Carmel appears to many as a sleepy little town hidden along California's central coast. However, it is far from that! When one gets behind the scenes, one finds a buzzing cosmopolitan community with a vast selection of things to do. Life can be very full here. This page is dedicated to alerting you to a few of the many choices available in this "big small town."

There are many different neighborhoods in the greater Carmel "area of influence." The most famous of these is Carmel By The Sea, the one-square-mile incorporated city area, where its 5700 residents take great pride in the "village" quality of their town. It boasts the fact that there is no mail delivery, no street lights outside the shopping district, streets are likely to be built around trees and have no curbs or sidewalks.

The village has only about 2,700 households, 60% of which are owners occupying their own homes. The average age of Carmelites within the village is around 54 years and the median household income is said to be just over $70,000.

The greater Carmel area of influence is another matter. It includes all of Carmel outside the city limits, north to Carmel Woods, across Highway 1 to the east, and south to include the Meadows on the other side of the Carmel River. Here the average age is said to drop to around 50 years and the median income increases to over $90,000.

A big draw to many greater Carmel residents is the opportunity to own a home situated on a hillside, with a view of either the mountains or the ocean, and to have some open space surrounding them. Yet they are within a few minutes drive of all the same shops, galleries and restaurants, which are the pride of the village people.

Just a few miles south of Carmel on Highway One is the beautiful South Coast area, which includes the Highlands--often referred to as the Carmel Riviera. Here is where the mountains meet the sea in some of the most picturesque landscapes imaginable.