36 Hours in Carmel, Calif.: Things to Do and See

Most of your breakfast needs can be solved at Rise + Roam Bakery in Carmel-by-the-Sea, where chef Jessica Haney makes seasonal quiche, cinnamon rolls and classic biscuits (prices start at $4). Afterward, pick up your favorite style of caffeine at the Mad Dogs & Englishmen bike shop — they partner with one of the oldest family-run coffee producers in the world, Dieseldorff Kaffee. But really visit to rent a vintage style Scrambler e-bike with a sidecar ($150 for the day, plus $10 for dog accessories, if you take your pup along). Ride to one of the region’s many dog-friendly beaches (like nearby Carmel River State Beach with its bird sanctuary and a lagoon, free), or go to Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo (museum, store and grounds, $15 per person), a National Historic Landmark considered the most authentically restored Franciscan mission in California.

To view local sea creatures, you have many options. Walking the trails at Point Lobos State Natural Reserve ($10 parking) is the most accessible, and gray whales, which migrate past this area from December to April, can be easily spotted from the coast. Or book a whale-watching boat tour on Monterey Bay with Princess Monterey Whale Watching (starts at $70, up to three hours). Or, if you’re feeling active, book a kayak tour ($65 per person, three hours) in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary to see sea otters, seals, sea lions and dolphins up close. If quaffing local wine is more your speed, reserve a seat with Carmel Valley Wine Tours ($179 per person, five hours), which halts their trolley at spots like Rombi wines, Scratch Wines and Seabold Cellars.

En route to Carmel Beach, stop at Dutch Door Donuts for a fried-to-order doughnut (the flavors are distinctive — think seasonal guava-lime, or classic chocolate brown butter, $4.50). For something a little more substantial, select a picnic of cheeses, deli snacks, sandwiches and drinks from Nielsen Brothers market. Friendly to off-leash dogs and right at the foot of Ocean Avenue, Carmel Beach has silvery sand and an annual sandcastle contest (there is time-limited, free street parking along Camino Real/Scenic Road). As you amble to the shoreline, you’ll see views of the famed 17-Mile Drive (admission is $12.25 per vehicle), a scenic jaunt that hugs the Pacific Coast and the 10th green of the Pebble Beach Golf Links. You can also glimpse rugged nature views with Monterey cypress trees and dramatic coastal cliffs. If you’re a surfer, this is also where to get your board wet, or book a lesson with Carmel-by-the-Sea Surf Lessons ($300 for a couple).

Some of the region’s fairy-tale vibes come from 21 tiny, zany cottages scattered around Carmel-by-the-Sea that the self-taught architect Hugh Comstock built in the 1920s for his wife, Mayotta Brown. But this petite town has been a haven for artists for over a century. Salvador Dalí was an early member of the Carmel Art Association, and even though the photographer Ansel Adams lived here at one point, it was the photographer Edward Weston who captured its beauty (find work from both photographers, plus more, at Weston Gallery, by appointment only). Check out other galleries — a highlight is Monica Graham Fine Art — or just explore the village for yourself. The Carmel Heritage Society suggests a self-guided walking tour (download it from their website). The Carmel Public Library Foundation also offers community events like talks about Henry Miller’s influence on the area (the author lived in nearby Big Sur).

Start at the chic Japanese menswear brand Visvim, known for combining modern technical ways to enhance garments with age-old production techniques. Then nip next door to one of the best collections of vintage unisex clothing stores in California, Wally’s. If you are lucky the owners, Andrew and Jordan Chugg, are there for an interesting chat. If you want to find something remarkedly quirky, the Mole Hole is just where to dig that up. It is a truly one-of-a-kind gift store that has everything imaginable, from tiny woodsy ceramic animals to fun martini glasses and collectors-edition brass Monopoly pieces. Speaking of witty names, you shouldn’t miss the Nut Hut next door for all your gourmet gift basket needs.

At The Pocket, you will find some of the best dishes on the Central Coast, including salads like roasted beets with chicory ($17), or Monterey black cod with blood orange ($47). If you fancy a French twist, try La Bicyclette’s plats du jour (Cannellini d’Emilia with pork, $42, finished with a Tarte Aux Pommes, $16). For Italian comfort food, try Il Tegamino (the ravioli di campagna with eggplant, $38, is delicious). And if you can get a reservation, Akaoni (no website, 831-620-1516) will not disappoint. The restaurant is known for its master chef’s sushi selection ($60 and up) but locals know to check the specials board that often includes local halibut ($15) and Monterey squid ($16). Akaoni has just a few seats, with limited hours.

The actual bar at Barmel was built in 1900 and was once owned by one of San Francisco’s most famous madams, Sally Stanford (who later became the mayor of Sausalito). This saloon-style cocktail bar in Carmel-by-the-Sea is inspired by gangsters, Prohibition and the California gold rush era. It’s one of the very few late night dance spots in an otherwise sweetly sleepy little town — plus they have weekly live music, D.J.s and plenty of nightlife credibility. It does all shut down by 2 a.m. If you would rather meet some cowboys, head down the valley to the Running Iron Restaurant and Saloon. They have a juke box and cowboy boots hanging from the ceiling plus a reputation for rowdiness.