A digital travel diary. · WP v1.08 · Updated
We haven't been to Carmel-by-the-Sea in a while, so we decided to revisit it on Saturday. . . We met up with our friends at our favorite Mad Dogs & Englishmen Cafe, which has nice bicycle sidecars on display. . . After sampling a few pastries and enjoying delicious cappuccinos, we walked down to the beach. Although it was mid-October, the weather was beautiful and…
Read More: A Day Trip to Carmel
Sunday, September 28, 2025. Inna had one more Birthday surprise for me - a visit to the Refuge Spa at the Carmel Valley Athletic Club. . After an early wake-up at 07:00, we showered and dressed. We walked downstairs to another delicious breakfast at the Stilwell Hotel. There was a wide variety of small prepared items, and I enjoyed some eggs, yogurt, and pastries. .…
Read More: Refuge Spa in Carmel
Friday, September 26, 2025. For my birthday, Inna arranged a weekend getaway to Carmel-by-the-Sea with tickets to the Monterey Jazz Festival on Saturday (a big, unexpected surprise for me). . We finished work early, packed our suitcases, and started the drive to Carmel-by-the-Sea. Usually, it takes about 75 minutes to reach Carmel, but there was heavy traffic with multiple slowdowns. We eventually reached Carmel at…
Read More: Monterey Jazz Festival
Inna made one-day hotel reservations at the Portola Hotel & Spa at Monterey Bay for the April 5 - 6 weekend. She wanted us to explore Monterey, Carmel, and Point Lobos Natural Reserve. . Saturday, April 5, 2025 . At around 09:30, we started our long drive to Monterey via US-101. Traffic was relatively light, and we arrived at the Alta Bakery & Cafe at…
Read More: A Weekend in Monterey
We haven't been to Carmel-by-the-Sea in a while, so we decided to revisit it on Saturday. . . After getting ready, we drove to Monterey at 09:30. We stopped for coffee and breakfast at the Alta Bakery & Cafe. We arrived at 10:30, parked nearby, and walked over. A long line stretched to the door, so we queued up. About twenty minutes later, we ordered…
Read More: A Day Trip to Carmel
On Sunday morning, Inn and I decided to visit Monterey and Carmel-by-the-Sea. After packing our Tesla Model Y, Inna started the 80-minute drive to Monterey along Highway 101. . . . . Traffic was reasonably light, and we arrived in Monterey right on time, stopping for coffee at Captain + Stoker Cafe. There were excellent tennis courts nearby, and people were playing on them. I…
Read More: A Day out in Monterey & Carmel
On a mild winter day, Inna and I decided to enjoy our last day of Christmas vacation by visiting Carmel-by-the-Sea. Traffic was relatively light since it was Monday, January 3rd, and we arrived in Carmel at about 12:20. . . . . . On the way there, Inna made lunch reservations at Stationaery, one of our favorite lunch bistros (for 13:00.) Having arrived a bit…
Read More: A Winter Day in Carmel
With Alex out surfing with his friend at San Luis Obispo, Inna and I decided to revisit Carmel-by-the-Sea on Memorial Day. . After waking up at 07:30 and getting dressed, we drove to Carmel around 08:30 (stopping for gas at Shell). I noticed that gasoline prices have really increased recently (to $4.40/gallon for 87 unleaded) . . We arrived in Carmel-by-the-Sea around 10:00, parked our…
Read More: Returning to Carmel
On Saturday morning, we decided to enjoy one of our last COVID-19 days (before another lockdown) by visiting Point Lobos State Park and hiking to the famous Allan Memorial Grove, which overlooks the Pacific Ocean. . . The drive to Point Lobos was easy, with little traffic on Highway 101 heading south. We arrived around 11:20 am, parked inside the Point Lobos State Natural Reserve,…
Read More: Hiking Point Lobos State Reserve
On Labor Day, we explored the beautiful Point Lobos State Natural Reserve and then traveled to Carmel-on-the-Sea for beach activities and lunch.. . . . Surprisingly, the drive to Point Lobos was faster than expected. Reaching Point Lobos took about 80 minutes (instead of the usual 2 hours).. . . . However, when we arrived, the main parking lot at Point Lobos State Reserve was…
Read More: Hiking Point Lobos State Natural Reserve
Today, we decided to enjoy Carmel-by-the-Sea's beautiful white-sand beaches. We drove on US 101 heading south (we usually take US-17), and this way was much quicker.. . When we arrived around noon, Carmel was covered in a light fog. Eventually, the fog lifted, and we enjoyed a beautiful day on the beach. It started out chilly (in the 60 degrees Fahrenheit) but warmed to 70…
Read More: Beach time in Carmel
After seeing the Living Social offer at Briarwood Inn in Carmel, we decided to take the plunge and try it. We enjoy visiting Carmel, which would give us extra time to visit the nearby beautiful Point Lobos State Reserve.. . . . Our room at Briarwood Inn was very nice and clean, and was a good value for the price. It even had two queen…
Read More: Hiking Point Lobos State Reserve
Today, we visited the beautiful city of Carmel-by-the-Sea and stayed at the excellent L'Auberge Carmel. We stayed there because I found a special deal on Jetsetter.com and wanted to try out this highly rated bed-and-breakfast/hotel.. . . . We stopped by the Patisserie Boissiere for lunch when we got to Carmel. Inna ordered the "French Onion soup," while I ordered the "Spinach, Mushroom, and Swiss…
Read More: Hiking Point Lobos State Reserve