Carmel, Calif.

When locals say Carmel, they mean Carmel-by-the-Sea, the quaint seaside village on California's Central Coast without street lights and addresses, where Clint Eastwood was mayor once upon a time.

But many also mean nearby coastal Carmel Highlands and Carmel Valley. The three enclaves have long drawn artists, writers and bohemian types, like Jack Kerouac and Salvador Dalí, who came to the region for its fresh Pacific Ocean air, starry night skies, the Santa Lucia Mountains and sandy beaches off dramatic coastal cliffs. Those natural features now attract a new cohort of creatives, resulting in a profusion of locavore restaurants, snazzy shops, art galleries and boutique hotels. Next year, the completed renovation of the Monterey airport, designed by the architecture design firm HOK, may make access to the area even easier for visitors and residents alike.

Recommendations

Itinerary

3 p.m.

Eat and stroll the sunny valley

Carmel Valley Village, which was established (first as Airway Village) in 1946 as a spot for cowboys and ranchers to purchase supplies and provisions, is always beyond the coastal fog. Today it has an array of wine tasting rooms, places to eat, art galleries and an arts institute, Hidden Valley, specializing in opera, dance, theater and musical performances.

First stop is Carmel Valley Creamery, which has a hitching post in case you come on horseback. Originally from Normandy, France, the cheesemaker Sophie Hauville has a selection that includes a coriander-infused cheese washed with beer ($12 for a half wheel). She also sells Alta coffee (lattes are $5), fresh pastries ($6) and bread from Ad Astra Bread Co ($10 to $12). Next, quench your thirst with a classic tasting ($35 per person) at Pelio Estate, a boutique winery owned by two sisters. They offer wines from sustainably and organically farmed grapes, plus curated picnic baskets ($50).

5:30 p.m.

Slide into the evening with a drink in Carmel-by-the-Sea

As the sun starts to set, pop in for local wine at Annex Wine Bar, owned by the same proprietors as the Seventh & Dolores restaurant next door. For their Reserve Flight ($60 per person), the Annex serves five limited-production offerings, including Folktale We are a Flower (a sauvignon-blanc Sémillon), and Folktale the Hound (a classic Bordeaux blend). The owners, Greg and Madigan Ahn, are originally from Los Angeles, and on a Friday evening you're likely to find them laughing, eating oysters and chatting with customers.

Also try Bud's "Dime Time" Happy Hour at the La Playa Hotel — once a luxurious mansion built as a gift to Angela Ghirardelli, an heiress to the famed chocolate fortune. The newly restored bar honors the local legend Howard "Bud" Allen. Once a day — at the bartender's discretion — a 10-cent happy hour commences for just 10 minutes.

8 p.m.

Feast as the fog rolls in

Two great approaches to Friday dinner: Either feast at the newly Michelin-starred Chez Noir, where owners Jonny and Monique Black live upstairs and serve a local, micro-seasonal, seafood-centric menu (start with artichokes with Monterey squid, then nettle and potato gnocchi, finish with Brandt Beef — $150 prix fixe per person). Or try the laid-back Stationaery, where chef Amalia Scatena sources seasonal produce from Monterey and Santa Cruz County farms. Try the Ad Astra sourdough ($14) and grilled swordfish on romesco ($49), crowned with Basque cheesecake ($13).

A very good dog peers out from the sidecar of a vintage-looking e-bike at Mad Dogs & Englishmen, a bike shop in Carmel-by-the-Sea. Photographs by Jason Henry for The New York Times.

7 a.m.

Walk — or ride — off those carbs

Most of your breakfast needs can be solved at Rise + Roam Bakery in Carmel-by-the-Sea, where chef Jessica Haney makes seasonal quiche, cinnamon rolls and classic biscuits (from $4). Afterward, pick up your favorite caffeine at the Mad Dogs & Englishmen bike shop — they partner with one of the oldest family-run coffee producers in the world, Dieseldorff Kaffee. But really visit to rent a vintage-style Scrambler e-bike with a sidecar ($150 for the day, plus $10 for dog accessories). Ride to one of the region's many dog-friendly beaches, or go to Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo (museum, store and grounds, $15 per person), a National Historic Landmark considered the most authentically restored Franciscan mission in California.

10 a.m.

