Top Ten Things to Do in Summer in Carmel

The weather is perfect, the scenery is amazing, the food is incredible – What’s not to love about summer in Carmel? In fact, there are so many delightful things to do it can be hard to narrow them down. Plus, Carmel is full of hidden treasures that you don’t want to miss. That’s why we’ve made it easy for you with this list of the Top Ten Things to Do in Summer in Carmel.

Carmel is a small, quirky town in Monterey County on the California coast. It’s known for stunning ocean views and adorable fairy tale cottages. And it also has some unusual traditions, like the fact that there are no street addresses (houses have names or go by description of their location), and no street lights or neon signs allowed (the Shell gas station famously has a carved wooden sign).

If you’re headed to Carmel, no matter what the season, we always recommend staying at Hofsas House. This distinctive pink Bavarian-style hotel is perfectly situated near downtown so that you can walk to everything. The rooms are all cozy; many have fireplaces and ocean views. And owner Carrie Theis – part of a family that has owned the hotel for 74 years – is a local treasure who is happy to share her valuable knowledge about town and all that there is to do.

Now that destinations are opening up to the fullest, you can get the most out of your summer in Carmel starting with these top ten ideas:

1. Enjoy a Beach Day

It’s right there in the name – Carmel-by-the-Sea – so of course you’re going to want to spend some time at the beach. The beach is wide open, usually uncrowded, and boasts of fine white sand and spectacular scenery. It’s a great place to fly a kite or even try your hand at beach volleyball (there are nets at the base of Ocean Ave.).

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Don’t forget to bring Fido along as well – it’s a dog-friendly beach. Insider tip: Order a picnic box lunch from the 5th Avenue Deli and you’re good to go for the day.

2. Take a Hike

There are SO many great beach hikes and walks all around the Carmel/Pebble Beach/Monterey area that you’ll be hard-pressed to pick from among them. But if you want to narrow your exploration down to just Carmel, you’ll still have plenty of places to go within walking distance of wherever you’re staying. At Carmel Beach, follow the Scenic Bluff Path. It’s a 3 1/2 mile round trip between Ocean Ave. and Carmel River Beach. Want forest rather than beach? From Ocean Ave., walk up Mountain View Ave. to the start of the Serra Trail in the Mission Trail Nature Preserve. It’s an easy (downhill) 3/4 mile walk through beautiful trails that lead directly to the beautiful Carmel mission.

3. Eat Ice Cream

Pomegranate sorbet from Marianne’s Ice Cream, as served at Cafe Carmel in Carmel, CA

One often reported myth about Carmel is that ice cream is illegal. Actually, it was illegal to sell and eat ice cream in Carmel until the late 1980s, due to city officials’ disdain for dripping ice cream causing sticky sidewalks. The ordinance was famously overturned by then-mayor Clint Eastwood in 1986. Now you can celebrate the season in Carmel with summer’s most iconic treat. You can find locally famous (made in Santa Cruz) Marianne’s Ice Cream at Cafe Carmel, which is where we got this delicious pomegranate sorbet.

4. Ride a Bike

Bikes outside Mad Dogs & Englishmen in Carmel

Carmel is geared toward pedestrians, so it can be hard to get around on a car (plus the parking is extremely limited). But if you’re on a bike – whee! – you can see so much more than you would just walking around. Need to rent a bike? Head to Mad Dogs & Englishmen for premium bikes. (Insider’s tip: You can get a 10% discount if you favorite Mad Dogs & Englishmen on the Carmel Fun app or if you mention that you are staying at Hofsas House Hotel.)

5. Dine Alfresco

Dining alfresco is one of the great pleasures in Carmel – and plenty of restaurants have plenty of outdoor dining to accommodate you and your party. Additionally, during the pandemic, many restaurants added sidewalk dining decks or “parklets” and decked them out to the nines. Even if the city decides not to keep these temporary outdoor dining spaces, there are still plenty of spots to enjoy outdoor dining all year round.

Nighttime outdoor dining at Hog’s Breath Inn in Carmel

We’re partial to the charming hidden courtyard at Hog’s Breath Inn, and to the rooftop dining deck at Chef Pepe’s Vesuvio.

