{"id":314459,"date":"2026-05-13T23:36:12","date_gmt":"2026-05-13T23:36:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/314459\/"},"modified":"2026-05-13T23:36:12","modified_gmt":"2026-05-13T23:36:12","slug":"california-roadtrip-carmel-by-the-sea-lamag","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/314459\/","title":{"rendered":"California\u00a0Roadtrip: Carmel-By-The-Sea\u00a0 – LAmag"},"content":{"rendered":"

A drive from Los Angeles to Carmel-by-the-Sea<\/a>\u00a0enshrines the notion West Coast is\u00a0best\u00a0coast.\u00a0A demonstration of California\u2019s rich landscape diversity and impressive vastness, a journey\u00a0on the US\u00a0101 and\/or I-5 takes you through coastal towns, wine country, agriculture hubs, chaparral shrubland and coniferous forests.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

But in the name of beauty, and if you have the extra time,\u00a0consider an elongated road trip up\u00a0Pacific\u00a0Coast Highway.\u00a0There will be plenty of time for rest once you arrive in Carmel. For the first time in three years, Highway\u00a01 fully\u00a0reopened through Big Sur in January.\u00a0Its closure \u2014 due to post-storm landslides and cliff collapses \u2014\u00a0led to $438 million in economic loss as of September 2025,\u00a0according to a report by Beacon Economics and Visit California. San Simeon and Big Sur\u00a0experienced the most severe losses.\u00a0Highly dependent on\u00a0tourism and\u00a0Highway\u00a01, tourism spending\u00a0dropped 42% and 20%, respectively, in 2023 and 2024.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

It\u2019s all the more reason to take the long road.\u00a0Consider jumping onto PCH from the 101 near San Luis Obispo, where you can stop for a sandwich High Street Deli<\/a> (yes,\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0worth the wait)\u00a0and stretch your legs. Onto Highway, consider pitstops in Morro Bay for oysters, in San Simeon\u00a0for a Hearst Castle tour and\u00a0along Big Sur for\u00a0a view of McWay Falls and exploration of its parks.\u00a0It\u2019s\u00a0only right to soak up one of the country\u2019s most famed highways with a true California spirit and take it easy.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Stay\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"L'Auberge\"L'AubergeL\u2019Auberge CarmelCredit: Courtesy L\u2019Auberge Carmel<\/p>\n

In Carmel-by-the-Sea, which\u00a0felt\u00a0a 6%\u00a0drop in\u00a0tourism spending,\u00a0L\u2019Auberge\u00a0Carmel<\/a>\u00a0hotel operator\u00a0Janet\u00a0Elarmo\u00a0already noticed a difference\u00a0following the reopening of Highway 1.\u00a0\u201cWe\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0have really\u00a0a slow period,\u201d she tells\u00a0Los Angeles\u00a0just ahead of Easter weekend. It also helps that Carmel had an unseasonably warm winter, making the seaside gem\u00a0sparkle\u00a0a little extra for visitors.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

An Airbnb can set visitors up for a\u00a0local-type\u00a0experience, but the 42 hotels and inns within the village prime tourists for\u00a0a more efficient experience. Step out the door and\u00a0you\u2019re\u00a0steps from Carmel\u2019s galleries, wine tasting rooms,\u00a0shops\u00a0and restaurants.\u00a0Lodgings span from dog friendly institutions to\u00a0charming\u00a0boutique hotels\u00a0and reliable chain brand outposts.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"\"\"Credit: Courtesy L\u2019Auberge Carmel<\/p>\n

For\u00a0a property most emblematic of the town \u2014\u00a0welcoming,\u00a0quietly affluent, enchanting\u00a0\u2014 book one of the 20 rooms at\u00a0L\u2019Aurberge\u00a0Carmel.\u00a0\u00a0The Relais & Ch\u00e2teaux<\/a> property was first built in 1929\u00a0and upholds its mission to blend heritage and hospitality, even with upgrades like\u00a0floor heating,\u00a0Penhaligon\u2019s Quercus toiletries and steady Wi-Fi. In the room I stay in (Number 19),\u00a0a sage green wooden door opens to\u00a0a king size bed\u00a0and\u00a0hardwood floors. My exploration of the tasteful flourishes (lamp bases made to look like coral, a sleek free-standing bathtub, a mustard yellow landline made to look like a router phone)\u00a0is cut short by a knock at the door. A staff member arrives with fresh cookies, which I enjoy next to the courtyard view window that offers a picturesque view of the bubbling fountain\u00a0and\u00a0the hotel\u2019s\u00a0storybook architecture.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Scroll to continue reading<\/p>\n

