Carmel by the Sea is the ideal romantic getaway. Condé Naste Traveler ranked Carmel one of the top-ten destinations in the U.S. Why is the small town of Carmel so appealing to so many? Maybe, it is its natural beauty (white sandy beach and Monterey Cypress trees), or is it the rich artistic history. There is no doubt that Carmel is a relaxing setting to enjoy great wine, food, spas and more. Carmel's Chamber of Commerce has a comprehensive online resource for anyone planning a special getaway. Just in case here are a few suggestions:
Wine
Wine lovers will not be disappointed in Carmel. You can do wine tasting in town, or you can check out near by Carmel Valley. The picturesque winding road through the Carmel Valley is a perfect drive to explore wine. The Carmel Valley Appellation was granted in 1983. The valley is especially known for its Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, which makes up 70% of the wine production. See Monterey lists the wineries and tasting rooms in the Carmel Valley. During a recent visit to Carmel Valley we checked out the following:
1. Bernardus Winery's tasting room is at 5W Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Village. There you can taste their wines. Nestled between the vineyard and oaks at 415 W Carmel Valley Road you will find the award winning Bernardus Lodge, with restaurants and spa.
2. Chateau Julien Wine Estate at 8940 Carmel Valley Road is a beautiful winery located on 16 acres, at the foot of the Carmel Valley Mountains. Check out their upcoming events and wines.
3.Georis Winery and Vineyards has a tasting room located at 4 Pilot Road, Carmel Valley Village. You can taste wines in a beautiful garden setting. Georis also has a great restaurant called the Corkscrew Café.
4. Heller Estate Organic Vineyards tasting room is at 68 West Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Valley Village. Heller Estate is one of the few wineries in California producing 100% certified organic wines. Dances on Your Palette label used by Heller Estate has received many awards in Europe and America.
5. Joullian Vineyards has a tasting room at 2 Village Drive, Suite A (1/2 block south of Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Valley Village). They produce estate grown Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc, Carmel Valley's only Zinfandel and Chardonnay from grapes grown in cooler Salinas Valley vineyards.
6. Parsonage Village Vineyard has a tasting room and Quilt Art Gallery at 19 E Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Valley Village. Wines produced by this boutique winery from their estate vineyard include Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petite Verdot.
7. Talbott Vineyards has a tasting room at 53 W Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Village. Talbott is a family run, estate winery that produces Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from its vineyards in Carmel Valley and Santa Lucia Highlands AVA's.
Spas
Carmel has a great selection of spa options. For a day spa check out Carmel's Day Spa and Uptake lists. If you are looking for full service spas check the following:
1. The Spa at Bernardus Lodge
3. Quail Valley Lodge Wellness and Fitness
4. La Playa Hotel Spa Services
You will find all you need in spas services in Carmel.
Roses and more
Clearly, Carmel offers a perfect romantic escape. Any time you can get away to such a beautiful setting and have dinner with wine and roses, walk beautiful Carmel beach is so special. Check the BlogMonterey for award winning Monterey County hotels. Also Carmel's travel website, Tripadvisor and Yahoo Travel provide extensive information on charming accommodations (romance packages), world-class restaurants and much more. If you are planning a trip book ahead, as accommodations in Carmel fill up quickly. An escape to Carmel is so special.
Check out my travel column, or visit me at Spaswinefood.
© Sharon Parsons
Follow me on Twitter and Facebook
You can receive email alerts when new articles are published, by clicking subscribe in the top left hand corner. You will not be spammed and can unsubscribe at any time.
Comments