Carmel-by-the-Sea is the one of the most dog-friendly towns in California. It is a place where you can sip wine on a patio with your pup, wander through secret passageways, admire fairy tale cottages, and enjoy a stunning white sand beach where dogs are allowed to run off-leash. After spending three nights here with my dog Pepper, I put together this guide to help you plan the perfect dog-friendly Carmel getaway. From downtown walks to gorgeous coastal trails, and a day trip to Big Sur, this itinerary is the perfect adventure for you and your dog.
If you want a California getaway filled with architecture, ocean views, and happy pups everywhere, Carmel is the perfect choice.
Outline
- Map
- Architecture of Carmel-by-th-Sea
- Where to Stay
- Where to Eat
- Notes About Travelling with a Dog
- Other Logistics and Tips
- 3 Night Itinerary
- Day 1 – Arrive
- Day 2 – Explore downtown Carmel-by-the-Sea
- Day 3 – Day Trip
- Day 4 – Depart
- Enjoy Your Trip!
Map
Locations saved on the map are all dog-friendly.
Architecture of Carmel-by-the-Sea
Carmel-by-the-Sea was developed as an artist community in the early 1900’s. In the 1920’s, Hugh Comstock built a cottage for his wife as a studio for her doll-making hobby. Throughout the 1920’s and 1930’s, Comstock continued to build several more cottages and others began building in a similar style. Since then, Carmel has developed with strict preservation guidelines to preserve the cottages. In addition to the cottage style, Carmel has some other interesting restrictions like no streetlights, and no addresses. In 2024, Carmel decided to have addresses for fire safety concerns, but the town still maintains some interesting guidelines for development.
Downtown Carmel-by-the-Sea is no longer an affordable artist community, but has developed into a well-maintained downtown with an intense amount of art galleries. In addition to the cottages, there is other noteworthy architecture in town like a Frank Lloyd Wright designed home right on the beach on the south side of Carmel Beach. You’ll find stunning homes throughout Carmel, and there is a lot more to see than just the famous original fairy tale cottages. This is a town that values art and beauty, and it shows.
Where to Stay
For maximum walkability, downtown Carmel-by-the Sea is ideal. Downtown is small and easy to walk around. You can even walk to the beach from downtown. If you stay outside of downtown or plan on venturing much farther, you will need a car. On my last visit, I stayed in a Home Exchange near Mission Trail Park. I could have walked to downtown from there, but many areas have no sidewalks, and after dark there are no streetlights in the neighborhoods, which makes it tricky to walk everywhere. There are many dog-friendly hotels in downtown.
Where to Eat
There are many restaurants downtown with dog friendly patios. I was surprised at how accommodating the town was. I saved many restaurants on the map that are all dog-friendly. Village Corner Bistro was extremely nice to my dog and they have a lovely dog-friendly patio (and a delicious Reuben).
Traveling Carmel with a Dog (Energy, Schedules, Planning Tips)
When traveling with a dog, I need to plan more to manage her energy levels. That means giving my dog the off-leash time she needs to get out her extra energy and taking breaks to let her nap. Pepper is a mix of German Shorthair Pointer and German Shepherd, so she has high energy needs, but also naps a lot! Depending on your dog’s needs, you may need to adjust your itinerary. I tend to give her time for off-leash running and plan on spending a few hours each day for long lunches, afternoon naps, or long car rides to let her recover. I also planned the first full day with a lot of walking and the second day with more car time.
Other Logistics and Tips (Parking, Bathrooms, Weather)
Downtown Carmel-by-the-Sea has some public parking lots and public bathrooms in the parks (that are actually clean!). Even if you are just visiting for the day, or staying outside of downtown, Carmel is easy to park and navigate. I saved two parking lots on the map, but there is also free 2-hour street parking throughout downtown and near the beach. Some of the residential areas have more restricted street parking, but I was able to find blocks that did allow parking if there was somewhere I wanted to stop.
Some of the trails listed have poison oak and ticks. These are common throughout northern California. If you are unfamiliar with them make sure to be aware and check your dog for ticks later.
Carmel has mild weather which means you can visit any time of year. With that said, even in the summer it can be foggy so always plan to pack some layers and check weather before your trip.
