Carmel-by-the-Sea is located 2.5 hours south of San Francisco and it’s a beautiful drive down the Pacific Coast Highway. Visiting the small village of Carmel-by-the-Sea is like stepping into a real life fairytale. Many of the homes are designed as whimsical cottages and they sit adjacent to beaches and picturesque landscapes.

Carmel-by-the-Sea is also an ideal vacation spot for families with babies and young children. It’s very safe, calm and has plenty of baby-friendly dining and activities. We took our little Scout when she was 16-months-old and it was a very pleasant trip. In this guide you’ll find many baby-friendly options for where to eat, stroller-friendly places to explore, beaches and hotel recommendations.

We planned our visit in the month of September and the weather was perfect. The fall season between September - November is actually the sunniest time of year in Carmel. While there’s no “bad time” to visit, the other seasons will give you a mix of sun, fog and rain. If you’re looking for an escape from extreme summer heat, Carmel is perfect because the temperatures remain mild throughout the year.

Another important thing to know before your visit, inside the perimeters of the Carmel-by-the-Sea village, there’s no street addresses. All of the houses have names and the streets themselves have names, but no home or business have numbers. The larger area of Carmel outside of Carmel-by-the-Sea has regular addresses.

Also, Carmel is know for being a very dog-friendly city. Next time we visit we’ll bring our Black Labrador Holly!

Stroller-Friendly Outdoor Walking Trails

Scenic Bluff Path

One of our best memories from our trip to Carmel was our long walk along the Scenic Bluff Path located parallel to Carmel Beach. The trail is mostly paved and it was easy to push our stroller along. The panoramic views of the ocean are stunning and there’s a row of adorable “cottage style” homes to admire.

Point Lobos State Marine Reserve

Point Lobos State Marine Reserve is probably the biggest natural attraction for Carmel visitors. The park has 550 acres of coastal land to explore and is home to wildlife such as sea otters, seals and sea lions. Between the months December to May you can catch glimpses of gray whales migrating.

For parents with young kids, there’s 3 trails inside Point Lobos which are made of smooth gravel and suitable for strollers: Granite Point Trail, Sea Lion Point Trail and the Bird Island Trail. We walked with Scout along the trails and with our binoculars we could see otters swimming in the surf.

Mission Trail Nature Preserve

The Mesa Trail Loop is a short 20 minute walk that runs for a quarter mile. This trail is easy without any steep inclines. The trail may not be smooth enough for a stroller, plan to bring a baby carrier.

Devendorf Park

Centrally located in downtown Carmel-by-the-Sea, this is a great place for a picnic with baby. I’d come here if you need to feed or take your baby out of the stroller to crawl around. Seasonal holidays events held here too - Easter, 4th of July, Christmas, etc.

Asilomar Dunes Natural Preserve

This short trail runs for a quarter of a mile along the sand dunes. There’s a boardwalk trail that winds through the san dunes and a sturdy stroller should be able to manage the terrain. There’s plenty of benches available along the path where you can view panoramic views of Pebble Beach and the Spanish Bay.

Garrapata State Park

The Bluff Cliff Trail runs for 2.5 miles and is popular for photos. This is an easy hike with flat terrain, great for all levels. I suggest brining baby in a carrier for this trail because there are some steps which might make a stroller challenging.

Baby-friendly Restaurants in Carmel-by-the-Sea

When I’m looking for a restaurant to frequent with my baby, I try to find more casual eateries that have plenty of outdoor seating and space for our stroller. That way if your baby starts crying, one of the parents can quickly escape and walk down the street with your child so that you don’t disrupt the other patrons. If you child is eating solid food, a children’s menu is also a plus.

Yeast of Eden Brewpub

We loved eating an early dinner at Yeast of Eden, located inside Carmel Plaza. If you’re staying in a hotel inside the Carmel-by-the-Sea village, this restaurant is just a short walk. There is plenty of spacious outdoor seating and we saw other parents with babies there too. My husband loved his burger and Scout loved his fries!

