Words by Johanna Harlow
When I tell friends I’m spending the weekend in Carmel, I always need to clarify. No, not Carmel-by-the-Sea. Its lesser-known counterpart, Carmel Valley. Though less talked about than its seaside sister, this town 20 minutes inland exudes its own rustic chic charm with excellent dining, wine tasting, boutiques, golfing ranges and hiking trails. Sheltered from the brunt of the chilly sea breeze and creeping coastal fog, the area is drenched in sunshine and bordered by the stunning Santa Lucia Mountains.
Ranch Retreat
When I arrive at my lodging, it feels like I’ve stepped back in time. Wandering the Spanish stone hacienda of Holman Ranch, with its terracotta rooflines and wrought-iron sconces, I’m reminded of Carmel Valley’s long history of cattle ranching, which dates back to before California was even a twinkle in America’s eye—back when this land was a Mexican territory and the fellows roping livestock were called vaqueros, not cowboys.
Photo Above: Courtesy of Holman Ranch / Cover Photo: Courtesy of Carmel Valley Ranch
The presence of history is almost palpable here. A retreat since the early 20th century, the property became a Hollywood hideaway for the likes of Charlie Chaplin, Marlon Brando, Clark Gable and other stars seeking an out-of-the-way escape from the less-than-heavenly traffic and noise of the City of Angels. The property fell into disrepair for a time, but rose again in the 1950s as a working cattle ranch and holiday destination. I find remnants from those days: grainy black-and-white photos of guests and cowhands saddled up to ride the rolling hills, a long-horn skull above a doorway, an old saddle with that irresistible smell of leather. “Down below, where the pond is, that’s where they used to host the rodeos,” the estate’s hospitality manager Zoee Johnston tells me as she shows me the grounds.
It endures as an intimate getaway today (with a total of 10 cottages and 4 guest rooms in the inner courtyard), but these days you’ll find pinot rather than pintos on the ranch. Operating as a winery, olive grove and wedding venue, the property offers tastings and tours of its vineyard and wine cave. Though pinot noir isn’t typically the red I reach for, I find myself savoring every sip of Holman Ranch’s 2023 vintage, a vibrant bouquet of strawberry and cranberry, as we visit the vines. “It’s a very finicky grape, pinot noir. It requires a very specific climate,” notes Zoee.
Photo Courtesy of: 1504 – Holman Ranch
Grapes Galore
You’ll find Carmel Valley awash in great wine with well over a dozen tasting rooms dotting its half-mile-long downtown. If you’re one for whimsy, Scratch Wines beckons with blue velvet couches, boldly patterned carpets, funky sculptures and amiable staff. For a sophisticated Restoration Hardware-esque space, sip your chardonnay in the modern-luxe lounge or spacious patio at Pelio Estate Wines.
For an enchanting afternoon set amidst a storybook-style chateau and live music, find your way to Folktale Winery. We recommend keeping your glass company with a wood-fired flatbread or panini. Still thirsty? Keep the pinot pouring at Joyce Winery and I. Brand & Family.
Photo Courtesy of: See Monterey – Folktale Winery
Farmside Fun
We all know what goes great with wine. Stock up on cheese at Carmel Valley Creamery Co., where small batches are crafted on site from the milk of California Grade A cows and goats. Through the viewing window, peek in on the robust rounds aging on the racks. Some have been biding their time back there since before the pandemic!
Lean into the area’s rural charm at Earthbound Farm Stand to load up on organic local produce, curated houseware, specialty coffee and freshly-baked bread. Kick back in Adirondack chairs, wander the labyrinth or wind through the series of gardens. Head next door to Hacienda for a good ‘ol fashioned hay-and-feed general store as well as a sprawling outdoor area with picnic tables, blacksmith forge, saloon and petting zoo. Check out their line dancing and bingo nights or prove your mettle at a blacksmith class.
Activities Abound
Carmel Valley offers something for every kind of traveler. Those with an appetite for art should stop by Patricia Qualls Contemporary Art for large-scale abstracts, then head to Masaoka Glass Design to see resident artist Alan Masaoka designing stained glass masterpieces on site. Avid readers should peruse the shelves of Olivia & Daisy Books, and foodies should sample standout balsamic vinegar and olive oil at Quail and Olive. For the connoisseur of all things artisan, Tancredi & Morgen curates everything from coffee table books and handmade textiles to vintage champagne bowls and French-style caramels.
Photo Courtesy of: See Monterey – Refuge
If you still have energy, take your best swing at the 18-hole golf courses at Carmel Valley Ranch and Quail Lodge. Or if you’re all tuckered out, sign up for a spa treatment at Refuge instead. After some thermal-cycling with a series of hot and cold pools, detoxing in the eucalyptus steam rooms and toasting your hands over the firepits, you’re sure to feel renewed.
Delectable Dining
To fuel up for the day’s adventures, set a course for Sunny Bakery Café. A no-frills spot as welcoming as its name, it’ll pair your cappuccino with a mushroom-Gouda frittata or savory quiche.
Corkscrew Café embodies the Carmel Valley restaurant scene: unpretentious dining with really tasty food. Their wood-fired pizza oven doles out all the faithful standbys as well as pies with intriguing toppings. Like the elote pizza with roasted corn, shishito peppers, Calabria chilis, cotija cheese and lemon cream sauce or the salad pizza loaded with red onions, roasted red peppers, prosciutto, mixed greens and decadent globs of burrata, all drizzled in spicy honey.
For a waterside bite, make for Covey Grill—home to a gourmet burger crowned with triple-crème brie, bacon marmalade and butter pickles, not to mention chimichurri fries. Or embrace Carmel Valley’s rustic roots with Cal-Mex cuisine and old-school charm at Baja Cantina, coated in old photos and vintage automobile memorabilia, or the Running Iron, a honky-tonk that dangles weathered cowboy boots from the rafters.
Photo Courtesy of: Carmel Valley Ranch – Valley Kitchen
For dazzling indulgence, Valley Kitchen steals the show. From the spiced lamb on a bed of farro, cauliflower, dried fruit and nuts to the New York striploin with wild mushroom ragout, potatoes, pickled kohlrabi and Swiss chard, each elevated dish delivers a medley of flavors and textures. And don’t you dare skip dessert. The Orchard Apple may mimic its namesake, but sink in your spoon to discover gingerbread cake and a delightful pocket of apples, apple butter and caramel-like cajeta, all topped with a dainty chocolate stem.
Heavenly Hiking
Time to burn those extra calories on the trails. At the 4,462-acre Garland Ranch Regional Park, the terrain shifts from maple-filled canyons to oak woodlands to dense shrub-lined chaparral with paths running along the Carmel River and Garzas Creek. Palo Corona Regional Park provides an additional 4,500 acres of rolling hills to explore.
If you’re basing yourself at Holman Ranch, take advantage of the property’s private trails. You’ll be treated to stunning vistas of the valley on Sagebrush Trail. And if you continue to Lace Lichen Loop, you’ll find the aforementioned lichen cloaking the oak trees in alluring veils of lacey green.
Yes, Carmel-by-the-Sea will always have its charms, but Carmel Valley proves that other treasures lie just beyond the coast.
come to carmel – seemonterey.com
MORE LUXURY LODGINGS: Carmel Valley Ranch – A sprawling 500-acre luxury resort with a spa, golf course, courts for tennis and pickleball, pools and upscale restaurant. Bernardus Lodge – A European-style estate with an onsite vineyard. Each of its 73 guest rooms, suites and villas comes with a soaking tub and fireplace. Quail Lodge – A charming 93-room hotel with an 18-hole golf course and waterside restaurant.