Carmel Surfing Travel Guide

Carmel Surfing Travel Guide

Other Guides for Carmel

Surfing Destinations Near Carmel

Travel Guides Near Carmel

Pacific Coast Surfing States/Provinces

Beach Travel Destinations

advertisement
Sunrise over Carmel Beach in Monterey County, California
Carmel Beach (courtesy, Monterey County Convention and Visitors Bureau)
Submit a travel tip

Submit a travel tip about Carmel.
Read Our House Rules

On This Page:

Carmel Surfing Travel Tips

By Ludmilla Alexander

  • Grab your board—waves are superb at Carmel Beach, which is protected from northwest winds.
  • Hit Pebble Beach for its thin, friendly waves with easy takeoffs. In a strong swell, however, waves speed up and tube rides are plentiful.
  • Visit Ghost Tree off 17-Mile Drive for monster waves that break dangerously close to shore. A local ordinance prohibits powercraft to tow surfers into position.
  • Come prepared for cold water and temperamental weather on the coast—heavy rain, dense fog, and strong winds are common.

Carmel-by-the-Sea Travel Guide

Carmel began as a seaside artists' colony that attracted luminaries such as Sinclair Lewis, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Ansel Adams. Residents resisted assigned street numbers and lighting and carried lanterns, which they considered more romantic. The town is still intimate enough that addresses remain unnumbered—Carmel's inns, restaurants, boutiques, and galleries identify their locations by cross streets—but that ragtag bohemian village is a thing of yesteryear. Carmel is now a tourist hot spot, weekend traffic can be intolerable, and lodging rates are grossly inflated. But thousands of annual visitors are taken nonetheless with its eclectic dwellings, quaint cafes, majestic cypresses, and silky white beaches. Read More

Ask a Question

Do you have a travel question about this destination or can you provide a tip to a fellow traveler?

ask a question

Join the discussion with Away.com's in-house experts in our travel Q&A.

Hotels

Seaway Inn

176 West Cliff Drive
Santa Cruz, CA Map

Distance: 28.7 mi.
(from destination center)

Hotel Class: Not Yet Rated
Good For Surfing
Expert Rated & Recommended
4.0
from: $169

L Auberge Carmel

Monte Verde and 7th Avenue
Carmel, CA 93921 Map

Distance: 0.2 mi.
(from destination center)

Hotel Class: 5 class stars

expert favorite hotel
Expert Rated & Recommended
5.0
from: $139

Seascape Resort Monterey Bay

One Seascape Resort Drive
Aptos, CA 95003 Map

Distance: 27.5 mi.
(from destination center)

Hotel Class: 3 class stars

expert favorite hotel
Expert Rated & Recommended
5.0
5.0
All Carmel Hotels »
advertisement

compare rates

Attractions

Steamer Lane

expert favorite attraction
Good For Surfing
Hwy. 1 to Bay St. towards ocean
West Cliff Dr.
Santa Cruz, California

Distance: 28.0 mi. (from destination center)

Description: Steamer Lane is a famous surfing site in Santa Cruz, California. It's home to the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum, which is housed in the Mark Abbott Memorial Lighthouse.... Read More
Expert Rated & Recommended
4_0

Cowell/Main Beach

expert favorite attraction
Good For Surfing
Santa Cruz, California

Distance: 28.5 mi. (from destination center)

Description: Main Beach and Cowell Beach are located on either side of the Santa Cruz Municipal Pier, near the... Read More
Expert Rated & Recommended
4_0

Andrew Molera State Park Beach

Good For Surfing
Big Sur


Distance: 19.1 mi. (from destination center)

Description: Andrew Molera State Park Beach is a relatively undeveloped area that offers opportunities for... Read More
Expert Rated & Recommended
4_0
4_0
All Carmel Attractions »

Airports

Major Airports near Carmel

Distance (mi.)
San Jose International Airport 55.2 map
San Francisco International Airport 77.7 map
Oakland International Airport 82.0 map

Other Smaller Airports near Carmel

Distance (mi.)
Carmel/Monterey Peninsula Airport 4.4 map
Modesto Municipal Airport 91.3 map
Merced Municipal Airport 92.6 map

Flight Deals to Carmel

Originating From
Los Angeles (LAX) to San Jose (SJC) $126
San Diego (SAN) to San Jose (SJC) $145
Las Vegas (LAS) to San Jose (SJC) $146
Seattle (SEA) to San Jose (SJC) $166
Denver (DEN) to San Jose (SJC) $176

Feature Articles

  • San Francisco
    outside
    IF YOU'VE HAD your fill of lingering summer fog, yoga-mat gridlock, and a whole lotta dazed and confused former dotcommers, now's the time to leave your heart in San Francisco but take the rest of you out yonder to Sierra peaks and serene redwood forests.
See All Feature Articles on Carmel »

Carmel Vacation Rentals

check rates
from: $185

Warm And Cozy Large Sunny Cottage

Bedrooms: 1
Bathrooms: 1
Sleeps: 2
Amenities: Coffee Maker, DVD Player, Fireplace, Full kitchen, Hair Dryer, Kitchenette, Laundry, Linens, Microwave, Non-Smoking, Oven, Pets OK, Phone, Refrigerator, Stove, TV, Utensils
check rates
from: $180

3 Bedroom House

Bedrooms: 3
Bathrooms: 3
Sleeps: 6
Amenities: Fireplace, Full kitchen, Garage, Hot Tub, Laundry, Non-Smoking, Patio
check rates
from: $164

3 Bedroom Carmel Home

Bedrooms: 3
Bathrooms: 2.5
Sleeps: 6
Amenities: Air Conditioning, Ceiling fans, Coffee Maker, DVD Player, Dishwasher, Fireplace, Full kitchen, Garage, Hair Dryer, Iron, Microwave, Non-Smoking, Oven, Patio, Refrigerator, Stereo, Stove, TV
All Carmel Vacation Rentals »

Compare Rates

Powered by Trip.com
advertisement

Traveler's Currency Converter

Foreign Currency
U.S. Dollar Amount
$

Country
convert Currency

Powered by eZforex
advertisement