Carmel, California may not be your first idea when planning a trip with the whole family. The very steep streets making pushing a stroller a serious cardio workout and there are tasting rooms on every corner. But there’s also a beautiful beach with plenty of space to play and so many restaurants with wonderful outdoor situations where kids can run around while you nosh and sip on something delicious. We tried lots of places while we were there, with 4 adults and 3 kids under 3 years old so we rounded up our top places for a meal with kids in-tow. And just because they’re kid-friendly doesn’t mean you’ll be skimping on your lunch or dinner; these places had the delicious food and drinks us adults wanted and had the outdoor space kids were craving.
Inn at Spanish Bay
Set right on the water, the views here are beautiful. Most of the tables double as fire pits and those that don’t have heaters strategically placed to take the bite out of the chilly breeze off the ocean. The restaurant is right at the edge of the golf course so you do need to keep an eye out for the rogue ball, but the boardwalk along the water is lovely and kids will be delighted to sprint amongst the flowers. We went for appetizers and drinks and the food was delicious. Highly recommend the sausage and pretzel board – it was a crowd pleaser for our whole group!
The Tap Room at Hole 1
Run around with the kids here and you can say you played at Pebble! 
The Tap Room at Pebble Beach is perfect for families with small children. Golfers are gone by dinner time so there’s no risk of balls flying through the air, the kids are allowed to get their wiggles out right at the first hole. Tables are set up under twinkly lights and since it’s outside, giggling and squealing children aren’t likely to bother anyone. We went twice during our visit and enjoyed ourselves both times!
Mission Ranch
Perhaps the most picturesque setting we found in Carmel, Mission Ranch should be on everyone’s list of places to visit. They do not take reservations, so prepare to wait in line unless you arrive at the very early ‘dinner’ time of 4:45 like we did. There are sheep in the pasture and watching them was highly entertaining to our little ones. There is plenty of space to walk around, they have a dedicated kids menu, and for adults, the drinks and food were delish!
Folktale Winery
So nice, we visited twice! And the second time there was live music — a treat for the whole lot of us! The vino here is great as are the snacks and pizzas. There were plenty of other kids there at the same time, so our crew made friends and entertained themselves while we sat on a picnic table and enjoyed our meal! We’ll call that a win-win!
