Carmel Beach offers many fun activities and things to do, including swimming, sunbathing, surfing, boogie boarding, standup paddle boarding, and picnicking. Enjoy beach volleyball or a stroll along the Scenic Bluff Path with beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean.

There is no end to the scenery: the majestic Pacific Ocean, surfers catching a ride on the waves, dolphins and otters swimming about, dogs frolicking off-leash, the iconic Frank Lloyd Wright house and rugged Carmel Point to the south, and golfers tackling Pebble Beach Golf Links to the north.

The Monterey/Carmel area is well worth a visit . The two areas are quite different, Monterey is very touristy but the Aquarium is worth a few hours of your time,Carmel is beautiful the beach is totally unspoilt and the views along the coast are wonderful.

The per capita income in Carmel in 2018 was $65,522, which is wealthy relative to California and the nation.

Carmel’s unique white sand comes from offshore rocks called Santa Lucia Granodiorite. Ocean waves pound these rocks into fine sand granules that wash onto the beach. The power of the waves changes with the season, alternately removing and replacing the sand.

Parking & Restrooms Carmel Beach provides a free modest parking lot on Ocean Avenue as well as free, on-street parking on Camino Real and a along Scenic Road which parallels Carmel Beach. Restrooms are located in the parking at the foot of Ocean Avenue and on Scenic Road at Santa Lucia Avenue.

Eastwood still lives in Carmel and is largely responsible for the establishment of the town’s children’s library, located at the corner of Mission and 6th.

• John Madden.
• Joan Fontaine.
• Bing Crosby.
• John Steinbeck.
• Doris Gates.
• Paul Anka.

One of the most well-known residents of Carmel, Clint Eastwood has been attached to this area since he was stationed at Fort Ord during the Korean War. Eastwood still lives in Carmel and is largely responsible for the establishment of the town’s children’s library, located at the corner of Mission and 6th.

Carmel is located 120 miles south of San Francisco, which is one of the most expensive housing markets in the United States. This very small town is set in one of the more beautiful areas in the world, if you like coastal living. Because it is so appealing, it is also very expensive.

It can be packed here on sunny days, but this part of the coast is often cool and cloudy making it easy to find your own space on this large beach. Even on busy days, if you are willing to venture north or south from the main access at Ocean Avenue you’ll probably find open spaces.

Carmel Beach Campfire Regulations Beach fires, in City-supplied wood burning fires pits or self-supplied propane fire devices, are allowed 4:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. daily and must be south of 10th Avenue in the Beach Fire Zone.

Though often mistakenly thought of as an urban myth, the municipal code of Carmel bans wearing shoes having heels more than 2 inches in height or with a base of less than one square inch unless the wearer has obtained a permit for them. Permits are available without charge at City Hall.

The unique community of Carmel-by-the-Sea is perhaps one of the most beautiful places on Earth and is stunning to photograph from the magnificent white sand beach to the European-style village and everything in between.

This picture was taken from just above Carmel Beach. The whitish-colored splotches you seen in the green across the water is the Pebble Beach Golf Course. To reach the spot where we found this view, follow Scenic Rd. south from downtown Carmel. Continue to 7 of 10 below.

Carmel is one of the most dog-friendly vacation destinations in California and the Cypress Inn (where these dogs are walking) was one of the first in town to welcome visitors and their furry friends.

Carmel’s first European residents were the Spanish Fathers at Mission San Carlos de Borromeo, the place we call Carmel Mission today. It boasts one of the most romantically beautiful mission churches in all of California, and it’s open to the public. Read more about the Carmel Mission .