stay in Carmel or Monterey
 

We will be in the Carmel area for 5 days in July, and wondered where to stay, Carmel or Monterey? It will be my husband and I, with 2 14 year old girls. We like renting houses and would like to be able to walk to restaurants, etc in the evening.
Thanks for suggestions!

Walking to restaurants are easy at both places. For us, we liked staying at Monterey. They are only a few minutes drive from one to the other. Not sure about house rentals though. I suspect that you might find more at Carmel.

Also consider Pacific Grove.

http://www.vrbo.com/vacation-rentals.../pacific-grove

Carmel is more romantic, upscale, and cute. Monterey is larger with more going on. Both are very walkable. With teenagers, I'd definitely choose Monterey - or Pacific Grove. I've never rented a house in either, so I don't have a good feeling for which town would have more available rentals.

I think both places are fine. If you want more small, narrow walkable streets in a quaint atmosphere, Carmel would be the choice. It's more quiet there in the evening, though. Don't know how the girls would like that. It's what I would prefer. You can certainly look on VRBO and see what comes up.

I love Carmel.

Carmel is more quaint/artist colony type - but Monterrey has more choices/less expenive. Pacific Grove is also nice - sort of "in between". :)

We have rented cottages in Carmel on several occasions in the past. We enjoy getting up and walking to Ocean Avenue and getting our morning coffee, reading the newspaper, and just generally enjoying days when time becomes of no consequence.

Otherwise, the others have given you a pretty accurate picture of the differences.

Monterey is busier.

Pacific Grove is "in-between".

If you want to splurge, there's also the Pebble Beach Resorts inside the 17 Mile Drive.