Friends and, more recently, strangers have been asking me about where to go and what to do in Monterey and Carmel. They see my social media posts when I’m in the area and know I have some insider knowledge of the fun stuff going on there. In the past few years we’ve made the area a go-to destination for family trips to the beach, a day out wine tasting, or a romantic staycation for my husband and I and have written numerous articles pointing out some of the great parts of the area. I love the opportunity of checking out new spots when we visit but also feel comfort in the familiar as well. Here is an itinerary for the Perfect Weekend in Monterey and Carmel by the Sea that we recently followed.
Friday Evening: Arrive in Carmel by the Sea and check into the Hofsas House hotel. A unique and lovely stay each and every time, we can now count the number of times we’ve visited on two hands. Ocean view rooms with the Dutch doors and patio access are my favorite for that open air feeling with stunning sunsets.
Opt in for the wine and cheese package ($30) and have a lovely spread of local goodness when you arrive to curb your hunger pains. Also, with an overnight stay you can grab the Wine Tasting Passports at a discounted rate that will have you within walking distance of over a dozen tasting rooms.
After snapping your sunset photo, put on your walking shoes and head a few blocks to Vino Napoli and put those Wine Walk passes to good use! This spot is one of our favorites for great red wine flights and the yummiest meatball lollipops. Remember when you’re walking in Carmel by the Sea, there are no address numbers or street lights. Locations are by street and cross street, and packing a keyring or pocket flashlight at night can be helpful.
Saturday Morning: Hofsas House offers a complimentary continental breakfast with your stay, so head to the lobby and get some danish, fruit, yogurt, juice, and coffee. They’ll even prepare a carafe for you with a tray to take back to your room if you prefer to crawl back into bed. Cool mornings beg for lighting the fireplace, so make sure you choose a room with one!
Hang out by the heated pool, take some time in the sauna, but when you’re ready for a picnic at the beach I have a great idea for you!
Saturday Afternoon: Grab a blanket or towels, sunscreen, and your swimsuit and head out for some great food and even better views. The 5th Avenue Deli is where you need to go and pick up some delicious dishes for a great afternoon out with just a myriad of items to choose from. Just a couple blocks from the hotel, we decided to drive since we had our arms full of paraphernalia. 
Wine, soft drinks, water, box lunches, sandwiches, breakfast burritos, meatloaf, salads, a full taco bar, soups, fresh baked goods, local Lula’s Chocolates fare, and so much more fills this jam-packed shop. We literally were in the shop for about 20 minutes before we decided on a boxed lunch (sandwich, chips, soda, fruit, and a cookie) and a hot chorizo burrito, all made to order! 
The burrito had the right amount of egg to sausage and a perfect spicy kick after each bite. My husband’s “school lunch box” was just what he wanted and we headed to the beach just off 10th Avenue. Parking is free around the area, and it’s a short staircase down to the sand. The view of Pebble Beach and the famous golf course is just to your right and if you’re lucky you’ll see a surfer catch the perfect wave.
Back to the hotel to rinse off the sand, then it was time for some more wine and more exercise. We walked to two spots including one new location recently added to the Wine Walk, Paraiso Vineyards, by {Alexander} Smith Family Wines. Off of Ocean between Lincoln and Monte Verde, you need to walk from the street back into the pathways to find it, it’s a hidden gem for sure. 
A cozy courtyard sits outside the boutique style tasting room with cushioned window benches and a nice bar area. Their 2011 Irie Zinfandel is my favorite and I think I need to get back over there for a bottle sooner than later! A few bottled waters and a good walk to San Carlos and 7th, we arrived at Scheid Tasting Room. It was packed, but we found a two-top table by the window that had us served last at every round, but proved to be the most photogenic place in the house.
Their Odd Lot Red wine is an “everything and the kitchen sink” kind of blend of 9 different varietals, and my favorite. Good thing we were doing a lot of walking, we were eating and drinking our way through Carmel by the Sea and we had reservations for dinner coming up next! We catch the beautiful light from our patio and do a quick change of clothes before dinner.
Saturday Evening: 10-15 minute drive from the hotel will have you at Monterey’s famous Fisherman’s Wharf. A few dollars to park and you amble down the wharf past gift shops all the while weaving through the sweet aromas of caramel corn and cotton candy along with seafood and salt water. At the very end of the Wharf, we approach Big Fish Grill.
This spot was always known as Rappa’s to me growing up, we’d come here a few times a year for special occasions. The views from the deck or even from the tables inside had you searching for loud sea lions or mysterious jelly fish. I hadn’t been to the wharf in a while, so we were eager to try this spot out. We started with Bang-Bang Shrimp as our appetizer. No kidding there were probably 30 pieces of seafood on that platter and it was SO good. The creamy, spicy aioli had just the punch I love! 
Something for everyone on the menu, we placed our order of the Crispy Fisherman’s Platter (shrimp, cod, scallops and calamari with fries) and Pasta Primavera (fettuccini, grilled vegetables light cream sauce) and made a mental note we could bring our kids here on a future visit. My husband enjoyed the fried assortment especially the cod! The dish was plentiful, fries not even necessary. 
We typically share plates, but we wanted to try a little of everything this evening. My pasta was perfection. I think I would have preferred a lighter sauce, or maybe just less of it because the eggplant and squash really held their own.
Sunday Morning: Sleep late because you deserve it! Then grab breakfast down in the lobby and enjoy it by the fire. 
We crack the blinds to let some light in, but it’s peaceful… Just outside our room day welcomes us and we do have to check out but not before we make plans to hit the 5th Avenue Deli yet again for a different set of goodies! This time a sandwich on sourdough and chips for me, and my husband decides on the tuna salad. Packed in a bag we check out and head on a road trip down the coast.
Sunday Afternoon: We know we have to get home at some point on this day, but we take advantage of how close we live and decide to drive to the Bixby Bridge on Hwy 1 towards Big Sur. We take in a few scenic vistas and enjoy the beauty of California’s Central Coast. We live here, but we often take it for granted. Not today.
We stop to each our lunch and swap a little of both for good measure. It’s so easy just fall in love with that Deli all over again! If you’re visiting in the area, this itinerary is a good one, for more great spots in the Monterey Bay area, read my posts linked here: http://jenisonajourney.com/tag/mbarea.
This post is my 100% our honest opinions despite the hosted press trip. We love where we call home, period!
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