1 day in Carmel/Monterey
 

Will have a little more than a day in the Carmel/Monterey area. Have reservations at the Cobblestone Inn. What sights should we be sure to see...also any restaurants to recommend?? <BR> <BR> <BR>

There are three thins that you should do. First, the acquarium in Monterey. Second, 17 mile drive between Monterey and Carmel. Last but not least, spend some time walking around Carmel itself. <BR> <BR>I recommend Bully's III restaurant in Carmel. Great food and ambience.

I agree with the above post. I also like walking around in Monterey in the Cannery Row area, near the Aquarium. There are some fun shops there. <BR> <BR>The scenery in Monterey is second to none. <BR> <BR>

<BR>The Pacific's Edge restaurant at the Highland Inn in Carmel is out of this world. Spectacular view (every seat in the place gets an ocean view), excellent service and food. Get there a few minutes before sunset for a cocktail. You won't regret it.

Carmel/Monterey area is beautiful. Do the 17 mile drive. See the sunset on beach in Carmel. We had lunch at Tarpy's Roadhouse and ate outdoors. It was one of the best meals I had on an 8 day trip in Ca. It's on Hwy 68 at Canyon del Rey. On another day we were going to eat at Clint Eastwood's place but missed the lunch service and went across the street to Jack London's. Best fish and chips I ever ate. (The fish that is, the chips were soso. <BR>

Read in local newspaper that Clint Eastwood is closing his Hog's Breath restaurant (in Carmel) on April 1st.

I live in the area. The above recommendations are good although the only restaurant I agree with is Tarpy's. Robert Kincaids in the Crossroads on Rio Road is wonderful, as is the Rio Grill owned by same people as Tarpys. The highlands inn has a beautiful view, and good brunch. Email and I can give more suggestions.

For food, I'd recommend Anton & Michel, at the corner of the Fountains Mission between Ocean & 7th. The maitre-d', Bert, will look after you well, and the Bananas Foster was one of the lasting memories of our 8-day CA holiday. Main courses were equally delicious.

I would strongly recommend a restaurant called Mondo's. It was recommended to me by a friend who lived in Northern, CA and I must say the food was incredible, the service was outstanding (in fact, probably the best I have ever encountered). Certainly worth walking by and looking at their menu.

Do the 17 mile drive. Before you do the drive call the Spanish Bay resort and get a reservation to eat at Roy's. Great resort, great restaurant. When you go through the pay booth to enter the 17 mile drive be sure to tell them you are booked at Roy's as the entrance is then free. Roy reimburses you. If you only do the 17 mile drive, do it backwards. The arrows will point you one way, but you can go the opposite. This will get you to the Pebble Beach Lodge area quicker and the beautiful homes on the beach. Plus, traffic is usually a little less in front of you because everyone else follows the arrows. I do it everytime we take friends to the area. So---try Roy's, go against the arrows. Good shopping is in the Barnyard Shopping Center off highway 1. Better than downtown Carmel.

We love to set outside on the patio at the Cafe Berlin to have an assorted plate of sausages and the best pea soup ever, but the real highlight of the meal is the homemade apple strudel. You will be eating so much "California Cuisine" that the German will be a nice break. Lovely people own this restaurant. The 17 mile drive is lovely,go to the beach at Carmel or on the river if you're there on a weekday. On weekends, it's packed with dogs, kids and people. If the Hogs Breath is closing, it's not a big thing! Also the thing that's not been recommended is driving south (in good weather) on Hwy 1 towards Big Sur. You don't need to go all the way, just get a feel for the coast. Enjoy.