Summer chills in San Francisco prompted us to take a last minute trip down to one of our favorite local destinations, Carmel Valley. We booked a room at the Bernardus Lodge & Spa for a few nights, packed up Tasha (our beloved Borzoi) and hit the road south for a long weekend escape.  Having stayed in many spots throughout Carmel and Carmel Valley, as soon as we pulled up, I knew I would love this place. It’s located in the hills, nestled up next to Garland National Park and right down the road from downtown Carmel Valley (wineries!). You’re right in the heart of all sorts of activities and don’t have to go far to do everything from horseback riding, wine tasting, great eats, cute farms, and the beach. The resort’s natural splendor and beautiful rustic feel are coupled with glistening chandeliers sprinkled throughout the property. The lobby was filled with fresh cut flowers, serene and fabulous at the same time. We grabbed a glass of the signature Bernardus wine and headed to our suite.

After a short walk through the property, passing croquet and bocce courts, we arrived at our room. It was tastefully decorated, a bit of rustic and a good dose of glam country. Our porch looked out onto the Santa Lucia mountains with breathtaking views – we were instantly transported thousands of miles away from home and were ready to move in.

On the first night, we had dinner reservations at the restaurant in the Bernardus, Lucia. I do love to get out when traveling, but did hear from several people that it was incredible so of course we had to give it a try. Having perused through the “Edible Monterey” magazine in our room, which showcased Lucia and its chef, I was even more excited to try the dishes on the menu… only local and seasonal ingredients of course, much from Bernardus’ own garden.  We walked into the serene, tastefully done dining room, and noticed the upscale feel immediately. Looking through the menu once we were seated, my eyes were drawn to the local asparagus with burrata and balsamic! It was incredible and tasted very fresh. So simple, yet filled with wonderful flavors. We also ordered a delicious mushroom soup. Not too creamy, and you could really taste the fresh mushrooms. Halibut and scallops with ricotta ravioli were also winners followed by a meyer lemon semifreddo (sadly not pictured).  We had such a wonderful dining experience at Lucia that on our way out, we made another reservation for the following night – we simply had to come back and eat our way through the rest of the menu!

In the morning we woke and took a family jog (yes, Tasha came along) down to Garland National Park. The entrance was only one mile from the resort so it was very easy to get to by foot. After a lovely breakfast and quick shower, we then head back out for more hiking through the hills of Carmel Valley before the heat set in. With so many trails, you would really spend all day there, but we didn’t want to overdo it and headed back to Bernardus to lay poolside for a bit. We’re always up for a mid-afternoon swim, and at Bernardus you really do want to take advantage of the facilities.

Although it wasn’t our first time in Carmel Valley, we had never been wine tasting in the area. We set out first to Bernardus’ own tasting room to learn more about their wines and the area. Being such a dog friendly area, even more so than SF if you can believe it, Tasha was welcomed into the tasting room and definitely fit it in like a local. The wine was great, and so were the chocolate covered cashews and coffee beans we snacked on. We met some locals and think we now have some new friends for when we come back!

Our next spot was Cowgirl winery, which was recommended to us not only by Bernardus, but one of our friends. It was such a quaint spot and we loved it! We perused the cute shop and looked through all sorts of local finds, and made our way outside to the picnic benches and enjoyed a flight of wine. Chickens were running all over – it was the best!! Tasha didn’t mind, I think she liked them frolicking around (or was thinking of snacks…). Lawn games were strewn about and everyone was enjoying the California sun. I loved the local and low key feel of just being in Carmel Valley.

We then returned to Bernardus for dinner number two at Lucia. We changed up our order this time, getting a vegetarian curry, and foie gras burger!!! So wonderfully rich, with flavors that were completely on point. And of course, we had to end the night with their chocolate dessert – yum!

The following morning we enjoyed a yoga session out by the pool before breakfast. The instructor was wonderful and very talkative, which helped us get an even better understanding of the area. We had a lovely morning enjoying the facilities of Bernardus before we checked out and hit the road, knowing we would return again someday soon. Bernardus was more than we had expected and will now be our go-to Carmel Valley destination in the future.

On our way back to San Francisco, we weren’t quite ready to rush right back into city life just yet, so we made a detour off the coast. We stopped by Swanton, an organic berry farm located in Davenport. Being very familiar with their produce and jams from shopping with them at the San Francisco Ferry Building Farmer’s Market, we were excited to check out the farm and do a little berry picking ourselves!!! We loved it; it was such a fun experience with a great take home gift. Can’t go wrong when strawberry season is in full bloom!