I thought this would be a fairly dry experience and I was wrong. The cathedral was beautiful but the slice of history explained in the free handout leaflet is a surprise. There is a central courtyard which is enclosed now by the school and the...More

This was my first trip with my wife to the beautifully restored Carmel Mission. This place has such historical significance but it does remind of the Catholic colonization of the Native Americans. In any case and putting politics aside, I wanted to show my wife...More

Pretty property, good historical overview. Nice place to take photos. Wished they had a guided tour. Enjoyed the re-created rooms in the museum. I'm not particularly religious so may have appreciated it more if I was but still an enjoyable visit.

This is an active parish which makes it more interesting than some "historic " sites. A ton of $$$ have been pumped into the restoration and operation - very excellent results. There is a lot to see and learn although I will say not the...More

Visiting the Carmel Mission was one of the highlights of our trip to the San Francisco area. The restoration of the Mission has been going on for a while now, and it's a truly beautiful, peaceful place. It's also a fully functioning parish with an...More

While this place has become more "touristy" in terms of you have to pay to see most things and the Disney-style gift shop beckons you. I would still recommend a visit. The grounds are amazing and the history was very fascinating and interesting to learn...More

Very interesting visit, a lot of history to see as well as early California Spanish architecture. The grounds and gardens were also very beautiful. very convenient to get to, lots of free parking.

We were not able to do the tour, but the little gift shop was fun to browse. Across the street is an entrance to mission trails park and it is also very close to Carmel River Beach.

Very historic place and very interesting to see, lots of history here worth the admission! Next time you travel to Camel by the Sea check the historic Mission out, you will enjoy the experience, and take lots of photos!

So sad to see this become an expensive tourist site. There are many missions along the coast, so skip this one and save your money