Explore Carmel

• The municipal code of Carmel requires individuals to acquire a permit to wear heels exceeding two inches in height.
• Carmel High School has a rivalry with nearby Pacific Grove High School, with the two school’s football teams playing in “The Shoe Game,” a battle for a bronze shoe-turned-trophy. 
• There are no sidewalks in specifically zoned “residential areas,” only in the commercial downtown area of the village.
• Many of the cottages in and around the village are built in the style of architect Hugh Comstock, an American architect prominent in the 1920s

Carmel-by-the-Sea is a small coastal city south of San Francisco on California’s central coastline. The quiet and dreamlike town is a popular destination for visitors for a number of reasons, whether they are there for the world-renowned golf courses, boutique shopping or a visit to the beach. 

The unique downtown looks like a painting of a European coastal village, with cottages stretching across the bluff overlooking a beautiful white sand beach. It is a truly authentic town, with no chain restaurants and mostly local businesses to explore. 

Throughout the years, Carmel has been a hotbed for artists, actors and literary figures seeking an oceanside retreat. Perhaps its’ most famous resident was Hollywood legend Clint Eastwood, who was mayor of Carmel from 1986 to 1988. 

For cinephiles, there are a number of recognizable spots in Carmel: classic films such as Play Misty for Me, Vertigo and The Graduate were all shot there. 

Just up the road on the bluffs overlooking Carmel Beach sits some of the most recognizable golf courses in the world, including Pebble Beach Golf Links. Pebble has hosted six US Open Championships, most recently in 2019. 

Despite it being a city of less than 4,000 people, there is something for everyone in Carmel. 

The Ohlone Native Americans were the original people of the area, settling across much of the central coast and what ultimately became Carmel. The Monterey Bay and Carmel were discovered by the Spanish in 1542, but never officially settled until 1770 by Franciscan priests seeking to colonize the area. While nearby Monterey became a port and industrial hub, Carmel has remained a dreamy residential town on the beach.  

• There are no sidewalks in specifically zoned “residential areas,” only in the commercial downtown area of the village.
• Clint Eastwood was the mayor of the town from 1986 to 1988.
• The municipal code of Carmel requires individuals to acquire a permit to wear heels exceeding two inches in height.
• There are no chain restaurants in Carmel By-The-Sea.
• Carmel and the surrounding area have had over 200 movies and commercials shot, such as Play Misty for Me, Vertigo, and The Graduate.
• The nearby Pebble Beach Golf Links has hosted six US Open Championships, most recently in 2019. It is one of the most famous golf courses in the world.
• A common misconception is that Spanish explorer Juan Cabrillo settled the land that became Monterey and Carmel, but he never actually landed in 1542. The land was not settled for many years until 1770, when Franciscan priests arrived to colonize the area.
• The village is a haven for artists, writers and musicians, with many iconic literary figures calling it home over the years. 
• Jack London 
• Robert Louis Stevenson 
• Beverley Cleary — Beezus and Ramona 
• Carmel High School has a rivalry with nearby Pacific Grove High School, with the two school’s football teams playing in “The Shoe Game,” a battle for a bronze shoe-turned-trophy.