ADVENTURE: Hiking the Cypress Grove trail in Point Lobos! // EATING: Brunch in Carmel at La Bicyclette// CRAVE: Perfectly poached eggs + wood-fired sourdough bread.
Whether you are planning a weekend vacation to Caramel, California or just happen to find yourself driving down Highway 1, you need to stop for this brunch and hike adventure! Carmel is a beautiful, quiet ocean-side town, filled with small shops and tasty restaurants: you can enjoy spa treatments, take in the crashing waves at Caramel Beach, or shop for unique artwork.
With a pace of life that is just right, Caramel is the perfect spot to spend a leisurely morning!
La Bicyclette
La Bicyclette is an amazing French restaurant with a simple delicious menu. All of the ingredients they cook with are light and refreshing when paired together — I can almost imagine these dishes being eaten in France!
The interior of the restaurant is quirky. Split into two main rooms, one features a small abstract bungalow housing a few tables that looks like something out of Alice In Wonderland.
The other room feels more spacious and showcases open-air kitchen with a large brick fireplace baking savory eggs and breads.
Overall the ambiance is cozy and relaxing, a meal of leisure about to begin!
I tried the Village Combo to have a little of everything: wood-fired sourdough toast, tomato, avocado and two poached eggs.
My boyfriend sampled their special for the day, Eggs in Purgatory — a dish of wood-fired eggs in a savory, spicy tomato simmer sauce with a side of their sourdough bread. So good!
Point Lobos Hike
Point Lobos Natural State Natural Reserve is an AMAZING state park with two protected marine areas and tons of hiking trails.
The parking lots fill up fast, but it’s easy to park along the road around the park entrance and hike in from there. With many intersecting trails, you can take your pick of how you’d like to navigate the park. We took a trail through winding forests out to the far tip of Point Lobos to get to the Cypress Grove Trail.
The Cypress Grove Trail meanders through Allen Memorial Grove, taking you through small forests of trees and along a winding coastal path next to breaking turquoise waves.
Take your time and enjoy this scenic California state park! With all the different trails you’ll be sure to work off your early morning brunch at La Bicyclette.
Looking for another brunch and hike idea? Check out my favorite Santa Cruz brunch + hike combo.
Heading farther south from Carmel on a California road trip? Check out my guide to the best restaurants and things to do in San Luis Obispo.