coastal beauty: carmel

Carmel was the perfect escape over Memorial Day weekend.
With the Sacramento area weather so gloomy and an itch to get away, Alex and I set our sights on the coast. Both of us had been to Monterey before, but not Carmel.
Despite fighting traffic and a rough start to the trip, it was a great weekend.
First up was hiking. I found five-star reviews of hikes at Point Lobos State Natural Reserve in Carmel and it didn’t disappoint. After a short trek through poison oak-filled path, we hit the coast. In some spots, the ocean water was a jewel-like turquoise while in others it was a light sea green. With the waves crashing along the cliffs, the reserve had gorgeous views of the Pacific Ocean.

After a quick shower, we headed to downtown Carmel for dinner at Mundaka, a tapas restaurant. The atmosphere was very Spanish with all reclaimed materials. Alex and I opted to share a bottle of Spanish red wine and a bunch of tapas including fried potatoes, ricotta and egg filled ravioli, hanger steak and a chocolate dessert. One of my favorite things about tapas is getting to try a bunch of different dishes. And many of these were things I’d never heard of before.
One of the things that set Carmel apart from other cities is the dog friendliness. Dog bowls are set outside many of the downtown shops, dogs are running along the beach and many of the restaurants allow the furry friends inside the patios.
We finished the day with a walk along the beach. Even though the water was a little chilly, there’s something about being near the ocean that we love. It’s so peaceful and gets you thinking. For us, it got us thinking about how one day we’d like to live in a seaside city and take advantage of what the coast has to offer.