This Saturday, the 32nd annual Carmel House Tour turns California’s most charming storybook beach town into an open-house fantasy for architecture lovers, giving you one afternoon to step inside eight of its prettiest private homes.
Many Californians know that Carmel-by-the-Sea is famous for its collection of historic fairytale cottages, which have influenced dozens more homes throughout the neighborhood. The Carmel House Tour offers an opportunity to see how local architects and creative homeowners have adapted Carmel’s styling and history into their everyday lives.
Inside a fairytale town’s prettiest homes
The Carmel Heritage Society and AIA Monterey Bay host the 32nd Carmel House Tour on Saturday, July 18, 2026. Visitors are welcome to follow a self-guided map through eight private residences and select commercial spaces, in a rare opportunity to see the architecture, interiors, and gardens that usually stay hidden behind ivy-covered fences.
This year’s theme, “Designing Women,” celebrates the women architects, designers, and builders who shaped the village’s most distinctive cottages and contemporary hideaways.
The weekend builds out that experience with additional events and storytelling. On Friday night, architectural historian and council member Alissandra Dramov gives an opening lecture at the Carmel Foundation, drawing on her book, Historic Homes and Inns of Carmel-by-the-Sea, to spotlight the women behind the town’s fairytale look. Sunday brings a Julia Morgan documentary screening, linking the tour’s “Designing Women” focus to California’s first licensed female architect and her lasting impact on West Coast design.
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