These enchanting homes, often called the Comstock cottages, are a hallmark of Carmel's unique…read morecharacter. They were designed and built primarily in the 1920s by Hugh Comstock--initially to showcase his wife Mayotta Brown's popular "Otsy‑Totsy" rag dolls. One of the most famous ones is Hansel and Gretel, created in 1924, and located Torres Street, between 5th and 6th Avenues. Enthralled by the first cottages, Carmel residents began commissioning Comstock to build similar homes. Over time, this blossomed into a small architectural movement--by the late 1920s and into the 1930s, around 21 Comstock cottages had been built across the town. Absolutely stunning!!! Suggested route -- and the route we took is: 1.) Go to the Carmel Visitor Center on Ocean Avenue between Junipero Street & Mission Street. Park your car nearby and do a self-guided walking tour. 2.) Pick up a map at the Visitor Center, take a "fairy-tale cottages" handout or take a picture of the handout. 3.) The walking tour is about 1-1.2 miles only. Very enjoyable walk. Small elevation. Wear comfortable shoes. Enjoy!!!

While in Carmel by the Sea we did a nice stroll into the neighborhood looking for the Hansel and…read moreGretel Cottages. I am giving 4 stars for the peaceful and scenic walk away from the hustle and bustle of the main street tourist area. I would give the walking tour 3 stars as the houses are not clearly marked and difficult to determine what we were looking at. That being said the cottages we stopped to look at were beautiful and very well maintained. Its worth the effort and time to go on this adventure. There are a few dramatically modern homes built in the neighborhood as well which seem out of place considering we were looking for fairy tale cottages. The walk is a bit hilly so plan accordingly. Nice and peaceful, be considerate as people do live in these adjacent homes.

This is a privately owned home so there is no tour. It sold to a new owner I believe in 2023. You…read morecan see the exterior from the road. It is worth a visit if you are a Frank Lloyd Wright fan. You can park nearby for free and walk over and see the exterior of the home overlooking the water. It is a pretty area. Hard to rate when you are unable to see the interior. So it is worth seeing but the experience isn't ideal since there is no interior access nor tour. Glad I saw though.

You can see the house from the street through the gate, but also from the beautiful white sand…read morebeach. It's a lovely neighborhood and no problem parking and the beach is BIG. Prepare to walk a lot if you want to see more of the house. It's on a promontory rock, and you have to walk out to the water to really see it. I walked all through the neighborhood--there's a historic home from a famous poet among other things. A nice trip even if you cannot get a tour because it's a private home. I also recommend the drive down the coastal highway. Makes a great stop on a scenic drive. I drove all the way down to the Esalen Institute where the road was barricaded about a mile further down and it was worth driving down there for the smell alone, let alone the absolutely stunning scenery and views. Just a tip!

So grateful to been able to attend Sunday Mass. Basilica is so beautiful and it has so much…read morehistory and also they have free museum and a small shop. Sunday mass is full but the have lots of extra chairs in the back outside the church. Parking could be crowded so get there early.

I have been visiting the California missions throughout my life. Usually it is a positive…read moreexperience. However, I recently revisited the Carmel Basilica on a Sunday, and like other visitors I was totally put off by the commercialization of this particular church/historical monument. There are a few security guards who stand out front and a ticket booth positioned in a way that you cannot enter the church without paying first. The mission is not open everyday which is odd since it is such a beloved place visited by people around the world. The price of admission is 15.00 per person, five dollars higher per person than other missions which are also open everyday. This is quite pricey. If you arrive during mass you may not enter to look around until after mass! It seems really against the whole concept of all are welcome. Lighting one candle is 5.00! Usually it is just a donation or a dollar or two. The parking lot is small and congested. Personally, I enjoyed San Juan Bautista, which is close to Monterey and Carmel, much better. Friendlier, less expensive and open to all everyday! The setting is beautiful as well, surrounded by fields and beautiful gardens. I highly recommend history buffs stop by San Juan Bautista and other smaller missions.

Very beautiful location! We had a very informative tour guide who really seemed to enjoy his job!…read moreThe grounds are very well maintained and all of the staff were very kind! Definitely worth a visit!

What a great tour of a beautiful and interesting home. Our Docent (tour guide), Linda, was a great…read moresource of information about the Jeffers family and the Tor House. She had great back-stories and anecdotes, and showed great enthusiasm. The 90-minute tour breezed by and the cost is incredibly reasonable at just $15.

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.

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.

The Harry Downie Museum, located in the forecourt to the Basilica, houses interpretive displays and…read moreartifacts devoted to telling the restoration story of the Mission and the significance of Harry Downie's efforts in the restoration. Wonderful basilica museum here that serves as the entryway into the basilica grounds!

I wrote several emails to this Chamber letting them know about the dishonest business practices of…read morea business in their community offering services not offered on their website. I told them that they need to revoke the business license of Signature Day Spa because I was charged close to $700 and never got deep tissue massages nor the services I made my reservations for. I was told to contact Monterey County DA's Office and nothing was done to protect consumers who have complained about this woman. I will post my email to them so others are warned.

Carmel's Visitor Center - Chamber of Commerce staff couldn't have been more gracious and helpful in…read moregiving us the information we need to make our Easter vacation in this lovely little town much more pleasant and budget friendly. They have detailed maps of downtown and an assortment of brochures and literatures which will give you a good idea of places to hit and see. I personally asked for the "Wine-Walk" map which showcases the many emerging wineries of the area. The Chamber also have the Wine-walk vouchers which allows you to hit all the participating wineries at a very reasonable cost (9 vouchers for $65.00) You could also use these vouchers to waive the corkage fee in participating restaurants in the area. We had a great experience and a big help from the Chamber of Commerce - Visitor center staff. I highly suggest paying them a visit prior to exploring this picturesque little town. Enjoy!

Don't miss the Convento Museum which you will see right before you exit the Mission complex. The…read morecell used by Saint Junipero Serra and where he died in 1784 is on display here. The other museum rooms present interpretive displays and provide visitors with a historical education of this beautiful heritage site