-3851

Other fabulous sights to see:

Tehama Golf Club - The bride and groom could not have picked a better venue for their wedding. It was at Clint Eastwood’s private (invite only) golf course. It was 10 minutes away from Carmel and couldn’t have been more fabulous. The cocktail hour was on an outside patio overlooking the golf course with ocean views. The reception was indoors with amazing glass windows so you could continue to enjoy the views. The service was impeccable as was the menu, decor and entire evening. Hats off to Dana, Jimmy and the Tehama Golf Club for throwing one of the most memorable weddings I’ve ever been too!! 25000 Via Malpaso. Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA. 93923. 831-622-2223.