A dog’s day at Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

Carmel-by-the-Sea is a super dog-friendly town located just outside of Monterey, California. Carmel-by-the-Sea is home to plenty of shops, restaurants, and activities to keep you and your dog busy all day. Your dog will love this itinerary for the perfect summer day together.

Carmel-by-the-Sea Itinerary

Visit a Local Coffee Shop

Grab a coffee or latte at Carmel Valley Roasting Co. This quaint coffee shop is known for its flavorful coffee, tasty treats, and friendly baristas. Carmel Valley Roasting Co. is not dog-friendly indoors, but they will allow your dog inside while you’re placing or picking up your order. You can enjoy your coffee in their outdoor seating area or begin your walk to Carmel Sunset Beach.

Exercise at Carmel Sunset Beach

Carmel Sunset Beach is a dog-friendly beach where dogs are allowed to run off-leash during the day. The beach is open 8:00 a.m. to 1/2 hour after sunset. Most dog owners tend to stay on the North end of the beach to avoid being near the entrance, which is often crowded with people and children who are also playing in the sand.

Take Your Dog Shopping

After your dog has run off some energy at the beach, you can either walk or drive back to the shopping area. There are a few locally owned pet shops where you can purchase toys and treats for your pup.

• Diggidy Dog is a dog and cat boutique that sells treats, toys, apparel, and specialty collars. They also have a photographer available to take portraits of your dog.
• Carmel Dog Shop is a dog shop that sells treats, toys, apparel, and novelty items.
• Brad’s Barkery is a family-owned bakery that specializes in making dog treats from all-natural ingredients.

Grab Some Lunch

There are a ton of great dog-friendly restaurants in the area. Here are some of the most popular:

Dog-Friendly Restaurants

1. Treehouse Café is known for its cozy outdoor rooftop seating area, fine wines, and diverse menu. They even have a dog menu! The items on the dog menu are salmon filet, burger patty, and steamed chicken. Dogs are allowed in the outdoor seating area only.
2. Village Corner California Bistro serves Mediterranean-style dishes and has an outdoor seating area where you can dine with your dog.
3. Forge in the Forest is a local favorite for dog owners. Forge in the Forest serves American-style dishes and has a dog menu. The outdoor seating area is spacious and features a beautiful firepit centerpiece. Dogs are allowed in the outdoor seating area only.
4. Portabella serves French and Italian-style dishes. Dogs are allowed in the outdoor seating area only.
5. Basil Seasonal Dining is a Northern Italian restaurant known for its lovely brunches and cozy outdoor patio space. Dogs are allowed in the outdoor seating area only.

View the full list of dog-friendly restaurants in Carmel-by-the-Sea.

Taste Local Wines

Carmel-by-the-Sea has a lot of great dog-friendly places to taste local wines or grab a drink. Here are some of the most popular local wineries:

1. Scheid Vineyards Tasting Room has two vineyards in Monterey county and a tasting room in Carmel-by-the-Sea. Well-behaved dogs are allowed inside their tasting room.
2. Caraccioli Cellars is a family-operated winery with vintage wines and light appetizers. Well-behaved dogs are allowed inside their tasting room.
3. Dawn’s Dream Winery is a wine store and tasting room. Dogs are allowed in the outdoor seating area only.
4. Albatross Ridge Tasting Room. Albatross Ridge specializes in Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grown in their vineyards located in Carmel Valley. Dogs are allowed in the outdoor seating area only.
5. Talbott Vineyards serves Chardonnay and Pinot Noir made in their vineyards located in Monterey County. Well-behaved dogs are allowed inside their tasting room.

Watch a Sunset at Monastery Beach

There really isn’t any better way to end a day other than watching a sunset. Sunsets at Monastery Beach are unforgettable and not just because of the colors of the setting sun. The waves at this beach get quite large and you can feel the power of the ocean with each wave that crashes into the shore. The powerful crashing waves during sunset will have you feeling like you’re a part of the ocean in front of you. Dogs are allowed on the beach as long as they’re on leash.