Stationæry Coffee Shop

This modern and hip coffee shop feels like something you’d find in a big city. They serve a lunch and dinner menu with healthy and fresh food options. We sat on the outside patio with our stroller and enjoyed lattes. Check out my photos in this blog post from our visit to Stationæry.

The Crossroads Center in Carmel

If you take a short drive outside of Carmel-by-the-Sea, in the greater area of Carmel you’ll find The Crossroads Center. This plaza is comprised of food options that are more casual, less expensive and offer a more modern dining experience. There’s plenty of outdoor seating and a variety of food options. We went to R.G. Burgers after a day of exploring Point Lobos.

Carmel Belle

This casual counter-style restaurant serves healthy and fresh American food. It’s a good option for a light breakfast or lunch, they also serve fancy smoothies. They are slightly cheaper than the other places to eat in Carmel-by-the-Sea and are centrally located downtown at Ocean Ave and 7th Ave. There’s outdoor seating in the plaza.

Baja Cantina & Grill

If you’re in the mood for flavorful Mexican food, the Baja Cantina & Grill is child-friendly and even serves a children’s menu. There’s outdoor seating available and plenty of parking. The restaurant is a 10 minute drive outside Carmel-by-the-Sea in the greater Carmel area. Exact address is 7166 Carmel Valley Rd, Carmel CA 93923.

Brophy's Tavern

This airy and bright pub has marked themselves as “kid friendly” on Yelp which is always a good start. Parents can enjoy modern and fresh pub fare, and beer lovers can take advantage of the wide selection of brews available. Located at 4th Ave & San Carlos St, walking distance in downtown.

Local Sights & Attractions in Carmel

Downtown Carmel-by-the-Sea

Downtown Carmel-by-the-Sea runs from Torres St to Casanova St, between 3rd Avenue and 8th Avenue. Within these blocks you’ll find restaurants, shops and even 20 wine tasting rooms. One unique features in Carmel-by-the-Sea are the charming courtyards and secret passageways that wind between the downtown buildings. They were built in the 1920’s and there’s 41 of them!

Mission Carmel

If you grew up in California then there’s a good chance your class participated in the 4th Grade Mission Project. We essentially had to construct a model California mission and present it to the class. The mission I constructed was the Mission San Carlos Borroméo de Carmelo, a.k.a. Mission Carmel. In my opinion it’s the most architecturally beautiful mission in California, and it was a favorite of of Father Junipero Serra.

During our visit we took an afternoon to visit the Mission Carmel, I especially loved the gardens and museum. The interior is preserved to still look the way it was when the mission was founded in 1770. Scroll through this blog post to see photos from our visit.

Pebble Beach

Pebble Beach is famous for two main reasons: the golfing course and tournament, and the stunning ocean and cliff views found on the 17-Mile Drive. Visitors pay $10.50 per vehicle which you can get reimbursed if you spend $35 or more at one of the restaurants inside the resort. The Pebble Beach Gold Tournament happens every year in February, so I would avoid this time to visit because of the crowds.

17-Mile Drive in Pebble Beach

For families visiting with children, the 17-Mile Drive is a great way to enjoy the scenery. There’s plenty of parking spots along the way with picnic tables for a leisurely lunch. There’s lookout spots scattered along the coastline for photos and wildlife viewing. As mentioned above, it’s a $10.50 fee per vehicle to enter the 17-Mile Drive.

Carmel Valley Wine Country

Napa Valley is not the only place in California with a thriving wine scene. The Carmel Valley is a short 20 minute drive inland from Carmel-by-the-Sea and you’ll find world-class wineries and vineyards. You can find a directory list of the wineries here. Most of these locations offer wine tasting. As far as bringing your baby to the winery, I would call ahead of time just to make sure there’s not an age limit of 21 years old or over.

Garland Ranch Regional Park

If your family loves to explore the great outdoors, Garland Ranch Regional Park has over 540 acres of wild lands to explore. There’s many trails, but if you’re traveling with babies or young children I suggest the Lupine Loop Trail. This trail is rated easy, the terrain is flat and goes for 1.5 miles. Along the trail you’ll see a river. This is a very sunny trail without a lot of shade so come prepared with sun coverage. Garland Ranch Regional Park is located about 20 minutes outside of Carmel-by-the-Sea.