\u201cI see hospitality as always being helpful but not intrusive,\u201d\u00a0Elarmo\u00a0says.\u00a0Her point is especially apparent when, on the final morning of my stay, I receive a phone call\u00a0checking if I wanted\u00a0room service\u00a0because I had not yet made it to\u00a0the restaurant\u00a0for the hotel\u2019s signature breakfast\u00a0(the day before, I enjoyed an\u00a0flavorsome mushroom bowl with arugula, a poached egg and sourdough toast), which was ending soon.\u00a0\u00a0The morning dining is inclusive in all hotel stays\u00a0\u2014\u00a0and includes\u00a0coffee, juice, fresh fruit, a pastry, a wellness juice shot and choice of main dish, like my mushroom bowl\u00a0or\u00a0eggs bacon\u00a0and toast\u00a0\u2014 and proves the hotel is living up to the same standards as its two Michelin star restaurant,\u00a0Aubergine<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Eat\u00a0<\/p>\n

Serving just five tables per night,\u00a0Aubergine\u00a0presents a seasonal multi-course tasting menu of dishes that\u00a0celebrated\u00a0the region and is helmed by\u00a0executive chef-director Justin Cogley (who is a co-operator of the hotel). The menu\u00a0has featured\u00a0delicate creations like\u00a0splendid alfonsino with corn custard, zucchini, saffron and broth of\u00a0Iberico\u00a0ham and aged beef tartare with caviar and melon.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI like proving people wrong,\u201d Cogley says. \u201cWhen I first started here, I was told that, number one, that we\u2019d never bring any attention to Carmel.\u201d The Pennsylvania native, by way of Chicago, arrived in Carmel in 2010. \u201cIt was sort of a graveyard. Everyone was 80-plus years old and there\u00a0was a lot of terrible food,\u201d he recalls. The tides started to turn when Cogley won\u00a0Food &\u00a0Wine\u2019s\u00a0best new chef\u00a0title\u00a0in 2013. Michelin later awarded\u00a0Aubergine\u00a0its first star in 2019, which drove business up 20%, followed by a second star in\u00a02024.\u00a0\u201cHere there\u2019s a lot of opportunity, plus the product is great, of\u00a0course\u00a0and the weather is much better, and overall, it\u2019s just a\u00a0better quality of\u00a0lifestyle,\u201d says Cogley, who is an avid runner.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"\"\"Bar at The SalonCredit: L\u2019Auberge Carmel<\/p>\n

\"\"\"\"AubergineCredit: L\u2019Auberge Carmel<\/p>\n

The intimate size of the dining room\u00a0warrants\u00a0mostly special occasion diners \u2014 birthdays, anniversaries, various other celebrations \u2014 though\u00a0they\u2019ve\u00a0been known to have a handful of regulars.\u00a0And unlike many other fine dining institutions, Aubergine can accommodate for\u00a0allergies and dietary restrictions. \u201cEveryone loves how quaint this place is, and nothing we do here is mass produced,\u201d\u00a0Elarmo\u00a0says.\u00a0\u201cThere\u2019s a lot of\u00a0curation.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

If a fine dining experience\u00a0isn\u2019t\u00a0in the cards for you,\u00a0The Salon offers a taste of the Aubergine\u00a0experience in a lounge-style environment\u00a0with a la carte dishes and expert cocktails. The bartender can whip you up any\u00a0classic drink,\u00a0but consider\u00a0the\u00a0Biko-Biko, a fat-washed milk punch with\u00a0rum, apple brandy and coconut,\u00a0a must).\u00a0And sometime next year, L\u2019Auberge Carmel will expand its culinary offerings with The Corner Market. \u201cWe\u2019re\u00a0just doing our interpretation of our own seafood restaurant,\u201d\u00a0Elarmo\u00a0says.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"\"\"Credit: Courtesy Station\u00e6ry<\/p>\n

Elsewhere in town, Carmel\u2019s restaurants prove it as\u00a0ample\u00a0destination for culinary travel. From day-to-night, European bistro La\u00a0Bicyclette<\/a>\u00a0is hardly ever seen without a crowd pouting out onto the sidewalk,\u00a0and Bud\u2019s<\/a> in La Playa Hotel makes the case for enjoying oysters, patatas bravas\u00a0and a stiff cocktail in a windowless space. On the other side of the village,\u00a0Station\u00e6ry<\/a>\u00a0seasonal California\u00a0cooking\u00a0delights at brunch and dinner.\u00a0My evening visit\u00a0was made special by kind,\u00a0attentive\u00a0staff and a lobster roll paired with\u00a0a glass of gamay. The next day, my final meal in Carmel was the on-theme Monterey Sandwich (with marinated sardines, cucumber, red onions,\u00a0capers\u00a0and dill) at Nora\u2019s<\/a>. I\u00a0can\u2019t\u00a0wait to be back to try\u00a0the Italian-forward restaurant\u2019s pasta dishes that many\u00a0lunchers\u00a0even braved during the afternoon.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"\"\"Nora\u2019sCredit: Courtesy Visit Carmel<\/p>\n

Do\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"\"\"Credit: Visit Carmel<\/p>\n