Get out on the bay

To view local sea creatures, you have many options. Walking the trails at Point Lobos State Natural Reserve ($10 parking) is most accessible — gray whales, which migrate past from December to April, can be easily spotted from the coast. Or book a whale-watching boat tour on Monterey Bay with Princess Monterey Whale Watching (from $70, up to three hours). Or book a kayak tour ($65 per person, three hours) in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary to see sea otters, seals, sea lions and dolphins up close. If local wine is more your speed, reserve a seat with Carmel Valley Wine Tours ($179 per person, five hours).

1 p.m.

Grab a picnic and head to the beach

En route to Carmel Beach, stop at Dutch Door Donuts for a fried-to-order doughnut (the flavors are distinctive — think seasonal guava-lime, or classic chocolate brown butter, $4.50). For something more substantial, select a picnic of cheeses, deli snacks, sandwiches and drinks from Nielsen Brothers market. Friendly to off-leash dogs and right at the foot of Ocean Avenue, Carmel Beach has silvery sand and an annual sandcastle contest. As you amble to the shoreline, you'll see views of the famed 17-Mile Drive (admission is $12.25 per vehicle).

3 p.m.

Stroll around an art colony village

Some of the region's fairy-tale vibes come from 21 tiny, zany cottages scattered around Carmel-by-the-Sea that the self-taught architect Hugh Comstock built in the 1920s for his wife, Mayotta Brown. But this petite town has been a haven for artists for over a century. Salvador Dalí was an early member of the Carmel Art Association, and even though photographer Ansel Adams lived here at one point, it was Edward Weston who captured its beauty.

Check out local galleries — a highlight is Monica Graham Fine Art — or just explore the village for yourself. The Carmel Heritage Society suggests a self-guided walking tour (download it from their website). The Carmel Public Library Foundation also offers community events like talks about Henry Miller's influence on the area.

5 p.m.

Do some amusing shopping

Start at the chic Japanese menswear brand Visvim, known for combining modern technical ways to enhance garments with age-old production techniques. Then nip next door to one of the best collections of vintage unisex clothing stores in California, Wally's. If you want something remarkably quirky, the Mole Hole is just where to dig that up — a truly one-of-a-kind gift store with everything from tiny woodsy ceramic animals to collectors-edition brass Monopoly pieces. And the Nut Hut next door handles all your gourmet gift basket needs.

7 p.m.

Eat with the locals

At The Pocket, find some of the best dishes on the Central Coast — roasted beets with chicory ($17), or Monterey black cod with blood orange ($47). For a French twist, try La Bicyclette's plats du jour (Cannellini d'Emilia with pork, $42). For Italian comfort food, Il Tegamino's ravioli di campagna with eggplant ($38) is delicious. And if you can get a reservation, Akaoni (831-620-1516) will not disappoint — known for its master chef's sushi selection ($60 and up) with just a few seats and limited hours.

9 p.m.

Continue the evening at local bars

The actual bar at Barmel was built in 1900 and was once owned by one of San Francisco's most famous madams, Sally Stanford (who later became the mayor of Sausalito). This saloon-style cocktail bar is inspired by gangsters, Prohibition and the California gold rush era — one of the very few late-night dance spots in an otherwise sweetly sleepy little town, with weekly live music, DJs and plenty of nightlife credibility. It all shuts down by 2 a.m. If you'd rather meet some cowboys, head to the Running Iron Restaurant and Saloon in the valley, with its jukebox and cowboy boots hanging from the ceiling.

The sunset over Monterey Bay at Marina Dunes Preserve, in Marina. Photographs by Jason Henry for The New York Times.

9 a.m.

Caffeine and a tour of an organic garden

In Carmel Valley, at Earthbound Farm's organic farm stand, grab a cappuccino (they serve Sightglass coffee from San Francisco) and their Sunrise Breakfast Bowl (gluten-free, with roasted sweet potatoes, sautéed kale and chili yogurt dressing, $16). If you have extra time, take a tour of the grounds with their gardener, or pick your own fresh herbs and berries. They have plenty of seasonal activities — flower bouquet making in spring, lavender harvesting in summer, pumpkin picking in fall, and wreath-making in winter.

11 a.m.

Grab some fresh air and forever ocean views

Just a 10-minute drive down the Pacific Coast Highway on a mostly foggy, windy road is Garrapata State Park, ideal for hiking and walking at all levels. On the coastal side is Soberanes Point with Whale Peak (a 280-foot climb), offering sterling views of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. On the other side is the Soberanes Canyon Trail (2.8 miles out-and-back, 1.5 hours) — where you will find redwoods and wildflowers. Parking is along the side of the road.