Find the best things to do on a day trip to Carmel-by-the-Sea. It's one of the cutest coastal towns in California with fairy-tale houses, incredible coastal views, and a quaint, Dutch-style town center.

The 17-Mile Drive is a gorgeous winding road along the coast from Monterey to Carmel-by-the-sea with stunning lookout spots. It’s one of the most beautiful stretches of coastline in California!

Explore my list of the best things to do in Carmel-by-the-Sea to help you plan your perfect trip!

Whether you’re visiting California for the first time or have lived here your entire life, these are the most beautiful places in California from north to south and east to west.

California has an abundance of activities and places to visit up and down the state. It is, of course, most known for the stunning, long coastline it boasts along the West Coast.