On Memorial Day, I finally visited Carmel-by-the-Sea for the first time.
It is one of the most famous places to visit in California because of its beautiful scenery and unique atmosphere. You know, when people think of California, they usually think of busy cities, highways, and endless suburbs. But Carmel feels completely different. Walking around the town felt as if I had suddenly landed somewhere in the English countryside.
My husband and I visited the 17-Mile Drive area near Carmel last time, but we ran out of time and never actually made it to Carmel-by-the-Sea. Ever since then, I had been saying, “We have to go back.” So this Memorial Day, I insisted.
On the way there, we grabbed a bite at a lovely café. Thanks to Too Good To Go, it cost way less than it normally would. One of my favorite hobbies these days is finding food at prices that make me unreasonably happy.
We arrived a little after noon, which turned out to be a terrible time for parking. The town was packed. We drove around for a while before finding street parking in a beautiful residential neighborhood. Honestly, don’t worry too much about parking if you visit. There are plenty of spots. The real question is how much walking you’re willing to do.
We headed toward the main shopping area first. I even spotted a Korean restaurant, which somehow made me happy. And then I saw Anthropologie. Now, if you know me, you know I had to go in. After spending some time in Anthropologie, we continued wandering around.
By then, we were hungry. Since Carmel is a tourist destination, I wasn’t worried about finding good food. I was worried about finding affordable food. Those are two completely different things. I wasn’t craving anything fancy. I just wanted a simple lunch that wouldn’t make my wallet cry.
As we wandered around, I found the perfect place: a small stand selling burgers and hot dogs outside. My husband ordered a New York-style steak burger, and I got a Polish sausage hot dog. Both were delicious, but my favorite part was watching them grill everything right in front of us. Maybe it’s just me, but food somehow tastes better when I can watch it being cooked.The waiting time was basically a mouthwatering session.
After a satisfying lunch, it was obviously time for dessert. No man will ever fully understand this, but lunch and dessert go into separate stomachs.I wanted gelato, but my husband argued that the weather was cloudy and I might get cold. I disagreed, but marriage is about compromise. So instead, we bought chocolates. We found a chocolate shop that looked very serious about chocolate, which usually means one thing: expensive.
We picked out a box of mixed chocolates and caramels and sat on a bench outside a small local church. The church kindly provided benches, and we gratefully provided ourselves. Sitting there, enjoying chocolates and doing absolutely nothing productive, felt surprisingly nice. The church had a small garden filled with flowers, and I found myself stopping to look at almost every one of them. When I was younger, flowers were just… flowers. These days, I catch myself saying things like “Oh, that’s pretty.” I suppose this is what aging looks like.
After that, we wandered around a little longer. But honestly, too much wandering is not my thing. I know some people can spend six or seven hours exploring a town. I cannot. In my opinion, fully grown adults have a two-hour wandering limit. After that, your feet start negotiating with your brain.
So we headed back to our beloved car and decided to spend the rest of the afternoon at the beach. On the way back, the beautiful houses completely captured my heart. There were so many gardens, yet none of them looked the same. Every house seemed to have its own character. What I found especially interesting was that some houses even had names. Their nameplates were attached to fences, gates, or front doors, as if the houses were introducing themselves. Some names sounded elegant, while others felt playful. It made me wonder who lived there and why they chose those names. By then, we were too tired to continue exploring every little shop and alley, but honestly, I don’t mind. I think I’d rather come back another day and spend more time searching for hidden gems instead of only visiting the famous places. Who knows what treasures I might find next time?
So Carmel, I’ll be back.
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