Garrapata State Park

Another gem for nature lovers is Garrapata State Park, located 20 minutes south down the coast. This park is known for beautiful Pacific Ocean views and colorful wildflowers. Be aware that parking is limited.

Baby-Friendly Beaches & Lookout Spots

Carmel Beach

We picked up sandwiches from a local deli in downtown and had ourselves a picnic at Carmel Beach. It’s the perfect place to rest after a walk down the Scenic Bluff Path. I was particularly impressed with the long stretch of pristine sandy white beach. The sand is so soft and fine, rivaled only by the San Diego Coronado Beach. At Carmel Beach the waves were mild while we visited, you could easily dip your toes in the water.

Carmel River State Beach

The Monastery Beach (a.k.a San Jose Creek Beach) inside the Carmel River State Beach is best for sitting on the shore and enjoying bird watching. The waves can be dangerous and visitors are advised against going near the water.

Monterey, California

The city of Monterey is just a short 20 minute drive from Carmel and is a big tourism hub. Many visitors to Carmel will also put Monterey sights on their itineraries. I’ve highlighted below some of the best baby-friendly places to visit in Monterey.

Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail

This popular waterfront trail runs for 18 miles and hits many of the major attractions in Monterey. Walking along the Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail you can easily access the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Cannery Row and Fisherman's Wharf. The trail is smooth enough for strollers and provides great views of the ocean.

Monterey Bay Aquarium

This aquarium is truly top in it’s class, famous throughout the United States. They have over 200 exhibits and galleries and 600 species of sea life and wildlife. The Monterey Bay Aquarium is one of those bucket list destinations in Central California.

Cannery Row

Cannery Row is a fun place to explore, it has a lot of old-world charm. There’s plenty of shops to explore and about 25 restaurants. Particularly you’ll find fresh and inventive sea food options, but there’s also a mix of American foods and popular chain restaurants. Ghirardelli also has an ice cream shop, similar to the one in San Francisco.

Pacific Grove

Pacific Grove is famous for having many restored Victorian-era homes, and many of them are available for guests and bed & breakfast hotels. If you happen to be visiting around the month of October, you can visit the Monarch Grove Butterfly Sanctuary where thousands of monarch butterflies flock to the eucalyptus forest.

Lovers Point Park

Fans of the HBO show Big Little Lies will want to bookmark Lovers Point Park in Pacific Grove, many scenes were filmed here! Lovers Point Park is just over 4 acres and has grassy lawns, a beach, a grill restaurant and a swimming pool. There’s a breakwater concrete wall that keeps the beach waves very calm, which makes this one of the few beaches were you can skim safely.

Old Fisherman's Wharf

Both the Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco and Monterey serve up one of my favorite foods - clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl! You’ll also find fresh sea food restaurants, shopping and you can watch the sea lions in the harbor.

More Central California Day Trips from Carmel

If you’ve got plenty of time during your vacation in Carmel and Monterey, you might want to add one of these days trips to your schedule. All these locations are within 1.5 hours of driving distance from Carmel.

Salinas Valley, California

The Salinas Valley is rich in agriculture, making it an ideal place for wineries. The Salinas Valley vineyards and wine tasting rooms are particular known for panoramic views of the valley and surrounding mountains. The 3 largest wineries located in Soledad are Wrath Wines, Hahn Family Wines and Puma Road Wine.

Big Sur, California

Big Sur is famous for its incredible natural beauty. In fact, one of their favorite past-times in Big Sur is their catch phrase “Do Nothing!” When you’re traveling with a baby, one of the best activities can be just enjoying your surroundings and taking it all in.

Pinnacles National Park

Pinnacles National Park is an enormous park with over 26,000 acres. From Carmel it’s about a 1.25 hour drive inland. Pinnacles Park is known for unique rock formations and rugged terrain. While most trails are too difficult to tackle with young children, the Prewett Point Trail is rated easy and is only 0.9 miles round trip. This gentle hike has great views of the Hain Wilderness.