Carmel's architecture is as lovely as its setting — Photo courtesy of HBarrisonParis may be for lovers but Carmel gives the City of Lights a run for its romantic money as a top destination for honeymooners and couples celebrating an anniversary.
Romance, they say, is the rule in Carmel, a.k.a the “Honeymoon Capital of the West.”
“The Carmel experience is romantic, sensual, and fun all at once,” Lee Larrow of the Carmel Chamber of Commerce says of this amorous city by the sea. “Walking on the beach, snuggling next to a beach bonfire, hiking in nearby hills, sipping local wine, eating chocolates, savoring world-class cuisine…all of this is found in just one place, surrounded by an ancient forest that is next to a white sand beach.”
Downtown's European-style cobblestone streets and secluded flower-filled courtyards invite couples to steal a kiss as they stroll hand-in-hand among renowned art galleries, antique stores, and boutiques. The world-famous Carmel Beach is just a stones-throw away.
Couples can cozy up in quiet lodges like the Carmel Country Inn and the Cypress Inn or take in spectacular ocean views at the Tradewinds Carmel or Hyatt Carmel Highlands. The Tickle Pink Inn offers guests special romance packages paired with breathtaking vistas, too. Whether looking for luxury, intimacy (check out the secluded hot tubs at the Ventana Inn & Spa), charm, or all three, Carmel is awash with hotels, B&Bs, and inns that’ll make love birds' hearts sing.
Carmel is all about indulgence. With some of the best restaurants in the world, including enamoring eateries such as Anton & Michel, Casanova and Pacific’s Edge Restaurant, honeymooners and anniversary celebrants will have no trouble finding a place to dine that both can agree on. Christen your relationship with a bottle of locally produced wine or extravagant champagne at Andre's Bouchee, the Little Napoli Wine Bar or any of Carmel’s many wine tasting rooms.
