If you were to ask me what would make a perfect 24 hour getaway that includes wine, the beach, and romance I’d say “take me to Carmel by the Sea!”  That’s exactly what my husband did for our 19th wedding anniversary this summer, he knows me very well.  With a busy schedule, three kids and their activities, and only a day here and there to get away as a couple, in less than an hour we can be in one of the most beautiful places in California.   Here are a few of my favorite things about Carmel that have us going back again and again!

Favorite Beach: Carmel Beach
With views of the famous Pebble Beach Golf Course and often just outside the fog zone on the Monterey Bay, Carmel has a beautiful white sand beach to relax with your blanket and favorite book.  When we arrived in Carmel around 11am, we had the beach to ourselves minus a few dog walkers.  I spent an hour reading and listening to the waves with my best friend, perfection!

Favorite Place to Stay: Hofsas House Hotel 
I’ve written about this hotel before, and for good reason.  If you’re looking for a cozy and charming place to stay with all the necessary amenities and the best hospitality in town, the Hofsas House should be your first choice!  We booked a room and mentioned our anniversary and here’s what showed up!  Carrie Theis, the owner of the hotel (and granddaughter to the founder), hand wrote us a note along with an offering of local Monterey wine and Carmel chocolates from Lula’s to make our stay just that much more enjoyable! She is such a gem!

The rooms are spacious, and our reservation this weekend included a kitchenette, fireplace, outdoor seating, and those fun Dutch doors to let in some of the fresh ocean air. Although we were staying for one night, we could have been set up easily for a week.  Considering I didn’t bring my wetsuit for the 55 degree water at the beach, enjoy the 82 degree pool year-round at Hofsas, or try the traditional European dry sauna at no additional cost.  Our evening had us lighting the fire, opening the wine and devouring the chocolate, a perfect ending to a wonderful day! The prices at this hotel are so reasonable for Carmel, plus you get a great continental breakfast each morning to top it all off. Visit Hofsas House Hotel to reserve your room!

Favorite Appetizers: Vino Napoli Wine Bar
A wonderful spot to check out that’s included on the Carmel Wine Walk, the owner of Vino Napoli owns a few restaurants (one adjacent to the wine bar) and a bakery in Carmel by the Sea.  Whether you want a red, white, or mixed wine flight, make sure you pair it with some of the most delicious appetizers in town! Flavorful Meatball Lollipops, french bread, charcuterie (including chorizo–YUM), cheese, nuts, and olives was our lunch and dinner!

I can’t help but drool a little just writing this.  The tasting room is a fun atmosphere with televisions, a fireplace, very attentive servers, and lots of tables for socializing.  For more, visit Vino Napoli.

Favorite Wine Tasting Room: DeTierra Vineyards
My hubby and I both agree on this spot being the best in town!  He loves it because there are a handful of books on the shelf that have caught his eye.  One of those a Steinbeck novel he hasn’t read and now reads it specifically when we’re there, he’ll finish it our next visit I’m sure!  I love the wine, the 2013 Vindegard Chardonnay and the 2012 Late Harvest Zinfandel especially.  Also included on the Carmel Wine Walk, you can sit at the bar or if you’re lucky grab the open window seat where we could stay for hours!Grab a cheese platter to snack on, or remember those Lula’s Chocolates I mentioned earlier?  They offer them as a chocolate pairing that you can’t miss!  No matter how full this location gets, you’re treated like a VIP here and that’s what makes DeTierra Vineyards really stand out!

Favorite Night Spot: Carmel Beach
Yes, I’m repeating myself. The beach is awesome in Carmel and especially at night, so grab a bottle of wine and enjoy the sunset!  Alcohol is allowed on the beach which in itself is something you don’t see many other locations.  To top off a wonderful day, pair that wine with a bonfire (allowed south of 10th Avenue) and warm up with your loved one.  Don’t forget the s’mores kit!

I hope I’ve sold you on planning a romantic trip, I have many articles on the area, but these are my absolute favorite things in Carmel.  Though we enjoyed appetizers, drank, and snacked a lot, I am still searching for our favorite restaurant.   Suggestions are welcome, let me know what you love most about Carmel by the Sea!

I received a media rate for my hotel stay, all other activities were on our own.  Opinions are 100% our honest views.

Some days I have to pinch myself.  I live just a short 35 minutes away from one of the most beautiful spots in California, Carmel-by-the-Sea!  People from around the world visit this amazing area in the Monterey Bay each year as it’s know for it’s delicious food, fabulous wine, world class golf, art, culture, and of course the Pacific Ocean.  I was born and raised locally and have explored the beaches and tidepools, come fishing with my dad, and have toured the nearby Monterey Bay Aquarium, the area is wonderful for children.

It’s exciting to know as an adult I can enjoy Carmel in a whole new way as my husband and I were excited to make a day trip over to the coast and enjoy Carmel Food Tours with our lovely tour guide Staci!  Staci started this fun and rewarding culinary and cultural adventure for herself in 2012 and has made it one of the top excursions in the area for tourists!

