A friendsmoon in Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA

One of the world's great coastal drives — stop at Bixby Creek Bridge, McWay Falls, and Pfeiffer Beach for the purple-sand moment the group will talk about for years.

The intimate Pebble Beach spa at Casa Palmero cottage hotel — the most prestigious spa on the Peninsula with an outdoor heated pool and full treatment menu.

Self-guided tasting passport covering 11 Carmel tasting rooms within walking distance of Ocean Avenue — the ideal arrival afternoon.

White-sand Carmel Beach at low tide with a professional photographer — cypress trees, blue Pacific, and morning mist for a portrait session unlike any other.

Catered luxury picnic at the preserve Jacques Cousteau called 'the greatest meeting of land and sea' — sea otters, cypress, and sparkling wine.

Private group sound healing in the Carmel Valley hills — the most genuine reset available after the day's coastal wandering.

One of California's most acclaimed intimate restaurants — a tasting menu experience in a 13-room inn that represents Carmel dining at its highest expression.

Clint Eastwood's Mission Ranch restaurant with meadow and bay views, classic American cooking, and the most storied dining room in Carmel.

Morning institution in the Doud Arcade with organic eggs, local pastries, and the espresso that starts every proper Carmel day.

Carmel's most exuberant dining room — the singing owner, generous mezze platters, and an atmosphere that won't stay quiet regardless of the hour.

Carmel classic since 1977 with a vine-draped courtyard, a cellar containing Van Gogh's personal dining table, and a European warmth that rewards lingering.

Monterey wharf fresh-catch seafood with Dungeness crab, clam chowder, and bay views — the essential casual lunch after a morning at the tidepools.