Highway 1's Carmel-by-the-sea

Arguably the most photogenic of the Central Coast small towns

Carmel, just north of Big Sur and south of Monterey, is known for its fairytale gingerbread cottages, cute, walkable downtown with cobblestone streets, massive waves on the rocky coast (by the sea, remember?), multiple art galleries, beautiful cypress trees and some of the most coveted real estate anywhere.