California’s prettiest town crowned in new national rankings

This quaint California town has been crowned the fairest of them all…or at least the prettiest place in the Golden State.

Architectural Digest recently published its list of the prettiest towns in every state.

“We’ve focused on identifying one standout town—we were especially drawn to those that are both stunning and abundant in culture,” said the high-end design mag.

In California, the winning laurels for culture and aesthetics were awarded to Carmel-by-the-Sea.

“With its sugar-white sand beaches, the painstakingly restored Carmel Mission, and a quaint downtown with fairy-tale-like cottages and cobblestone alleys, this town hugging the Pacific Ocean is stunning,” reads the AD description of the beloved enclave on the Monterey Peninsula

AD notes that the winning assets of Carmel have made it a magnet for celebrity power couples of late, including Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce and Bradley Cooper and Gigi Hadid.

Past Carmel residents include Brad Pitt and Betty White. Meanwhile, nonagenarian actor and director Clint Eastwood who has long called the town home and even reigned as mayor from 1986-1988.

In 2024, Eastwood’s former Spanish-revival Carmel mansion was listed for sale for $21 million.

Carmel-by-the-Sea, which counts only 3,000 permanent residents, is no stranger to actors or accolades.

Earlier this year, the town was named the top spot to pop the question.

Carmel also made WorldAtlas’ list of the top weekend escapes on the West Coast due to its abundance of art galleries and fine dining and the stunning scenery of Point Lobos State Natural Reserve and the pristine white sands of Carmel Beach.

Last year, Carmel made HGTV’s list of the 50 Best Small Towns in America.

Earlier this summer, the famously quirky town, which long refused to put numbers on homes, finally opted in to a standardized address system.

The overhaul is designed to help emergency crews find homes faster and make navigating the storybook town easier for residents and visitors alike.

The decision follows years of research, public feedback and spirited debate over whether Carmel should abandon one of its most recognizable traditions.

For decades, the city’s municipal code required homes and parcels to be identified by their location relative to the nearest cross-street intersection instead of a conventional street number.

For example, an address for the Sea View Inn is listed as “Between 11th & 12th on Camino Real.”

In the end, convenience and safety won out in the rapidly aging community, where the median age is 68.5, nearly double that of California as a whole.

Perhaps the advanced median age serves to explain why the town banned pickleball in 2025 over noise complaints.

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