Carmel is a special place to me. My parents moved here when I was 10 years old. I went to school in the Del Monte forest and aside from a few years in college and grad school I have lived on the Peninsula pretty much my whole life. During this time I have developed a deep appreciation for the area.

Before coming in to work (I am the marketing manager for Tradewinds Carmel) I often go surfing down at Carmel Beach. There is something about sitting out beyond the breakers and looking back at the town that is truly spiritual. One of the best parts of my job is hearing about the memorable experiences that our guests have during their stay at the hotel. Your favorite restaurants? A secret place you have found? A magical Carmel alleyway that you love or even a special tradition or routine? Please share this with our online community (*see how below)!

To start off, I will tell you about my perfect day in Carmel. I have already told you where I surf but here is the rest….

Breakfast

After surfing, I begin my ideal day at Katy’s Place where they specialize in my favorite breakfast dish, Eggs Benedict. There are 16 different types of Bennys on the menu, everything from crab to spinach and back to the classic, Canadian bacon. But the chef-d’oeuvre, for my money, is the Romanoff – smoked salmon topped with a dash of caviar. Make sure to bring cash, they don’t take cards.

Enjoy the scenery

After a hardy breakfast, it’s time to go out and enjoy the main reason people come to Carmel, the scenery. I have hiked all over the Monterey Peninsula but my perennial favorite is still Soberanes Canyon. Soberanes is about nine miles south of Carmel on Highway One.

I usually need a snack during my hike. Located in the Carmel Plaza, just a few short blocks from Tradewinds, is The Cheese Shop. They have over 300 different types of cheese. The Brie cheeses or perhaps the Gouda cheeses are the best in my opinion, but I am always open to the staff’s suggestions.

You know the enchanted forests depicted in children’s movies? Well, if one actually exists, Soberanes is probably it. From towering redwoods to large cactus patches to tree fairies (maybe) this canyon is truly a magical place. The entire Soberanes loop takes about three hours but it’s perfectly fine to simply hike up the canyon and back down (about an hour round trip).

Wine Tasting by the Sea & Dinner

For my perfect day wine tasting is a must! Believe it or not, Carmel proper (just about one square mile) has 12 tasting rooms. One of my favorites is the tasting room in Nielsen’s market. It’s not fancy but here’s a local tip- ask for Patrick. He’s been at Nielsen’s for ages and is probably one of the most knowledgeable wine experts in town. After Nielsen’s, I might stroll down to Cima Collina. This tasting room is very chic and they have great Carmel Valley wines. Buy a bottle from a local tasting room and many Carmel restaurants will waive the corkage fee.

When it comes to dinner in Carmel, you really can’t go wrong. That being said, one of the most unique, fun, delicious restaurants in Carmel is Mundaka. Mundaka is named after a town in Spain that has one of the most famous surf breaks in all of Europe. They serve Spanish Tapas and have a lively bar scene. What I like about Mundaka is you don’t have to commit to just one dish. Plates are small, so you can order several. But if I had to choose I would go with the Queso to start followed by the Rusa with the Cordero. Check out the menu to see details about what I picked!

After dinner, I would head back to the Tradewinds where I could enjoy the fire pit and the serenity of the garden for a few moments before I relax in my spa jetted tub.

For more Carmel ideas have a look at 71miles.com. It’s a great resource for Northern California explorers!

Thanks for reading.

Will Schaeffler

*Tell us about your perfect day in Carmel by posting a comment below.

Like there weren’t enough excuses to come to Tradewinds Carmel already, what with the angelic, within-walking-distance white sand beaches, the flood of foodie-adored restaurants, the custom Balinese robes, serene setting, unbeatable views and the jet bathtubs.

But a few more couldn’t hurt.

Long weekends created by Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Jan. 17) and Presidents Day (Feb. 21) make it a little more possible to squeeze in all the splendor of Big Sur, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, River Road wine tasting, Carmel Valley’s trails, Pebble’s 17-Mile Drive and Carmel’s incomparable coast in one trip—though it’s still darn difficult.

The Chinese New Year (Feb. 3) is all the more fun to celebrate in the area’s only Eastern-style sanctuary. Besides, meditation on the year gone by is easier in a context like the Zen garden or the infinitely peaceful rooms appointed with trickling ponds, fireplaces and custom platform beds from Bali.

The AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am (Feb. 7-13) remains the game’s best celebrity tournament, and the storied Pebble links are just minutes from Tradewinds.

Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14) in Carmel-by-the-Sea is about as romantic a setting as lovers could conjure. Impeccable restaurants bred to wow on occasions like this lie everywhere in the forested streets, appealing to all palates and providing seamless service.