We met Stacy at the Carmel Plaza at Junipero and Ocean streets.  The plaza itself hosts shops, dining, and wine tasting along with beautiful landscaping.  The cool winter morning was warmed by Stacy’s smile as we met our group for our 3 hour tour.  So our first stop was right there in the plaza, The Cheese Shop Carmel offered us up some Monterey county Edam, an English Cheddar, and an Argentinian Parmigiano Reggiano.  The shop’s motto is Eat Cheese, Drink Wine, Live Life Happy and we hear that if you go in there you can wine taste, sample all the cheeses your heart desires and you’ll also get some fun chatter, jokes, and an overall good time!  Our appetites whet, we began our stroll down Mission Street making our way to the next stop.

Staci chatted with us about the architecture of the city, the fact that there are no street lights, and also that you need a permit to walk in town with heels.  We arrive at Casanova Restaurant next, known to locals as Carmel’s most romantic dining destination.  European cottage from the outside, inside you’ll find a maze of rooms and nooks that would be perfect for any couple looking for a hideaway to enjoy eachother’s company.  You can dine at the very table that Vincent Van Gogh had his last meal, or outside among the trees.  Here we sampled the restaurant’s spinach gnocchi, a treat that is like eating a bit of heaven. Not made from traditional potatoes each bite was light and luscious and we vowed to return to explore more of the menu and well as tour their hand-dug wine cellar.   Over the course of the tour, you get enough bites to satisfy a nice lunch and to honestly leaving you are determined to come back for a full meal, it’s win-win for both customer and clients Staci works with.  Our next stop had us at a familiar location, Mundaka for Spanish Tapas.  My husband and I visited this restaurant once before and enjoyed it’s eclectic menu of little bites.  Remembering the lamb burger we both loved, we sipped some amazing red wine sangria and enjoyed a bite of crostini with manchego cheese with pequillo peppers.  Since we visited last, they opened up the building next door to the restaurant as a cafe.

Taking paths less traveled and enjoying the scenery is something Staci encourages.  Often we are destination based, need to get to and from where we’re going and not taking enough time to look around. 

Look down at the paths, look to the side for the vines and the greenery, taking in the colors and textures that abound.

Look up and see the beauty of decor, look down at the beautiful tiles mixed into the staircases.  Carmel is abundant with beauty.With a plate of gelato in hand from Salumeria Luca, Staci leads us into Trio Carmel, a specialty oil and vinegar shop that includes beautiful art and wine.We’re encouraged to add different flavored oils and vinegar to our gelato and to believe this is indeed a sundae of sorts, the combination is amazing.  We enjoy some local Monterey County wines like Pelerin and Le P’tit Paysan.  I don’t dare take seconds or over do it on the wine, I am pacing myself and we have 3 stops yet.  On the corner of Dolores and 7th, you’ll find a little French Cafe called La Bicyclette, owned by the same family as Casanova.  A majority of this restaurant’s food comes from within 10 miles of it’s downtown Carmel location, talk about fresh and sustainable!  We enjoyed two mouth-watering pizzas including the Local Champignon with portabella, cremini, oyster mushrooms, caramelized onion purée, thyme, and truffle pecorino. It was a flavor explosion in my mouth as I’m a die hard pepperoni pizza lover. The second was a Butternut Squash pizza with gruyere, arugula, speck ham, and sage, I’m claiming this my ultimate favorite. As Staci is gluten free, La Bicyclette can offer a gluten free pizza with some time notice, I’ve heard you’d never know the difference in flavor!The menu changes daily, the pizzas are a staple.  We will return again when we visit Carmel-by-the-Sea for sure!  Next up was visiting the art gallery and wine tasting room of Figge Cellars.  We were in for a huge treat as there was a Rolling Stones art exhibit in house and the photography was simply stunning.  While we sampled the Pelio Chard and Pelio Pinot Noir, we strolled about the gallery admiring the artwork.  We’ve been to Figge once before, but this tasting showcased two entirely different wines than before, so we were excited.

Rounding out 7 locations in under 3 hours, we finished our tour at Lula’s Chocolates.  I mean was this tour made for me or what?  Decked out for the holidays, we enjoyed salted caramels in chocolate and I have to admit, I’ve already been back to this place since our tour!

For $69 per person, this tour gets you outside in the fresh coastal air, has you walking, eating, drinking, and sampling some of Carmel’s best culinary and cultural experiences.  That price is a steal and Staci’s knowledge, her smile, and her passion for the area she lives in is contagious.  This would be fun for couples, a girl’s getaway, or bring your parents.  I think this is one of the best ways to get to know a town during your visit, I’ll be looking these up more often as I travel!

Don’t forget your walking shoes too!  To check out the dates or reserve your own private tour, visit http://www.carmelfoodtour.com/.

Our tour was hosted, though gratuity was on our own.