For many years I went to Carmel and stayed at the Holiday House...it is (hope it is still there!) only a few blocks from the ocean and a great place to stay...have very fond memories of the place.

You'll have the sounds of waves crashing in Carmel and Pebble. You don't have to be right on the beach to experience that. As a matter of fact, at Cannery Row, the sound of the waves isn't as loud. Hope this info helps and doesn't confuse you even more.

mjs - Thanks for the comparison to Newport and the Northeast. At least it gives me a frame of reference.

TTess - now if you could only check out Room #108 at Tally Ho and tell me how nice the rooms and the view are. (I'm only joking, just in case the smiley face is misinterpreted.)

I am leaning toward the Tally Ho in Carmel at this point, but I haven't ruled out PG either. Monterey remains a distant third at this point, but you never know.

By the way, has anyone ever seen any whales off of Pacific Grove? That would be wild....

We see whales frequently, all around the peninsula, while they're here. I was right by the Tally Ho, yesterday, Lizzie. I'll try and stop there this week, if I can.

I am hoping October is a good time to spot some whales offshore. Although I will be equally happy with seals and otters.

TTess....I wasn't serious, but if you're right there and happen to pop in to check out #108, that would be great. I showed the online room photo to a coworker and she was underwhelmed. So I still feel like I'm flipflopping.

No problem, Lizzie. If I can swing it, I will. Looking at the website, I can see why she was underwhelmed by the rooms. They're certainly not the decor I would choose. I'll let you know about that, the view and the general feel. Driving by on the street, I can tell you that the views appear to be spectacular...we'll see.

By the way, have you looked into Mission Ranch?

Thanks TTess. And no, I have not looked into Mission Ranch. But maybe I will check it out. I did check out the Monterey Plaza Hotel as some others have suggested, and I have to say it looks lovely. A little out of our price range for a room with a view, however.

I am still on the lookout and do a little more research every day.

The Monterey Plaza is a fantastic property with many nice amenities including a gorgeous rooftop spa, this is a place where you will be truly pampered, we love both of the restaurants here, also. Schooner's for casual and The Duck Club for a more formal meal. ***kim***

Really, ***kim*** ? I don't think you've mentioned that before.

TTess - since you live in the area, if you were a first time visitor to the West Coast and the Monterey/Carmel area......where would you choose to stay?

For romantic weekends on the peninsula, there is so much to pick from.

Pebble Beach...The Inn at Spanish Bay would be my first pick. We've actually stayed there quite a few times and love it. They have a beautiful lobby, fabulous restaurants and a lovely patio with fire pits, cocktails and a bagpiper at sunset. Second would be Casa Palmero. Its spa is amazing and the rooms are elegant. When Tiger Woods played the AT&T golf tournament, he always stayed at CP. Third, The Lodge at Pebble Beach. Amazing views and first class service can be found at the lodge. Every wish is their command and their restaurants are sublime.

Highland's Inn is dreamy with dramatic views of the ocean and coastal points. It is where we have spent many romantic nights.

Now, if I were to stay in the downtown area, I would choose a large ocean view room at La Playa. La Playa is where we got married and holds a special place in my heart. The gardens are breathtaking. The inns that I've mentioned before would be my next pick - The Colonial Terrace Inn and the Green Lantern. Both inns have cottages with ocean views and are Carmel cute.

I like the location and secluded area of Lincoln Green. It's also within walking distance to the beach but not downtown. Yet, it is an easy drive. Much easier than the Highlands area. Mission Ranch is great as long as it's not a school day. You probably don't want to hear the school bells and kids right next door.

I have friends who've stayed at the Cypress suite at the Seven Gables and adored it. To me, an elegant B&B is fine as long as the room is VERY private. I don't want to feel as if I'm in somebody else's house. There are many other really cute rooms, there. I'm not so sure my husband would tolerate the decor, though. My sister and her husband once stayed next door at The Grandview and heard the dumbwaiter go up and down all Sunday morning. The views are amazing, though.

I thought about staying at La Playa but decided not to after reading the reviews on tripadvisor.

