Follow Carmel Valley Road to a world of horse ranches, wineries, and world-class resorts of gracious intimacy. Find yourself surrounded by California poppies and purple lupines as you enter the Santa Lucia Preserve — 20,000 acres set aside in perpetuity as a wildlife habitat.
Adventure seekers can negotiate the trails in Garland Ranch Regional Park by horseback, mountain bike, or foot, with the Lupine Loop being the ultimate in wildflower trails.
Take the Monterey Salinas Transit’s Grapevine Express, which runs from Monterey to Carmel Village, and spend a day sampling the vintages of winemakers like Georis, Chateau Sinnet, Heller Estate and others. Enjoy an array of dining experiences like the highly rated Village Fish House, where the locals gather for its homey, casual atmosphere and some of the freshest fish on the peninsula.
Across the street is the legendary Running Iron Restaurant and Saloon, where you’ll swear you’ve stepped back into the Wild, Wild West, as you order pints of pale ale for you and your posse from local beer maker, Dean Hatfield of the boutique Carmel Valley Brewing Co.
For a sophisticated shopping experience, Kim3 International Furnishings has a 30,000-square-foot lotus garden comprising of pottery, statuary, and fountains, living harmoniously with Asian antiques and pieces from Brazil, Bali, and Thailand.
Carmel Village is home to many artist studios, such as Cynthia Johnson-Bianchetta, who creates abstract paintings, monotypes, and photographic images that celebrate the ephemeral beauty of Earth’s transitory nature. Using the ashes from the Big Sur fires, she has created a must-see series called Smoke & Ash. Visit her studio at 8 El Caminito, off Carmel Valley Road.
Carmel Valley Road twists and turns into the Ventana Wilderness and eventually leads to the world-famous Tassajara Zen Retreat, where guests can join the residents for meditation and chanting every morning and evening (free instruction is offered daily at 4 p.m.).
When the coast is foggy, you can find your place in the sun in Carmel Valley, where it averages about 300 sunny days out of the year.
