Carmel Valley Village

Part of Monterey County, Carmel Valley is a quiet, yet popular wine lovers vacation destination. The city offers miles of vineyards spread throughout the reclusive area, with wine tours and restaurants providing most of its commerce. Geographically speaking, Carmel Valley spans almost 20 square miles of woodsy hillside terrain and is nestled in the Santa Lucia range. It is also situated just a couple miles inland from Carmel-by-the-Sea, another favored central California tourist spot. The two cities are connected by Carmel Valley Road, which meanders eastward from the Pacific Ocean. The long road traverses over a couple miles and is placed around a handful of high-end hotels.

Carmel Valley’s residential layout is sparsely scattered along woodsy, rolling hills. Ranch homes and long, dusty roads that carve around the landscape are all too common within the city’s limits. Houses on the market today are going anywhere from $500,000 to over a few million, which gives the perspective resident a wide range of middle to upper middle-class options. The community is largely white (about 90%), while the median household incomes are estimated at $85,000/year.

The city’s commercial quarters are nothing more special than a small-town gas stop on a cross-country tour. Small community shops and restaurants are centered around Carmel Valley Road and don’t offer much except the daily household necessities. You’ll also come across a couple antique shops, art galleries and its most prized attraction, wine tasting venues. Elsewhere, you can find three golf courses (including Carmel Valley Ranch Golf Center), all of which are connected to world-class resorts. To the south, many residents travel to Garland Ranch Regional Park. The parkland spans 4,000 plus acres and offers miles of beautiful mountain trails perfect for hiking, biking and horseback riding.

With average home prices around $700K, tiny Carmel Valley Village is relatively secluded pocket community to the southeast of Carmel proper. This has the look and feel of a lot of communities farther to the south with the iconic chaparral covered hills. (There is even a Chaparral Road.) Homes here are largely of the large Ranch variety—giving Carmel Village a sort of mid 1980’s feel.

This is really a family area without a lot to do in terms more exciting entertainment. The schools are outstanding. And there is lots of open spaces.

There is a fair amount of tourist action here, as well, anchored by the lodges on the northern end of town. You can also find some very expensive, romantic restaurants attached to these places, such as Marinus at the Bernadus Lodge. There is also the Athena Café, which is a very good Mediterranean diner.

Now, this is a great place to visit for a romantic weekend if you have the funds or to stop by on your way somewhere else.

But in terms of living here? Maybe a bit on the dull side.