This Saturday, Carmel-by-the-Sea, often dubbed California’s most charming storybook beach town, becomes a dream playground for architecture fans with the 32nd annual Carmel House Tour. It’s a rare opportunity to wander through eight of the town’s most beautiful private homes.
Known across the state for its historic fairytale cottages, Carmel has inspired countless whimsical residences tucked along its quiet lanes. The Carmel House Tour gives guests a chance to see how local architects and imaginative homeowners incorporate that distinctive Carmel character and history into everyday living spaces.
Carmel House Tour 2026
The Carmel Heritage Society and AIA Monterey Bay present the 32nd Carmel House Tour on Saturday, July 18, 2026, inviting visitors to follow a self-guided route through eight private houses and commercial properties. Guests explore architecture, interiors, and gardens that are typically concealed behind vine-covered walls, making this one of the few moments each year when Carmel’s private charm is on display.
This year’s “Designing Women” edition spotlights the women architects, designers, and builders responsible for many of the village’s signature cottages and modern retreats.
The house tour is framed by a weekend of programming that deepens the narrative. On Friday evening, architectural historian and council member Alissandra Dramov delivers an opening talk at the Carmel Foundation, drawing from her book Historic Homes and Inns of Carmel-by-the-Sea to highlight the women who helped create the town’s fairytale aesthetic. On Sunday, guests can attend a Julia Morgan documentary screening, tying the “Designing Women” theme to California’s first licensed female architect and the legacy she left on West Coast architecture.
Event details
📍 Where: Multiple homes around Carmel-by-the-Sea, with event check-in and Carmel Heritage activities centered in the village.
🗓️ When: The Carmel House Tour is on Saturday, July 18, 2026, from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm
🎟️ Tickets: Standard house tour tickets are $50 in advance, rising to $60 on the day.
💡 How it works: You’ll receive tour information and a route, then explore at your own pace, with proceeds supporting the Carmel Heritage Society and the American Institute of Architects.
🌐Learn more: CarmelHeritage.org
