Top-Rated Art Town

In the early days, Carmel-by-the-Sea was populated by an eclectic group of creative, artistic souls, drawn by the area's natural beauty and friendly climate—both social and meteorological. That's still true today. Carmel is one of the best art cities in the United States.

Nearly 100 art galleries are concentrated in the one-square-mile of downtown Carmel-by-the-Sea. For those interested in getting a taste of the local Carmel art scene and get to know the artists personally, there are 21 artist-owned galleries, where the proprietors actually work on site. Founded in 1927, the Carmel Art Association is the oldest Carmel gallery and features the work of more than 100 professional local artists.

The beautifully-designed Sunset Center's Marjorie Evans Gallery features ever-changing exhibitions of local artists' work, as does the Center for Photographic Art (formerly Friends of Photography, founded by iconic photographers Ansel Adams, Cole Weston and Wynn Bullock).

Local's Tip

For the perfect mix of art and wine, don't miss Carmel-by-the-Sea's Meet The Makers citywide event where you can meet local artists and tour their galleries while sipping Monterey County wines. This is a one-of-a-kind Carmel experience with about 15 participating galleries and a dozen wineries nestled in select galleries sprinkled throughout the art walk.