Mondays on Mission Street: The Carmel Plaza

In the spirit of the Holiday Season, today's "Mondays on Mission Street" column is all about SHOPPING! Downtown Carmel-by-the-Sea is home to myriad clothing boutiques and specialty shops, and The Carmel Plaza, specifically, is the epicenter and home to some of the area's best shopping in terms of variety and quality.

The Carmel Plaza

Ocean Avenue & Mission Street

831.624.1385

The Carmel Plaza is an outdoor shopping center, with beautiful floral accents, a cozy, cottage-like exterior, and both upscale and casual shopping options. The Plaza is home to contemporary stores such as J Crew, Anthropologie, Kate Spade, Cole Haan, as well as luxury stores like Tiffany and Co., and Bottega Veneta. Many stores you would find in a metropolitan area have found their way into this charming shopping complex in the heart of downtown. 

In addition to the plethora of apparel options, The Carmel Plaza is also home to specialty beauty retailers Cos Bar and L'Occitane. Both of these offer luxurious cosmetic and bath amenities, and cater towards a more pampered clientele. 

Boutique linen and home furnishing stores, as well as the popular cookware store, Sur La Table, round out the retail experience.

Take a break from a day of shopping and enjoy a coffee at Carmel Coffee and Cocoa or a bite to eat at Flying Fish Grill, Bistro Beaujoulais, or 400 Degrees Burgers.

Other activities include wine tasting at Wrath Winery and cheese sampling at the world renowned gourmet Cheese Shop.

Carmel Plaza has something for everyone and should be on every visitor's itinerary!

This Weekend in Carmel: 12/12 - 12/14

The winter keeps humming along as we get even closer to the end of the year festivities, including both Christmas and New Year's Eve. This weekend's events reflect the height of the Holiday Season, and we hope some of you will be able to join us in celebration!

Hand Crafted at the Barnyard
Barnyard Shopping Village
Friday 5:00 - 9:00 pm
Saturday 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Sunday 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm
The opening evening party of this pop-up store at the Barnyard will offer food and libations. Throughout the weekend Hand Crafted will offer handmade items from local artists.

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The Talbott Vineyards Holiday Affair
Talbott Vineyards Carmel Valley Tasting Room
Saturday 12:00 - 4:00 pm
Mary Chamberlin of "The Traveling Soup Pot" will be sampling White Turkey Chili and Tortellini. The event will also feature live music, jewelry and samples from Gil's Gourmet.

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The Nutcracker at Sunset Center
Friday and Saturday 7:00 pm
Sunday 2:00 pm
Dance Kids of Monterey presents the 21st year of its Nutcracker production. Accomplished professional dancers lead a cast of 120 locally trained pre-professional ballet dancers in the holiday classic. Tickets can be purchased through the Sunset Center website.

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Santa's Fly-In at Carmel Valley Airfield
Saturday 10:30 am - 12:00 pm
For the 56th year, Santa and Mrs. Claus will travel by helicopter through the sky and touch down at the Carmel Valley Airfield to meet everyone. Once on the ground, they will hop in their sleigh and parade through the village to the Community Center on Ford Road, which will be followed by a holiday bazaar at the Carmel Valley Youth Center.

Thanksgiving Weekend in Carmel: 11/27 - 11/30

We hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! If you aren't too busy with Black Friday Shopping, we encourage you to check out some of our local events taking place today and throughout this weekend.

Our friends over at Ag Venture Tours are offering half day tours this week for $75-80 per person. On Friday 11/28, visit three tasting rooms (Chateau Julian, Heller Estate and Bookenoogen) on their Carmel Valley Wine Tasting Tour.

The Crossroads in Carmel is holding a Holiday Open House on November 29th from 11 am until 3 pm in celebration of the holidays and Small Business Saturday. Come listen to festive holiday music, enjoy delicious treats, sweets and beverages and grab a Crossroads tote bag full of special offers and events from participating retailers. The Crossroads are located off Highway 1 at Rio Road.

If you love music, check out Chris Isaak's Holiday Tour at the Sunset Center on Saturday at 8:00 pm. Tickets range from $79 to $99.

Have a great weekend!