Handicap HQ
Beautiful beach scene at sunset.
Photo by Erick Morales Oyola on Unsplash
Golf Trips / California / California

Plan Your Carmel-by-the-Sea Golf Trip in 60 Seconds

Storybook village, world-class golf, and Carmel Valley wine

Carmel pairs a walkable fairy-tale village of wine bars and bistros with access to the entire Pebble Beach gauntlet plus sun-soaked inland gems. Base here when you want charm and nightlife over a resort campus.

5
courses
Spring, Summer, Fall
best season
MRY
15 min drive
<10k
town size
The rota

Courses

Pebble Beach Golf LinksBucket List

The bucket-list round — cliffside par-3 7th and the iconic finishing hole over the Pacific

$675–$695
Par 72 · 6,972 yds
coastal · walkable
Spyglass Hill Golf CourseBucket ListTOP 100 PUBLIC

Often rated tougher than Pebble — dune holes named after Treasure Island characters

$475–$525
Par 72 · 6,960 yds
coastal · walkable
The Links at Spanish BayBucket ListDESIGNER CLASSIC

Seaside Scottish links with a nightly bagpiper — the most atmospheric round on the coast

$330–$370
Par 72 · 6,821 yds
links · walkable
Quail Lodge & Golf ClubPremium

Carmel Valley resort course along the Carmel River — sunny, mellow, and walkable

$120–$175
Par 71 · 6,480 yds
parkland · walkable
Carmel Valley RanchSolid

Pete Dye hillside layout climbing the oak-studded valley — quirky and scenic

$110–$160
Par 70 · 5,688 yds
mountain
Base camp

Where to Stay

houseSleeps 8–14

$600–$1,800 /night

Carmel-by-the-Sea village or Carmel Valley — cottages walkable to wine bars or sunny valley estates

fireplacefull kitchenwalk to villagecourtyarddecks
resort houseSleeps 8–16

$400–$900 /night

Quail Lodge or Carmel Valley Ranch — sunny resort campuses 15 minutes inland

on-site golfpoolsparestauranttee-time access
The table

Dining

Grasing's Coastal Cuisine

$$$
upscale

Carmel village fine dining with a heated patio and a Wine Spectator list

4.5★

Cultura Comida y Bebida

$$$
mexican

Oaxacan small plates and 150+ mezcals in a hidden courtyard — a standout group dinner

4.6★

The Cheese Shop & Wine Bar

$$
casual

Charcuterie and local pours — the easy first stop on a village bar crawl

4.7★

Carmel Valley Roadhouse

$$
casual

Sunny valley spot for big tables, burgers, and cold beer after a round at Quail

4.3★
After the round

Nightlife

Barmel

Late night
cocktail

Lively village cocktail bar with live music — the late-night anchor in sleepy Carmel

Sade's Cocktail Lounge

Late night
dive

Tiny no-frills Carmel institution — stiff pours and a local crowd since the 1940s

Scheid Family Wines Tasting Room

patio

Walkable village tasting room pouring estate Monterey wines — daytime crawl starter

Trailside Cafe & Beer Garden

patio

Carmel Valley beer garden with a creekside deck — relaxed afternoon pints

Off days

Activities

Carmel Valley Wine Trail

wineryhalf day$40–$95/pp

A dozen tasting rooms in walking distance in Carmel Valley Village — big reds and sun

Point Lobos Hike

hiking2-3 hours$10–$12/pp

The 'crown jewel' of the state park system — sea lions, cypress, and cobalt coves

Coastal Kayak Tour

kayaking2-3 hours$55–$90/pp

Paddle the Carmel or Monterey Bay kelp forests among otters and harbor seals

Sporting Clays in Carmel Valley

skeet2-3 hours$70–$130/pp

Sporting clays in the hills above the valley — guns and instruction available

Ready when you are

Build the Carmel-by-the-Sea trip.

Plan this trip →
Nearby

Similar Golf Trip Destinations

Monterey, CA

The bucket-list capital of American golf

6 courses · 4 bars

Palm Springs, CA

Sunshine, mid-century cool, and wall-to-wall desert golf

5 courses · 4 bars

Palm Desert, CA

PGA West, Stadium glory, and the valley's best public courses

5 courses · 4 bars

Napa, CA

Wine country golf, big-cabernet nights, and Silverado

5 courses · 4 bars

Head-to-head
Planning GuideCost Breakdown
More California trips →All California trips →All destinations