A Weekend in Monterey & Carmel: Where to Stay, Explore, and Slow Down

Sometimes the best trips aren’t the ones packed with experiences. They’re the ones that give you space to stop and notice things again.

For us, that looked like watching fog roll through cypress trees, taking in expansive views of the California Coast where the forest meets the sea, leisurely browsing bookstores and afternoons without an agenda.

As tired parents in need of a recharge, Jeff and I decided to sneak away for a three day, two night trip up the California Coast to celebrate our birthdays, which are both in June. Our son Jaxon had a weekend getaway of his own at Nana and Papa’s house so we could have some time to unwind and reconnect.

Below is a breakdown that covers where we stayed, ate and wandered while slowing down and prioritizing rest.

Monterey & Carmel Weekend Guide

• Best for: Couples, anniversary trips, slow travel

• Length: 2-3 days

• Where to Stay: Old Monterey Inn

• Don’t Miss: Point Lobos State Natural Reserve, Carmel-by-the-Sea

• Best Season: Year-round

Why Visit Monterey & Carmel?

Monterey and Carmel offer a beautiful balance of coastal scenery, cool weather, charming small town streets, excellent food and outdoor adventure. Whether you’re planning a romantic weekend getaway, celebratory trip, or simply looking to slow down for a few days, the area makes it easy to trade a busy schedule for an unhurried few days.

Our Monterey & Carmel Itinerary

We typically enjoy maximizing what we do on vacation, but sometimes trips don’t need more experiences, they just need more attention to the moment. This simple itinerary allowed for our feelings at any given moment to guide us. The trip can be done much quicker with shorter stops.

FRIDAY

Road Trip:  Los Angeles > Montecito > San Luis Obispo > Monterey

Total time: ~10 hours with a longer stop in SLO

SATURDAY

Explored Carmel-by-the-Sea

SUNDAY

Road Trip Home: Point Lobos State Park > Big Sur > Cambria > Los Angeles

Total time: ~12 hours with a 4 hour hike at Point Lobos

Where to Stay in Monterey

We love a bed & breakfast and are always looking to stay at unique places with character. I bookmarked the Old Monterey Inn a while ago when it came across a search in the area so when we were booking this trip, I knew it was the perfect opportunity to stay there. It’s an enchanting 10-room hotel built in 1929 by Monterey’s first elected mayor. It’s quiet and serene with lovely spots on the property to read, sunbathe, relax and even spot a deer or two!

They serve a delicious full breakfast at 9am and a wine and cheese reception in the living room by the fire in the afternoons. 

We stayed in the cozy Library Room, which was the only room in the house with a balcony. We brought in dinner from Whole Foods and ate it on the balcony and also read there during the day. We went to bed early with the fireplace lit in our room and woke up early to the birds chirping in the garden outside. We were so comfortable there, we didn’t want to leave. Plus, we made friends with a couple also visiting from LA which only made the trip more enjoyable. To note, it’s more of a couples or solo retreat destination, not particularly set up for kids and they do not allow pets.

The hotel is five minutes from the famous Cannery Row in Monterey and a 10-minute drive to Carmel-by-the-Sea.

Things to do in Carmel-by-the-Sea

After breakfast at the Inn, we spent the day in charming Carmel-by-the-Sea. It’s a town that feels like it has collectively agreed to ignore urgency, so we did the same. Our only plan was to wander the storybook streets finding cute shops to pop into, fun places to eat and nooks to relax in. 

First, we stopped into the Pleasure of Writing store to browse their selection of fine pens and luxury paper (Jeff and I are paper goods store enthusiasts). After over 30 minutes discussing the various fountain pen options, we walked to Jan de Luz, a beautiful linen store offering an expansive selection of home linens with custom embroidery. The owner, Brigitte, was warm and lovely to talk to. We got a custom linen tissue box cover to add a personal touch of Carmel to our home. 

We then stopped for lunch at Mission Bistro where we split a burger, caesar salad and calamari. 

We loved finding the hidden ivy laden alleyways that led to other shops and experiences like the Thomas Kinkade studio in the garden, which is in a little cottage gallery tucked away behind the main shops on Ocean Ave. You can take a look around the studio and sit right outside for a glass of wine at Galante Vineyards tasting room. 

We stopped at Pilgrim’s Way Bookstore picking up a book for Jaxon and explored their secret garden in the back of the shop. If you’re in Carmel solo, this is a great place to stop in the back and read for a bit. 

