Hi Fodorites,
Hoping for your expert insights on this.

I will be on business in California. But for 1 day I will escape andbe traveling with some friends for the day to the Monterey/Carmel area...

Please recommend what's best to do in 1 day? I love beautiful scenery, architecture, shopping, galleries, etc.

I would really appreciate your thoughts on 'what not to be missed' amazing things you love to do there. And also, please feel free to mention what to stay away from doing as well.

Thank you for taking the time to share.

What time of year? Will you spend the night before or after this day, or will this be a partial day because you're coming from somewhere else?

You can't do all of this in one day, but these are my favs:

17-Mile Drive
http://www.pebblebeach.com/page.asp?id=1373

Stroll around downtown Carmel

Point Lobos State Reserve
http://pt-lobos.parks.state.ca.us/

Monterey Aquarium
http://www.mbayaq.org/

I would spend the day in Carmel. Head to our beach at one point to take in the scenery. You can walk to the cliffs of Pebble Beach from our Carmel Beach. Pt. Lobos is an incredibly heavenly spot to spend a few hours. Drive along 17 Mile Drive at Pebble Beach. Have lunch at The Lodge at Pebble and your gate fee will be reimbursed.

We just returned from a 4 day stay in this area. If you love shopping and art galleries, downtown Carmel is perfect for you. Have lunch at Grasing's Coastal Cuisine or Casanova while in this area.

Try to schedule some time for the Monterey Bay Aquarium, we enjoy bike riding along the Recreation Trail there. The Red House Cafe in Pacific Grove is a nice spot in this area for a meal. I hope you enjoy your time in this beautiful area and Happy New Year! ***kim***

As you only have one day, spend it walking around Carmel. Shop, browse, eat, enjoy.

Hi,
Thanks for sharing your recommendations. I will be going in mid January for 1 full day.

You can easily do the Monterey Bay Aquarium AND downtown Carmel in one full day. (Probably even add the 17-mile drive if you hit the road early enough). The aquarium is great, but it's not very big, and for adults, you can breeze through in a couple of hours at most. I guess it depends how much time you want to spend poking around shops in Carmel (which is incredibly quaint/cute).

TICK...TICK..TICK...Kal...I thought there was a stench in the air. Only, I thought it was just the seaweed at the south point turning extra pungent. Turns out it was just the wannabe weeds intruding on the dunes. They say they're not native plants and really should never have been allowed on the coastline because they're so incredibly invasive. Would you concur, Razzledazzle?

Bring an umbrella in case we have rain.

You could easily spend the day looking at our charming architecture in Carmel. Tour the Tor House, which is located near Carmel Bay: http://www.torhouse.org/tours.htm The Carmel Mission is a nice place to tour if you have an interest in Spanish architecture and history. http://www.carmelmission.org/museum/ The mansions at Pebble Beach will give you a different flavor of architecture with beautiful homes tastefully placed along the Cypress and Pine trees, overlooking the ocean: http://www.pebblebeach.com/page.asp?...=_17_Mile_Home

I'm not sure where you're from but you'll notice while you're here that our flowers grow year-round.

Thanks for your great advice everyone!! Appreciate the feedback.