Destination: Carmel-by-the-Sea

Get an inside look at this California coastal town brimming with Old World charm from the designers and shop owners who call it home. 

- Devlin Smith

Attracting artists, tourists and nature lovers for generations, Carmel-by-the-Sea is located along central California’s coast, overlooking the Pacific Ocean. First settled by the Esselen and Ohlone, Carmel came under European control in the late 18th century with the establishment of Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo (also known as the Carmel Mission), one of 21 outposts set up by Spanish priests in California. More than a century later, with California part of the United States and already attracting folks from across the country to travel west, developers began subdividing the area and drawing new residents to Carmel.