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    Carmel Valley Branch

    4.8 (4 reviews)
    Closed 10:00 am - 6:00 pm

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    9 months ago

    Great people with a wonderful setting. Super responsive to all requests. Comparable to libraries from much larger cities.

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    7 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Wonderful library in a beautiful location. Love the fire place and natural light. Close to the beach!

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    17 years ago

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    Harrison Memorial Public Library - A quiet room with natural light.

    Harrison Memorial Public Library

    4.6(16 reviews)
    11.7 mi

    So many communities have libraries - I love to take a look on my travels! Some are all new, some…read morehave 3D printers or "reading caves" for kids.... THIS Library is a gem- beautiful with a fantastic selection, new books quiet reference areas and so well-kept. It has a large reference section and the top floor is fiction. Built in 1923, a memorial for Judge Harrington. WOW! It has a working fire place! A calm place to learn and centrally located.

    First time there. Didn't know there was a separate library for young kids and teens. Now we do. We…read morehappened to pick the week that the kids library was closed for whatever reason and would reopen the following week. So we decided to stay. It was close to 5:30 pm so we thought we would have a good half hour before they closed at 6pm. At 10 minutes to 6 some person walked by and said the library was closing and within seconds turned the lights in the room off. It wasn't completely dark but enough to not be able to see writings clearly. It would have been nice to get a 10 min or so warning that they would be turning the lights off so we could wrap up what we were doing. That's so rude! Our local library is the Monterey Library but since we were in Carmel we thought we would save commute time and use it at the Carmel library. Turns out that was not the case. Our local library gives a 30 min, 15 min, then a 10 (or 5?) min notice of closing time and then even at closing time does not turn the lights off on anyone . I guess the Carmel library staff are all very anxious to get home. Just know if you go there near closing time that you will be rushed out the door very rudely and treated like you are taking up their precious time.

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    Harrison Memorial Public Library
    Harrison Memorial Public Library - Big spaces. Large tables

    Big spaces. Large tables

    Harrison Memorial Public Library - What a great space to relax and .... Read.

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    What a great space to relax and .... Read.

    Carmel Mission Basilica - The main chapel of the Basilica

    Carmel Mission Basilica

    4.2(217 reviews)
    11.1 mi

    Carmel Mission Basilica (formal name 'San Carlos Borroméo de Carmelo') is one of six minor…read morebasilicas in the state of California (five being former Spanish missions). It is the oldest one, founded in 1770, and elevated to basilica status by Pope John XXIII in 1960. My wife, her mom, and I visited it during a late Sunday afternoon during our first day in Carmel, and found it to be a great, worthwhile experience, especially if one is Roman Catholic. The basilica is still a working parish, so parking during non-mass hours was easy to find. A ticket booth was set-up at the visitor entrance, with cost of $15 per adult ($13 for senior). There is an adjacent gift shop that doesn't require admission and sells all the various religious items that one would expect from a religious tourist attraction. We ended up spending about 90 minutes here (there is a lot of information here, along with a lot to see). -- Founding priest was Junipero Serra ("Apostle of California"). He was canonized by Pope Francis in 2015, and his shrine/remains are interned here. -- Only U.S. church visited by a pontiff during a papal visit: Pope John Paul II in 1987. He paid homage to Father Serra, and laid flowers at the tomb. This visit is clearly commemorated. -- the Munras Family Heritage Museum is worth going to, to see a short movie about the prominent Monterey family, along with early California artifacts from the family. -- the Nativity scene was one of the most intricate -- the large courtyard is a good place to stop and admire the architecture of a California Spanish mission, along with a thick trunk Cork Oak tree By the time we were leaving, the ticket office had closed (last call is at 16:30, to allow everyone to have enough time before official close at 18:00).

    My friends took me to the Basilica and we enjoyed walking around the grounds and visiting the…read morevarious Chapels within the site. It is also the final resting spot of Saint Junipero Serra, the Founding Father of California. Pope John Paul II visited here in 1987 and is recognized in the Our Lady of Bethlehem Chapel, which is a beautiful, small chapel with a confessional from years ago. The Mission Cemetery is the final resting place for some members of this Parish. It also includes a symbolic cemetery representing the hundreds of indigenous people buried here and the surrounding area. These grave sites are adorned with abalone shells as an honorary recognition of their cultural presence to the area. There are several museums on site, beautiful artwork and religious artifacts as well as an extensive courtyard to wander around. Finally, there is a display of the final resting place for Saint Junipero as well as reproductions of other parts of the Basilica back in the day. The price of $15 for adults/$12 for seniors may be a little steep for families, but it is worthwhile to explore the history of the renowned Basilica.

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    Carmel Mission Basilica - Main chapel

    Main chapel

    Carmel Mission Basilica - One of the rooms in the Basilica representing the decor at that time.

    One of the rooms in the Basilica representing the decor at that time.

    Carmel Mission Basilica - Nativity Scene

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    Nativity Scene

    Bookworks - What is a lighthouse without a light? Nitro Yellow Supra just down the street from hot coffee and bookworm heaven!

    Bookworks

    4.3(484 reviews)
    14.2 mi
    $$

    Coffee shop & bookstore all in one location! My family and…read moreI were visiting from out of town and in search of some coffee. We ordered and iced and hot Mexican mochas and they were delicious! I appreciated them having decaf espresso as an option as well for those of us with caffeine sensitivity. The bookstore in the back had so many options, including kids books! My son had a great time looking at their options while we waiting for our coffee to be made. There was plenty of seating both inside and outside which made it easy for us to snag a spot and enjoy our coffees while enjoying the nice day!

    Drinks are okay, not the worst but not the best I've had. My friends who are locals love this place…read moreto work from so that's a plus but the few times I've visited, service was hit or miss. Sometimes they've been lovely and bubbly, but for some reason this one blonde staff member never seems like she actually wants to help. I had some questions on summer specials since "refresher" doesn't tell me much and she kept telling me about other drinks instead and being super short. The whole interaction still only had to have taken 2 min with only one person (who had been there for a bit already and seems local/older) behind me. Yet the minute I paid, even though I apologized for the questions and tipped, she loudly and passive aggressively said "sorry for the wait" to the next person right in front of me and they both laughed right in front of my face. I read the other review of the person who said they'd been here a bunch and usually loved it and then had a bad interaction and are also not like the "usual" demo of PG - I am also a person of color who was made to feel the same way. Such a shame what one bad impression can leave. Multiple comments about this has to be more than a coincidence... I would come back only maybe if this person wasn't working but not going to go out of my way anymore

    Photos
    Bookworks - Lovely place. Coffee shop in front, book store in the rear.

    Lovely place. Coffee shop in front, book store in the rear.

    Bookworks - Oatmeal cookie, pumpkin bread, macadamia nut latte, lavender honey latte

    Oatmeal cookie, pumpkin bread, macadamia nut latte, lavender honey latte

    Bookworks - Inside seating

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    Inside seating

    Carmel Valley Branch - libraries - Updated August 2026

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