Carmel Attractions

Carmel River State Beach is located 2.5 miles south of Carmel just north of Point Lobos. The beach is also known as Monastery Beach. The beach is used by scuba divers exploring the nearby kelp forests. The mile long beach also features a bird sanctuary in a lagoon with a wide variety of waterfowl and song birds.

When fog shrouds Carmel the Carmel Valley, just a few miles southeast (reached by Highway G 16 branching off the U.S. 1), makes a delightful retreat. Situated on the Carmel River, the valley offers plentiful opportunity for outdoor activities such as fishing and swimming. It is also the location of the largest Zen Buddhist monastery in the United States.

Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, the Clinton Walker House in Carmel was completed in 1948. This hexagon shaped home is built of stone and was used in the 1959 film "A Summer Place".

The La Playa is a historic building in Carmel, built in 1904 and converted into a hotel in 1916. Guest rooms and public areas were refreshed in both 1997 and again in 2004.