Here's a sample itinerary for a drive from Sacramento to Carmel. If you're planning a road trip to Carmel, you can research locations to stop along the way. Make sure you check road conditions to double check the weather. Traveling with a dog or cat? Find pet-friendly stops. Camping along the way? Search for RV campgrounds. Find the best hotels, restaurants, and attractions based on the most talked about places recommended by Trippy members.
8:00 am start in Sacramento
drive for about 36 minutes
8:36 am Vacaville
stay for about 1 hour
and leave at 9:36 am
drive for about 32 minutes
10:08 am Napa
stay for about 1 hour
and leave at 11:08 am
drive for about 53 minutes
12:01 pm Oakland
eat at Chez Panisse
stay for about 1 hour
and leave at 1:01 pm
drive for about 41 minutes
1:42 pm Livermore
stay for about 1 hour
and leave at 2:42 pm
drive for about 42 minutes
3:24 pm San Jose
stay for about 1 hour
and leave at 4:24 pm
drive for about 1 hour
5:30 pm San Juan Bautista
stay for about 1 hour
and leave at 6:30 pm
drive for about 40 minutes
7:10 pm Monterey
stay for about 2 hours
and leave at 9:10 pm
drive for about 10 minutes
9:19 pm arrive in Carmel
stay at Mission Ranch Hotel
driving ≈ 5.5 hours
Vacaville (4 answers)
Napa (85 answers)
Domaine Carneros (14 mentions)
Bounty Hunter Wine Bar & Smokin' BBQ (11 mentions)
Artesa Vineyards & Winery (9 mentions)
Napa Valley (9 mentions)
Oxbow Public Market (6 mentions)
restaurants around Napa:
ad hoc
Domaine Chandon
Redd
Morimoto
Pine Ridge Vineyards
hotels around Napa:
Bardessono
Embassy Suites Napa Valley
Cottages of Napa Valley
questions about Napa:
Other foodie things to do besides wine tasting
Searching for an inexpensive and nice inn in Napa area
Restaurants in Napa for girls outing?
Limited time in Napa, help with my itinerary!
Sightseeing in Napa?
Oakland (57 answers)
Lake Merritt (16 mentions)
UC Berkeley (8 mentions)
Jack London Square (7 mentions)
Ici Ice Cream (5 mentions)
College Ave (5 mentions)
restaurants around Oakland:
Chez Panisse
Arinell Pizza Inc
Cheese Board Bakery & Cheese
The Trappist
Comal
questions about Oakland:
Best free things to do in Oakland?
What is Oakland like?
First time in Oakland with 1 day to explore
A good neighborhood in Oakland for rental?
Best bites to eat in Oakland?
Livermore (10 answers)
Hacienda Crossings (2 mentions)
restaurants around Livermore:
Concannon Vineyard
hotels around Livermore:
Hyatt Place Dublin/Pleasanton
San Jose (39 answers)
The Tech Museum of Innovation (3 mentions)
San Jose Museum of Art (3 mentions)
Santana Row (3 mentions)
Winchester Mystery House (2 mentions)
California's Great America (2 mentions)
questions about San Jose:
What's the best neighborhood in San Jose for a first time visitor?
Hotels with airport parking in San Jose
Best missions to see & other good activities for kids
Neighborhood for young professional in San Jose
Free things to do in San Jose?
San Juan Bautista (5 answers)
Mission San Juan Bautista (2 mentions)
restaurants around San Juan Bautista:
Vertigo Coffee
Monterey (167 answers)
Monterey Bay Aquarium (41 mentions)
Pebble Beach (21 mentions)
Point Lobos (9 mentions)
Point Lobos State Reserve (8 mentions)
17-Mile Drive (6 mentions)
restaurants around Monterey:
Passionfish
Katy's Place
Epsilon Fine Greek Restaurant
Flaherty's Seafood Grill & Oyster Bar
Sunset Lounge
hotels around Monterey:
Mission Ranch Hotel
Lodge at Pebble Beach
Seven Gables Inn
Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa
La Playa Hotel Carmel-By-The-Sea
questions about Monterey:
Restaurant recommendations for a large group dinner?
What to do for a family outing in Monterey?
Things to do with the kiddos besides the aquarium
hotels in Monterey, CA
Are you going straight to a hotel, or looking for a vacation rental or Airbnb?
The best resource on neighborhoods, areas, and hotels is the Trippy page on where to stay in Carmel.
If you're looking for a quick answer, you can check out Mission Ranch Hotel, which was mentioned 4 times on Trippy.
Here are some more hotels people talk about:
Want to research more popular hotels in Carmel? Click the blue button below.
Need some recommendations on somewhere to get food?
Trippy members suggest Passionfish, which was mentioned 7 times.
Here are some more restaurants people talk about:
Want to research more popular restaurants in Carmel? Click the blue button below.
This section could be endless, so rather than trying to suggest every local activity or attraction, we'll leave it open-ended.
These are some of the places people talk about on Trippy:
Of course, Trippy is the perfect place to ask questions because there's an entire community of travelers talking to each other and sharing tips and advice. Trippy is where you can get answers personalized for your tastes, budgets, trip dates & more!
For example, here are some questions people have asked about Carmel. Click on any question to see answers from the community!
Nancy from Morro Bay asked:
Favorite Restaurants & Wineries (2 answers)
Kate from Hermosa Beach asked:
Luxurious but not pretentious hotels and any restaurant recommendations (2 answers)
Click the button below to explore more questions and answers related to Carmel.
Yes, even this step is optional, because if you're on vacation who wants the trip to end? It's okay, you can start planning your next trip!
Want to plan the trip back? Get the reverse directions for a Carmel to Sacramento drive, or go to the main page to plan a new road trip.
Looking for ideas for more destinations within driving distance of Sacramento? Try searching for places within 3 hours of Sacramento.
You can also compare the travel time if you're flying or driving by calculating the distance from Sacramento to Carmel. Or get a full Sacramento to Carmel flight plan.
Don't forget about exploring your own hometown with a staycation. You can also find some cool day trips or get away for a weekend. Maybe try typing in a faraway location like London, Hong Kong, or Sydney, and get inspired for your dream trip around the world.
And if you know Sacramento well, please help your fellow travelers and answer their questions about Sacramento!