Carmel-by-the-Sea, usually called simply Carmel, is a small town in Monterey County, California, United States, founded in 1902 and incorporated in 1916. Situated on the Monterey Peninsula, the town is known for its natural scenery and rich artistic history. In 1906, the San Francisco Call devoted a full page to the “artists, poets and writers of Carmel-by-the-Sea,” and in 1910 it reported that 60 percent of Carmel’s houses were built by citizens who were “devoting their lives to work connected to the aesthetic arts.” Early City Councils were dominated by artists, and the town has had several mayors who were poets or actors, including Herbert Heron, founder of the Forest Theater, bohemian writer and actor Perry Newberry, and actor-director Clint Eastwood, who was mayor for one term, from 1986 to 1988.

The town is known for being “dog-friendly”, with numerous hotels, restaurants and retail establishments admitting guests with dogs. Carmel is also known for several unusual laws, including a prohibition on wearing high-heel shoes without a permit, enacted to prevent lawsuits arising from tripping accidents caused by irregular pavement.

Monterey

Monterey is a spectacular coastal community in northern California with a temperate climate year-round. Visitors from around the world come to Monterey to experience its natural beauty, cultural resources and rich historic past. Located 115 miles south of San Francisco and 350 miles north of Los Angeles, Monterey offers an excellent quality of life and unparalleled beauty. The City features a dazzling waterfront along the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, a lush urban forest, a rich array of historic and cultural resources, museums, gardens, recreational activities and a wide variety of special events scheduled throughout the year.

Monterey is the home of the world-class Monterey Bay Aquarium, located on the street immortalized in John Steinbeck’s novel Cannery Row, and features renowned events such as the annual Monterey Jazz Festival. Monterey has a world-class Monterey Conference Center and many wonderful restaurants, hotels, galleries and shops sprinkled among its various shopping districts