[Nine17]

Try one of the nice B&B's in Pacific Grove. A little less musty than Carmel, which caters to the $495-a-round golf crowd. Many have off-street parking. In Carmel, I'd go slightly off the edge of the map and go for Clint Eastwood's Mission Ranch on Carmel Bay or Ben Pon's Bernardus Lodge up the Carmel Valley. My end of the Bay (Santa Cruz) is more funky, attracts a younger crowd, has great restaurants, interesting boutique wineries, and less-traveled driving roads, but sadly lacks first-class accommodations.