Explore the Village
From charming courtyards to secret passageways, discoveries await around every corner. There are shops and art galleries to explore, restaurants to indulge, and wine tasting rooms to stop in and sip some of the California Central Coast's best varietals — all within one-square-mile.
What makes Carmel-by-the-Sea so unique is a creative culture of locals who take pride in offering one-of-a-kind items and experiences. Even those who travel the world are unlikely to encounter another place that has so much to offer in one location.
While in Carmel-by-the-Sea, expect to see no street addresses, mailboxes, parking meters, or streetlights (read about fun Carmel facts). The local "93921" post office continues to serve as a social hub for residents retrieving mail from their boxes. Visitors, too, often feel like locals as they mingle with winemakers, chefs, artists, innkeepers and shopkeepers.
As you explore Carmel-by-the-Sea, take note of the fairytale-like architecture. Hugh Comstock designed cottages in the 1920s after the style of an English village, complete with rolled eaves, rounded doors and asymmetrical stone chimneys. There remain 21 of Comstock's original cottages standing in Carmel today.
The oldest house in Carmel was built in 1846 by the Michael J. Murphy family, and still stands today at the corner of San Antonio Street and Fourth Avenue. The "First Murphy House" – home to the Carmel Heritage Society – once served as the residence for Frank Powers, who co-founded the town 100 years ago.
Come stroll around this charming village, whether to discover something unexpected, to uncover characteristics that make Carmel-by-the-Sea so delightfully unique, or to feel like a local.