In Carmel,\u00a0it is easy to spend the day by letting it take you as you\u00a0go. Between meals, walk through town and fall down\u00a0the tucked away courtyards and passageways, filled with galleries,\u00a0shops\u00a0and wine tasting rooms.\u00a0The play-it-by-ear approach is how I spend my time between appointments and reservations.\u00a0I pick up a few birthday cards at Somewhere in Carmel<\/a> and tchotchkes at Pilgrims Way Bookstore<\/a> before strolling through the Carmel Art\u00a0Association<\/a> gallery.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Later, I take a turn into Dawn\u2019s Dream Winery<\/a> for a tasting<\/a> and\u00a0become better acquainted with\u00a0chardonnay and pinot noir.\u00a0The owner, Dawn Galante, is the daughter of Jack Galante, who is the great grandson of James Frank Devendorf, a founder of Carmel-by-the-Sea. Dawn, who carries on her father\u2019s winemaking tradition,\u00a0names her vintages after her grandkids.\u00a0I sip a glass of the 2023 Frances Jane white wine, which features a sketch of a French bulldog on the label.\u00a0\u201cThat\u2019s my dog,\u201d\u00a0Elarmo, a\u00a0Monterey Peninsula native, later tells me. \u201cFor whatever reason, Remy is on the label.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"\"\"Credit: Visit Carmel<\/p>\n

In addition to soaking up the village, longtime locals like\u00a0Elarmo, Jimmy at Dawn\u2019s Dream Winery\u00a0and Jeff Burghardt of Visit Carmel-by-the-Sea\u00a0will encourage you to visit the quintessential spots that best\u00a0showcase\u00a0their town\u2019s magic.\u00a0So,\u00a0to get it all in, consider making an itinerary for one or two of your visiting days.\u00a0It\u2019s\u00a0not a\u00a0proper\u00a0Carmel\u00a0trip\u00a0if you\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0make it to the fairytale cottages<\/a>, the Scenic Road Walkway <\/a>or\u00a0Point Lobos<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

An Artist\u2019s Colony\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"\"\"Credit: Courtesy Visit Carmel<\/p>\n

More than 60 percent of Carmel-by-the-Sea homes in 1910 were owned by residents in the arts, and that creative-minded foundation has stayed part of the town ever since. Now, a walk around town can become an art adventure through\u00a0nearly 100\u00a0galleries<\/a>. Here are\u00a0three\u00a0not to miss.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Carmel Art Association\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

Founded in 1927, Carmel\u2019s oldest gallery has been artist-owned and -operated for\u00a0nearly 100\u00a0years and\u00a0showcases\u00a0various types\u00a0of art and media styles by artists living on the Monterey Peninsula.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Center for Photographic Art\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

Ansel Adams, Cole\u00a0Weston\u00a0and Wynn Bullock started Friends of Photography in 1967 to promote photography as a fine art, holding shows at galleries in San Francisco and Carmel. The latter is now home to the Center for Photographic Art and its presentation of contemporary photography and lecture series.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Zantman\u00a0Art Galleries\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

Carmel\u2019s oldest commercial gallery is both an art gallery and a frame shop. Founded in 1959 by a Dutch couple who moved to California from the East Coast,\u00a0Zantman\u00a0Art Galleries\u00a0showcases\u00a0fine art from artists ranging from contemporary Spanish creator Ana Moran to Frank Ashley and his equestrian portraits.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Event Schedule\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"\"\"Credit: Courtesy Visit Carmel<\/p>\n

Carmel\u2019s peak season \u2014 June through October \u2014 is made extra special by annual community and\u00a0culture\u00a0events. Summer gets well underway with Culinary Week <\/a>from June 5 to 13. More than 30 eateries are expected to\u00a0participate\u00a0\u2014 an impressive number given that the town is home to about 60 restaurants. The week is set to feature events surrounding wine, Italian family-style feasting, seafood and more.\u00a0There\u2019s\u00a0also the Carmel Bach Festival<\/a> \u2014 two weeks of classical music performances, art installations, talks and educational events \u2014 from July 11 to 25. Later, Pebble Beach Concours\u00a0d\u2019Elegance<\/a>\u00a0brings the finest cars in the world to the Monterey Peninsula on Aug. 16. And come October, the Carmel International Film Festival <\/a>takes over the Founders Theatre at the Golden Bough Playhouse\u00a0and the Meet the Makers<\/a> event presents an artist-owned gallery tour and wine tasting.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

A<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A drive from Los Angeles to Carmel-by-the-Sea\u00a0enshrines the notion West Coast is\u00a0best\u00a0coast.\u00a0A demonstration of California\u2019s rich landscape diversity…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":314460,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[7,9,8,38934,125400,2422],"class_list":["post-314459","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-california","tag-california","tag-california-headlines","tag-california-news","tag-carmel-by-the-sea","tag-may-2026","tag-travel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/314459","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=314459"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/314459\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/314460"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=314459"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=314459"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=314459"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}