We had a very nice stay at La Playa, our room had an oceanview and the grounds are very pretty here. There is also a good restaurant called Terrace Grill there and La Playa is in a nice location, walking distance to the ocean and shops in Carmel. ***kim***

Thanks TTess. Unfortunately, the Pebble Beach area is a little more than we were hoping to spend. But I can definitely see why it would be among your top three choices.

The reviews of La Playa on tripadvisor have certainly given me pause as well. Many are not very flattering.

I still have some figuring out to do, such as maybe switching dates for the Carmel leg of the trip to allow for more accommodations. We are also seriously considering on splurging for the Monterey Plaza Hotel (room with view and balcony). A few more questions....

We were planning on doing wine country on a Monday through a Thursday and then doing Carmel area on Thursday through Sunday. Would we be better off swapping those? Which location would be better for the weekend? Is it busier on a weekend in Carmel then we are apt to find in wine country? Or are the restaurants dead in the middle of the week in Carmel?

Another.....do people still go to the beach in Carmel in the middle of October? I know it gets cool there in the evenings, but are beach days still possible? We still can get a few in on the East Coast in October if we're lucky.

Thanks.

We just returned from a fantastic stay at the Tickle Pink Inn in Room 29 which was a parking lot level room with sitting area, very comfy bed, spacious bath but had no balcony, our rate for a Fri. night was $289 which was a great price, I booked about a month in advance.

We had a wonderful lunch at Grasing's and enjoyed dinner at Pacific's Edge. I stopped by Tally Ho and looked at Room 104 which was recently remodeled and it was absolutely gorgeous, fireplace, granite bath with jacuzzi tub, small balcony, etc. We loved our time in Carmel! ***kim***

Kim,
Does room 104 have a great sea view and is at a top floor??
Thank you

>>Another.....do people still go to the beach in Carmel in the middle of October? I know it gets cool there in the evenings, but are beach days still possible? We still can get a few in on the East Coast in October if we're lucky.<<

Don't count on it. You might be able to lay out or even dip your feet in, etc. but I've never considered Carmel Beach a very good swimming beach. It can be cold and windy, even in July and August. Santa Cruz is better for swimming imo,

kimamom - thanks for checking out the Tally Ho. I am still undecided about where we will stay in the Carmel area. I had kind of given up for a bit.....and possibly decided to give up on the Tally Ho, just because there is so little information. Some of the rooms have been redecorated, and that must be what you saw. Could you get a glimpse of the ocean from the "small balcony"? Did the beds looks comfortable? Would you choose to stay there? I had inquired about room 108 as that room is elevated with a full balcony offering sea views; however, it has not been updated. So I was a little worried about it.

I have recently stumbled upon the Lamplighter Inn....one of the "cottages" perhaps. Does anyone know anything about this accommodation?

My husband pretty much decided against Monterey Plaza Hotel, and was not crazy about the Carriage House at Green Gables Inn. So we are kind of reverting back to Seven Gables Inn if we can't find something in Carmel that suits our fancy.

Trophywife007: Thanks for the weather reply. I'd be less inclined to go swimming....was more interested in just relaxing on the beach and catching some rays. Your response gives me an idea.

Lizzie - good luck planning your trip.

Thanks for all the great information! We're driving down the coast in mid-June and have booked at the Seven Gables for two nights. Being landlocked in the midwest, we wanted to be as close to the ocean as possible.

I can't suggest places to stay as it has been way too long since I last stayed in the area. I took a trip with my parents about 10 years ago and I believe we stayed at the Dolphin Inn in Carmel. Not spectacular and no views but at that time was nice and quiet and had a decent continental breakfast dropped off at your door each morning. Carmel is lovely but after you've been a few times, it's like any place else. The Forge used to be a good place to eat but last time my parents went they said just so-so.

There is a nice beach in Carmel but no matter where you are (PG, Carmel) the water is going to be really cold. I honeymooned in Monterey and Carmel with my first ex. It was October and it had really beautiful days (sunny and warm) but the nights are cold.

No one has mentioned it but if you have time, then I would suggest a drive down the Pacific Coast Highway to Big Sur. We used to stop at a place called Nepenthe and have an expensive ice tea on the patio which overlooks the ocean. The drive is spectacular.

I also want to reiterate the suggestion to visit the mission in Carmel. Very, very interesting, and the garden is beautiful.