Carmel with its stunning scenery, extraordinary golf, beautiful homes and artistic history
Carmel-by-the-Sea,
more commonly called Carmel, is a charming small town on the Pacific
Coast of the Monterey Peninsula in central California. Predominantly a
residential community, it is also celebrated as having one of the best,
and certainly most scenic, golf courses in the United States at Pebble
Beach, as well as a lively arts scene.
Built as a seaside artists' colony, attracting such people as Robinson
Jeffers, Sinclair Lewis, Robert Louis Stevenson and Ansel Adams, Carmel
was created as a peaceful and intellectually inspiring enclave.
Carmel was built of largely cottage-style homes with a fairytale twist
including rambling gables, shutters, trellises and large front and rear
gardens. These homes were planned to retain the town's character as a
'village in a forest', and some of the homes look as though Little Red
Riding Hood or the Big Bad Wolf should be peeking out through the
curtains of this picture-postcard landscape. Situated between lush
woodland and stunning Pacific Coastline dotted with majestic Cypress
trees, Cannel affords spectacular views at every turn.
It is home to many artistic and sports events including the Bach
Festival, a series of outdoor concerts and plays, the Concours d'Elegance
for car fans, polo and equestrian competitions, and the annual Pebble
Beach Pro Am, known after it's founder, Bing Crosby.
The Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo was founded in 1770 by Father
Juniperro Serra, Gaspar de Portola and Father Juan Crespi. Originally
located at the Presidio in the centre of the settlement, the National
Historic Landmark was subsequently moved to its present site at the
southern edge of town overlooking the Cannel River. The stone church,
with its curving walls and Moorish bell tower, was erected in 1793. Its
walls are covered with a lime plaster made of burnt seashells, and it is
home to the first library in California.
The '17-Mile Drive', a meandering road from Pacific Grove to Cannel has
awe-inspiring cliff top vistas, multi-million dollar homes to stare at
and the occasional spot of wildlife to enjoy.
At Point Lobos, just south of Carmel, you can picnic above the crashing
waves and large coves dotted with wildlife and spring flowers. The white
sandy beaches surrounded by cypress trees at the Cannel Beach City Park
are lovely, as is the Cannel River State Beach and bird sanctuary, just
south around the promontory. Clint Eastwood was once a mayor of this
beautiful seaside town.
