Carmel Beach

In early morning, canines of every make and model can be seen romping happily on the sugar-fine sand that graces a beach situated just below the ninth hole at world renowned Pebble Beach Golf Links. Carmel Beach, administered by the city, is one of few beaches in this part of the state where it’s legal for your dog to run free, and DogTrekkers come from all over the country and even abroad to take advantage of the privilege.The mile-long strand is within walking distance of the romantic village of  Carmel-by-the-Sea, one of the most architecturally unique and dog-friendly towns in America. If you’ve never seen a dog threaten to wag its tail right off its body from pure joy, you will when your pooch gets his paws wet while chasing waves on this cherished piece of real estate. more »

This is it, the holy grail of DogTrekking accommodations. Visitors arrive in Carmel-by-the-Sea from all points of the country and beyond to enjoy a stay at the Cypress Inn, where film star and animal lover Doris Day pioneered the concept of catering to pets. more »

When it comes to sheer beauty along the California coast, it’s hard to top the misty, magical Monterey Peninsula, where crashing waves serve as background music to the myriad experiences available to you and your four-legged companion. Top-dog honors go to Carmel-by-the-Sea, where a glorious, mile-long, leash-free beach takes center stage in a community so accepting of canines that people and pets travel from all over the country to vacation here. more »

In early morning, canines of every make and model can be seen romping happily on the sugar-soft sand that graces a beach set just below the ninth hole at world renowned Pebble Beach Golf Links. Carmel Beach is one of few beaches in this part of the state where it’s legal for your dog to run free, and DogTrekkers come from all over the country to take advantage of the privilege. more »

Maybe its something in the air, or some mysterious substance in the water. More likely, that mile-long, powder-white beach is what set Carmel-by-the-Sea on course to become the undisputed center of the dog-friendly universe in California. That and the wisdom of city officials and business owners who decided decades ago not just to tolerate dogs, but to embrace them.

If you’ve never seen a dog threaten to wag its tail right off its body from pure joy, you will when your pooch joins the many and varied canines chasing the surf at Carmel Beach, situated just below Hole 9 of the famous Pebble Beach Golf Links. The second-best thing about this storied leash-free strand: It’s walking distance from the charming town center, where shopkeepers set out water bowls, cashiers provide doggie treats and restaurateurs usher four-legged guests to heated patios reserved just for them and their owners.

In previous issues of DogTrekker, we’ve introduced you to some of our favorite Fido-friendy restaurants and other places to visit in Carmel, from the Fountain of Woof to that holy grail of dogdom, Doris Day’s Cypress Inn. You’ll discover your own favorites while strolling around town. And one thing’s for certain: you’ll be back.

It's no secret that Carmel-by-the-Sea is nirvana for dogs and the people who love them. But if your time is short and your schedule crammed, it doesn't hurt to have a few Fido-friendly restaurants programmed into your itinerary. Whether or not you're staying at the Cypress Inn, perhaps the world's most famous dog-friendly hotel, you owe it to yourself and your best friend to stop by for a drink or a meal at Terry's Lounge, the Living Room or the Garden Courtyard, where you'll be delighted to find that almost every guest is accompanied by a canine companion. Another fave dining spot is Porta Bella, which boasts a covered, heated patio where dogs are not only welcomed, but presented with water served in Champagne buckets. And don't overlook lush and leafy Forge in the Forest, famous for a "dog pound menu" featuring the "quarter hounder."

It’s easy for dogs and their people to fall in love with Carmel-by-the-Sea, which landed the No. 2 spot on the Dog Fancy list. Top attraction is mile-long, powder-white Carmel Beach, one of few legally leash-free strands in California and a glorious place for Rover to romp. But what makes this charming-yet-quirky resort community “heaven for dogs” is that canines aren’t just tolerated; they’re embraced. Many Carmel shop and gallery owners beckon pooches and their people inside with water bowls and treats. Dogs are allowed to bed down in 17 of Carmel’s 62 lodging establishments, (including the famous Cypress Inn), and to lounge tableside on the patios at PortaBella and more than a dozen other restaurants. Dog-loving Mayor Sue McCloud has even been known to bring Rob, her dandie dinmont terrier, to city council meetings. Meet you at the Fountain of Woof!
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