3-Night Itinerary
Plan the perfect getaway in dog-friendly Carmel-by-the-Sea
Day 1 – Arrive in Carmel
Check into your accommodation in the afternoon. If your dog is like mine, she needed a run after the car ride. Mission Trail Park and Carmel Beach allow dogs off-leash.
If you have time, stop into the Visitor’s Center downtown and pick up pamphlets that show the locations of the fairy-tale cottages and courtyards and passageways. Alvarado Street Brewery is in the same courtyard as the Visitor’s Center and has a happy hour Monday – Thursday 3-5pm. The courtyard allows dogs.
Check what time the sun sets during your visit. Depending on the time of year, this could be before 5pm in the winter and as late as 8:30pm in the summer. One of the days you are here, you need to take an evening stroll along Scenic Road to catch the sunset. Make sure to check out the Frank Lloyd Wright House and the Butterfly House, two of the only homes built right on the water.
Day 2 – Explore Carmel-by-the-Sea
Start your morning with a dog walk at the beach. My dog is much better behaved if she gets some running done in the morning so we took our time walking the entire length of the beach. Check out the views towards Pebble Beach while you enjoy the white sand and turquoise water with the sound of crashing waves. There is parking along Scenic Drive and multiple stairways that lead down to the beach.
After taking your time for breakfast, plan on spending a few hours downtown. If you didn’t stop by the Visitor’s Center yesterday, pick up the maps of the cottages and secret passageways. There are so many secret passageways, courtyards, and unique architecture throughout downtown, even without a map you will love just strolling. I walked up and down every street in downtown. Dogs are allowed in most of the courtyards and passageways, and even in many stores.
For a lunch break, I saved many locations that are all dog-friendly on the map. I had a long lunch at Village Corner Bistro on the patio and gave Pepper a chance to rest.
In the afternoon, if you still have energy for more walking, many of the fairy-tale cottages are just northeast of downtown near 6th Avenue and Santa Fe Street. I drove around to explore more while giving Pepper a chance to nap in the car.
Another great place for an afternoon walk is Carmel Meadows. It is a short drive to the trailhead and they allow dogs on leash. There are a few benches along the trail to stop and rest and enjoy the views. Nearby Carmel River State Beach also allows dogs but only on-leash.
In the evening, take another sunset walk along the beach and enjoy dinner in downtown or at your accommodations.
Day 3 – Day Trip!
After your full day in Carmel, take a day trip nearby. On my recent trip, I took a full day to explore Big Sur from Carmel and found it to be a perfect day trip. I am working on a full post about Big Sur with a dog and will link it here once that is ready to go.
In the morning, I took Pepper to Carmel Beach again for more off-leash running to start her day. Most places in Big Sur that allow dogs are on-leash only, so I wanted to make sure she got her running in to start the day.
After breakfast, I spent 6 hours driving down highway 1 stopping along the way for scenic views, short walks, and a picnic lunch. I turned around just after McWay Falls in Pfeiffer State Park. It felt like the right amount of time, but I could have spent even more time if I wanted. It is worth noting that you can definitely take your dog to Big Sur, but there are a lot of trails and places that dogs are not welcome so make sure to research where they are allowed before you go.
Other places for a day trip from Carmel include Monterey and the 17-Mile Drive, or a day trip out to Carmel Valley for hiking and wine tasting.
After returning to Carmel, take your dog on a walk at one of the locations mentioned in day 2 and enjoy dinner.
Day 4 – Head Home – or Somewhere Else!
I spent my last morning at Carmel Beach again, letting Pepper run! Enjoy breakfast and head out to your next destination. I walked around the neighborhood to check out fairy-tale cottages before leaving.
For my drive home, I headed north back to San Francisco and decided to take the long way along highway 1. Depending on traffic, it is only about 30 minutes longer to take the scenic route along highway 1 than the faster freeways. I wrote a post about my favorite stops for a day trip down to Pescadero if you decide to stop along that route.
Enjoy Your Trip!
Three nights in Carmel is the perfect amount of time to explore the beaches, wander through its fairy‑tale neighborhoods, enjoy the dog‑friendly patios, and even take a scenic day trip to Big Sur or Carmel Valley. Whether your dog loves running on the beach or napping on sunny patios, Carmel makes traveling with dogs easy and beautiful.
If you have questions or want tips for planning your own dog‑friendly trip to Carmel‑by‑the‑Sea, leave a comment below. And stay tuned for my upcoming post on dog‑friendly stops in Big Sur!
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