I’d also recommend taking a book and a blanket to Devendorf Park. It’s the cutest park right in the middle of everything that still feels calm and restful. 

We decided to head to the hotel for a nap, then came back for dinner at PortaBella. We got the lamb, frutti di mare pasta, and a lava cake for dessert. The food was great and I’m happy that we decided to go here rather than other places that receive more hype in town. The service was excellent and ambiance on point.

Things to do in Monterey

We visited Monterey last year so we didn’t spend too much time there this trip, but we enjoyed the following places in the past.

Stay: Spindrift Inn. Boutique hotel conveniently located on Cannery Row with beautiful views of the water.

Eat: Sardine Factory. A tourist spot, but all the coastal steakhouse vibes you’d dream of.

Do: Monterey Bay Aquarium. One of the top things to do in town and a special place to experience California’s marine life.

Hiking Point Lobos State Natural Reserve

On our third and last day of the trip, after checking out of the hotel, we headed to hike at Point Lobos State Natural Reserve. On the way, we stopped at Lafayette Bakery in Carmel to grab delicious sandwiches and a pastry for the road. We were able to pop in and out quickly, which was helpful.

Is Point Lobos Worth Visiting?

Wow, what a beautiful gem Point Lobos is. It’s hyped for a reason and totally worth a stop on your trip to the area. The views of the coast are incredible. We hiked half of the Reserve starting on the South Plateau Trail to China Cove then along the coast on Bird Island Trail then around Sea Lion Point to the Allan Memorial Grove to see Cypress Cove. If we had more time, we would have completed the full Reserve loop, but this route took us about 3.5 hours from the car and back. The Lace Lichen trail runs through the center of the Reserve and serves as an easy access point back to the front of the park if you want to head back at any time. 

Here’s the scoop on parking. Parking on the Reserve is $10/car and fills up quickly, so definitely get there early or as close to opening as possible to get in. Entering the Reserve by car allows you to drive between lookout spots if you’d prefer that over hiking. The trails are not strenuous and are relatively easy for most who are able bodied. There’s also plenty of street parking along the highway if you want to avoid the parking fee. We found a spot about half a mile from the entrance to the Reserve.

After Point Lobos, we made our way down to Big Sur. We heard great things about Nepenthe so we decided to stop, but ended up leaving because we arrived between their lunch and dinner service and couldn’t wait until dinner started to be back on the road. It was for the best because the food didn’t look that great to be honest, it’s more of a tourist destination, but the views of the forest are unmatched so for that alone it's worth a stop.

We took CA-1 down to Cambria where we stopped for dinner and to our surprise had the best meal of the trip at Robin’s Restaurant. It’s an eclectic spot serving farm fresh international dishes. Jeff had the pork chop and I had the Thai green chicken curry. Both were delicious.

The only evidence we got of our amazing dinner at Robin’s. We were too hungry when our entrees came to snap a picture.

As we made the final stretch home to LA, we both expressed how refreshed and rested we felt despite our trip only being a couple days long. We appreciated a weekend filled with simple pleasures like wandering without a destination, lingering over meals, spending time in nature and prioritizing sleep. We set out on our getaway looking for a break and came back with a renewed appreciation for slowing down.

Places We Stopped During Our Weekend Away

MONTECITO

• Montecito Farmer’s Market: stopped by a few stalls on the way to breakfast

• Jeannine’s: cute breakfast spot where we fueled up. We split a breakfast burrito and lemon scone.

SAN LUIS OBISPO

• Firestone Grill: a SLO mainstay for tri-tip sandwiches and other bbq. 

• Phoenix Books: loved seeing all the used books and searched for treasures.

• Humankind: the cutest store stocked with homemade goods and gifts. I picked up a crystal suncatcher, some greeting cards and a felt mushroom pot decoration for Jaxon’s room. SO many good things, I had to stop myself from buying the whole store.

• Scout Coffee: One of SLO’s many cute coffee shops. Got a matcha to help finish out the rest of the drive.

MONTEREY

• Old Monterey Inn

CARMEL

• Pleasure of Writing

• Jan de Luz

• Mission Bistro

• Galante Vineyards Tasting Room

• Pilgrim’s Way Bookstore

• Devendorf Park

• PortaBella

• Lafayette Bakery

POINT LOBOS STATE NATURAL RESERVE

• Point Lobos various trails

BIG SUR

• Nepenthe

CAMBRIA

• Robin’s Restaurant