6. Take an Art Walk

You can’t walk a single block in Carmel without seeing at least one art gallery. If you’re an art lover, you can easily spend a day (or more) walking through Carmel’s art galleries. There’s also plenty of art to discover on the streets as well. Keep your eye out for George Lundeen’s “The Valentine” sculpture of a couple on a bench at First Murphy Park. If you’re looking for more modern art, check out the Charlie Chaplin mural painted by Banksy protege Mr. Brainwash on an outer wall of the Cypress Inn.

If you need a measure of how important art is to Carmel, consider that at least one hotel has an artist in residence. Hofsas House hotel has created an Artist-in-Residence program featuring the works of Carmel artist Marie-Clare Treseder Gorham. Using traditional hand-painting techniques, including the German folk style “bauernmalerei,” Gorham created an outdoor mural as well as a custom headboard inside deluxe king Room 36 at the hotel.

A hand-painted headboard by artist Marie-Clare Treseder Gorham in a deluxe king room at Hofsa’s House Hotel in Carmel.

Insider tip: Look for another special mural – the “Carmel Shell” that Gorham created for the city of Carmel – at Sixth and Mission.

7. Taste Some Wine

Carmel is close to so many great vineyards, which makes this little village the perfect spot for wine tasting. You can journey from tasting room to tasting room on foot – no car needed. Our top choice is De Tierra, located at Mission and 5th, the tasting room for a Monterey County vineyard. Cozy up in the comfy chairs – and grab a blanket if it’s a cool summer night – as you settle in for a journey through De Tierra’s delicious (and sustainably harvested) wines.  Another favorite is Scheid Vineyards at 7th and San Carlos, which offers two different wine tasting flights each day.

8. Learn Some History

The Cottage of Sweets (built in 1922 as a loom shop) in Carmel.

There’s so much to learn about history in downtown Carmel – and beyond. Start with the First Murphy House, a house constructed by 17-year-old Michael J. Murphy in 1902. It was the first of many Murphy-built cottages, all of which had a great impact on the look and character of Carmel. Right next to it you’ll see the Milk Shrine, a large cabinet where milkman Mr. Waterbury would deposit bottles of milk in separate compartments for each customer. You can learn more on this historic walking tour by the Carmel Heritage Society. And make sure you end on a sweet note with a stop at the fairy-tale Cottage of Sweets on Ocean Ave. (built in 1922 as a loom shop, then later used as a ticket booth for a theater). Save some room for homemade fudge and other candies!

9. Discover Secret Passageways

Passageway leading to the Secret Garden and Pilgrim’s Way bookstore

Carmel is home to 42 charming courtyards and secret passageways, seemingly hidden at every turn. One of our favorites is the Secret Garden passageway that connects Dolores and San Carlos Streets, by way of the Pilgrim’s Way bookstore and garden. Pop in and you’ll get that giddy feeling, like you’ve discovered something that no one else knows about. (The bookstore is in the front, the Secret Garden is in back.)

10. Eat Local Food

Grilled artichoke from Pezzini Farms at Pepe’s Vesuvio restaurant in Carmel.

You  knew we were going to mention the food, didn’t you? The entire Monterey Bay area is home to beautiful fisheries and seafood. Look for locally caught squid (calamari), sand dabs, rockfish, and abalone on the menus of many restaurants. Monterey County is also one of the country’s leading agricultural producers, with top crops including lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, and strawberries. You can try one of Castroville’s famous artichokes at Pepe’s Vesuvio, straight from Pezzini Farms, grilled and served with chipotle aioli and balsamic vinaigrette. (The restaurant boasts “100,000 artichokes served” and we believe it.)

So there you have it – your top ten things to do in the summer in Carmel.

Headed to Carmel in winter? Don’t miss our story about the Top Ten Things to Do in Carmel In Winter.

Blogger disclosure: My family and I were treated to a stay at Hofsas House, as well as a meal from Fifth Avenue Deli. I did not otherwise receive compensation for this post. All opinions expressed are my own.