Carmel-by-the-Sea
Having the opportunity to explore Carmel-by-the-Sea this past weekend for a friends wedding weekend was such a treat. The weekend started out early, on a Friday. Upon arriving to Carmel we sat up on a patio overlooking the sea and taking in some gorgeous views and flowers, all with a glass of rosé of course.
The Beach
My fiancé and I next checked out the beach. It was such a magical place. I took off my rose gold Sam Eldeman booties, rolled up my pants, and ran free; free as the wind right into the water. I didn’t just run into the water once, but over and over again. There is something about crisp coastal water rushing over your feet, and on your lower calves that brings #bliss and so many smiles. We enjoyed our time at the beach. Taking in the salty air, watching the waves crush to and fro.
Wine Tasting
As the afternoon time was a running out of site, we climbed back the hill back into town. There, we joined one of my fiancés college friends and his girlfriend and did some wine tasting. We tasted at:
- Galante Vineyards
- Caraccioli Cellars
Galante Vineyards isn’t actually located in Carmel nor is Caraccioli. Galante vineyards was ok, not the best wine tasting I have ever done, but not awful. I would say the two main things which made Galante an “ok” place was: the customer service and wine taste.
Caraccioli Cellars was absolutely fabulous. If it says anything, I bought 4 bottles of wine. Yes, I know, I clearly like my wine. I enjoyed sampling a flight with my new friend and adoring the cute little place we were sitting. I highly recommend visiting Caraccioli Cellars if you are in the Carmel area. The flight of tasting is $20 and the best part is the fee is waived if you spend $150 on wine. Win Win OR wine wine…right?
Gardener Ranch
I woke up quite early Saturday morning and decided to take a run on the property where we were staying, Gardener Ranch. The air was so crisp and refreshing and the rain felt like heaven. It was nice to start out the morning clearing my head and getting my fitness on.
From Scratch
Saturday morning I enjoyed a delicious brunch with some of the ladies not in the wedding. We went to the Barnyard Village and ate some delicious food at: From Scratch Restaurant. Heaven! I had the biscuits and gravy. Apparently the biscuits and gravy have been featured on the Food Network. I paired this scrumptious meal with a bloody mary.
Carmel Valley Coffee Roasting Co.
After brunch we checked out the Carmel Valley Coffee Roasting Co. I of course had to try their iced americano. Espresso is my favorite. The coffee was good, but not my favorite. I would recommend checking it out though. It’s a quaint and cute little shop. Their pastries looked amazing, and if I hadn’t just eaten a boat load of biscuits and gravy I would have had one of those as well.
Relaxation
The rest of my Saturday before the wedding was spent relaxing on the patio on our cabin at Gardener Ranch. I worked on to-do’s for our wedding, planned blog posts, and did a bit of reading. It was super relaxing and nice to have the sunshine on my back and hear the river running in the background.
Wedding
Saturday late afternoon/evening we spent celebrating our friends wedding (Link to blog post with wedding details here), and Sunday morning led to a flight back to Colorado. The weekend, despite being short lived, was fabulous. I would highly recommend adding Carmel-by-the-Sea to your trip bucket list. It will not disappoint.
Have you been to Carmel? What is your favorite spot?
XOXO