The Sea Otter Classic (April 14-17) is arguably the best bike festival in the world, and only getting stronger after two decades. Note the 10,000 athletes and 50,000 fans, the nearly 200 classes of road and mountain bike racing, including Cross Country, Dual Slalom, Super D, Downhill, the mountain bike tours, demos, stunt show, kids’ playhouses, food court, beer and barbecue garden.

The Big Sur Marathon (May 1)—still worthy of Runner’s World’s words “If we were told that we could run only one marathon in our lifetime, Big Sur would have to be it”—rounds out the many reasons to make it to Tradewinds, and that doesn’t even include the wine-and-food festivals. More on events like Pebble Beach Food & Wine (April 28-May 1), the finest tasting compilation this side of Aspen, and the intoxicatingly flavorful Big Sur Chanterelle Festival and Cook-off (TBD February/March).

We all love Carmel for the great hotels, restaurants, arts galleries and coastal beauty, but I also love Carmel because it is such a great walking town. In addition to the many great walks along the water, here is one of my favorite walks that I don’t think even many locals take advantage of.

This walk is only a couple of miles round trip from the Tradewinds, and will take you past the Forest Theater, through one of my favorite Carmel neighborhoods, onto the Mission Trail Nature Preserve, and to the historic Carmel Mission.

It does involve an unpaved trail and a few small hills, so plan accordingly for footwear, and on a warm day be sure to bring some water with you (you might even stop by Bruno’s Market on the way for a light picnic. I recommend the warm tri-tip sandwich! Bruno’s is on the corner of Junipero and 6th, and this walk takes you right by there.)

Here are the directions for the walk (also including more information) in case the map is not clear enough:

1) From the Tradewinds, head south (towards downtown) on Mission Street. One block before Ocean, on the 6th Avenue, take a left and walk up to Junipero, passing on the back side of Devendorf Park.

Walking Carmel

2) Stop at Bruno’s Market (just across Junipero) for picnic supplies or just a bottle of water)

3) Head south on Junipero until you get to Ocean Avenue. Cross at Ocean and turn left up Mountain View (this road angles southeast out of that five-way intersection at Ocean)

4) Once on Mountain View, take your first right onto Torres. This is one of my favorite streets in Carmel, especially the stretch between 8th and 11th. Torres rides the ridge at this point, with the Mission Trail on the East side, and the valley occupied by Junipero to the West. This street also has many Carmel bungalows of the old style (they have not all been fully remodeled, and at the end near 11th passes by one of the most unique homes in Carmel, a 3-story Tuscan-style villa. Torres will dead-end into 11th Ave, and this is near where you get on the Mission Trail.

5) Turn left on 11th, and admire the Tuscan villa on your left. I love those massive wooden gates. Stay to the right on 11th, and you will come to a fire road gate. This is where you get on the Mission Trail. There is an opening just to the left of the gate.

6) once past the gate, walk about 30 yards and look for a little foot bridge to your left. This is where you will cross the creek over to the Sierra Trail on the Mission Trail Preserve.  NOTE: Stay on the trail and be careful of touching plants unless you know what they are. Poison oak is common in the preserve.

7) Once across the bridge, turn right and head down the hill on the Sierra Trail. This will bring you down to Rio Road, and to the Carmel Mission.

8.) Once at Rio Road, cross the street and walk about 100 yards to the north and explore the Carmel Mission.

THE RETURN TRIP

9) Get back on the Mission Trail where you exited onto Rio Road. You will follow the Sierra Trail all the way to its end. You will know you are at the trail’s end when you come to a large bridge going to your left (this will be about 5 minute’s walk past the small bridge you crossed over earlier.) There will be a small trail that continues on in the direction of the trail you were on, but it will be obviously smaller and not well travelled.

10) Cross the bridge and continue the 30 or so yards to the end of the trail.

11) Continue in the direction you were walking, and you will be back on Mountain View, heading West. Continue in this direction. It will take you back to Ocean Avenue and the five-way stop in the heart of down-town.

12) While on Mountain View, note that you will pass the Forest Theater (on your right at Santa Rita). The Forest Theater is the oldest outdoor community theater west of the Rockies, and except during the Winter offers plays and outdoor movies.

13) To return to the Tradewinds, simply head down Ocean to Mission, then head north on Mission to 3rd Ave.

For a longer variation of the walk, you could:
a) While in the Mission Trail Preserve, Deviate onto the Flanders trail to visit the historic Flanders Mansion. While there, take a stroll through the Lester Rowntree Native Plant Garden.

b) Continue on past the Carmel Mission to the lagoon and walk along the water on Scenic, back to Ocean Avenue. (Take Lansen Drive past the Mission, to Carmelo. Left on Carmelo, and keep walking. Carmelo turns into Scenic at the lagoon, and will take you back to Ocean Avenue along the water.

What’s your favorite place to walk or hike in Carmel, or anywhere on the peninsula? Share your stories as a comment below.

Happy hiking!