20240720_164539Charming building in downtown Carmel (July 2024)

When one thinks of fairytales, one place might spring to mind: Carmel-by-the-Sea. In fact, Carmel-by-the-Sea (or “Carmel,” for short) is home to a community of charming cottages that are reminiscent of stories like Snow White or Hansel and Gretel. I spent an afternoon here with my partner and her mother last summer, where we really felt like we were transported into another world.

Similar to its surrounding cities like Monterey and Pacific Grove, the village of Carmel was originally under Spanish rule before briefly being a Mexican territory, then part of the US following the Mexican-American War. Carmel became an artist’s haven in the early 20th century, with musicians, writers, and actors flocking to the village after the devastating 1906 San Francisco earthquake. Homes were being sold for as little as $10 USD down payment, as well as a “pay as you go” sentiment as the artists set up shop to make a living. Much of the 1910s saw a flourish of theatre arts, with plenty of festivals and plays being performed in town, including those of Shakespeare.

The iconic fairytale cottages of Carmel were constructed in the 1920s by a man named Hugh Comstock, who built them for his beloved wife, Mayotta Brown, who made ragdolls. Comstock built these fantastical homes as a way for Brown to display her dolls before building more for commercial use. Some had whimsical names, including “Storybook Cottage” and “Hansel and Gretel”– 21 of them still exist today, and they’re a joy to come across and admire.

I, along with my partner and her mom, spent the afternoon in Carmel. We took an Uber from Pacific Grove, where we began our visit at Carmel Beach. It was overcast and windy that day, yet there were many people out and about enjoying the sand and water. It was a bit too cold for us, so we spent a short time there before continuing our visit elsewhere.

20240720_142829Carmel Beach

Next was a visit to the fairytale cottages. As these cottages are in a residential part of town, it’s important to be quiet and not trespass, as there are still people living in them. The streets were also charming in themselves, hilly and winding with tree branches that warped and twisted overhead– it really felt like stepping into a fairytale!

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We then headed into the town center, which was absolutely packed with people visiting that weekend. We wandered around, including a peek into a charming garden library, before trying to grab a drink before our dinner reservations. All the restaurant and cafés were packed to the brim with patrons, but we managed to snag a spot at one of them. For a town of only 3200 residents, it’s far from that over the weekend!

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20240720_164230Inside the garden library

Our dinner was at a French-Italian restaurant– the three of us shared a gnocchi gratin starter, and I ordered a seafood linguine as my main. The gnocchi starter was decent, but the seafood linguine wasn’t anything to write home about. However, the chocolate mousse we shared was excellent, super light and airy– it was honestly the highlight of our meal.

20240720_172428Gnocchi gratin

20240720_175229Seafood linguine

20240720_181531Chocolate mousse

We finished our dinner and took an Uber back to our hotel in Monterey. It was a long day out and about, both in Pacific Grove and Carmel, so we were utterly exhausted. It was a matter of resting up before we continued to explore Monterey the day after– stay tuned for the final post of my time in Monterey! 🙂

— Rebecca

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Published by Rebecca

Blogger, world traveler, poet, foodie, part-time penguin. Welcome!

42 thoughts on “Destination: Carmel-by-the-Sea, California”

    1. Thanks, Elle! I think it’d be the dream to live in one of those cottages some day…then again, it might get annoying seeing tourists coming up to your home to take photos every day! 😅

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  3. Carmel looks absolutely charming with an interesting history too. We’ll have to visit on our next trip to California. It’s too bad though that the weekend crowds are so overwhelming, but one can certainly see why it’s so popular!

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  4. I love the look of the cottages in Carmel, and you’re right, they do remind me of some famous stories we grew up reading. How lovely! The beach does look cold though.

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  8. I spent part of a day in Carmel with my parents when I was 18. We ate lunch at Hog’s Breath Inn, back when Clint Eastwood still owned it. I remember being charmed by the town, and I’ve always wanted to go back. There’s such a wealth of things to do and see in that gorgeous part of your state that I’m sure I will one day.

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    1. Nice! I was interested in checking out Clint Eastwood’s establishments, but they were pretty far out from the center, and we didn’t have much time in town. I’m glad you had a brief, but lovely time in Carmel, and I hope you can return to discover more!

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  9. This looks like a lovely little place to visit for a relaxing getaway, Rebecca. I love that the town itself has a unique, fairytale-like quality with its storybook cottages, unique shops, and art galleries, but as an avid ocean lover, I would be eager to race to its beautiful shores to take in the stunning white-sand beaches and dramatic coastline. Thanks for sharing, and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx

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    1. Indeed! We had a wonderful time in Carmel, and although we only spent an afternoon there, I can imagine spending a whole day, if not overnight, seeing more of the town. Thanks for reading, Aiva, and have a great day 🙂

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  10. It was interesting to see and read about those storybook cottages. I think we must have missed them! We honestly didn’t take to Carmel at all – it was too busy and too ‘artificial’ for us 😀 I’m glad you had a good visit however!

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      1. I think it’s perhaps because in Europe, and certainly in the UK, we have plenty of houses and other buildings that are genuinely as old as those ones ‘pretend’ to be?

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  13. Carmel looks like a very idyllic spot. I love the half-timbered style of some of those houses, though can imagine it must feel a little odd having so many visitors take photos of your home!

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  16. Carmel-by-the-Sea has always seemed so romantic and mystical in my mind’s eye. And your post confirms that! The cottages look amazing, and chocolate mousse is always a good choice. Would love to visit there someday!

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  17. The cottages do look like they came out of a fairytale! As always, I enjoy your food pics – the curly chocolate shavings on the mousse look so cute and it sounds like it was delicious, too. Thanks for sharing, Rebecca!

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  18. Carmel sounds like it wandered straight out of a storybook and decided to stay! The image of gnarly tree branches arching over quiet, winding streets really stuck with me—what a dreamy, almost enchanted atmosphere. I’m glad the chocolate mousse saved the day—when the seafood linguine lets you down, dessert must rise heroically to the occasion.

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    1. Enchanting, indeed! Carmel is a beautiful little place, and it’s worth an afternoon to wander in. The chocolate mousse was a real treat, and overall, we had a good time!

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  19. I’ve seen photos of Carmel and always thought it had a fairy tale-like appearance to it. It’s so quaint! I’m glad you enjoyed your visit, thanks for taking us along with you.

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