My Trip Down to Carmel – Looking for Clint’s Place
So, I had some time off, and the wife and I decided to take a drive down the coast. Carmel-by-the-Sea, you know? Always heard about it. Pretty place, supposed to be artsy. But honestly, part of the reason, maybe a big part, was Clint Eastwood. Yeah, Dirty Harry himself. Knew he was connected to the town, even been the mayor way back when.
We drove down, took Highway 1 for a bit. Beautiful views, you gotta admit. Carmel itself is… well, it’s fancy. Lots of little shops, galleries, everything looks perfect, almost like a movie set. Kind of expensive, too. Parking was a bit of a hassle, not gonna lie.
First thing, I started asking around, subtly you know. “Hey, isn’t this where Clint Eastwood hangs out?” Some folks just smiled, others pointed vaguely. You get the feeling they get asked that a lot. Nobody’s giving you an address, forget about that. And I wasn’t about to go driving around peeking over fences. That’s not my style, plus, you know, privacy.
Checking out the Famous Spots
Heard he used to own a place called the Hog’s Breath Inn. We looked for it, walked around. Turns out, he sold it years ago. It’s still there, but under new management. We peeked in. Looked okay, kind of a typical pub vibe. Didn’t really feel like his place anymore, you know?
Then someone mentioned the Mission Ranch. That’s the place he owns now. A hotel and restaurant deal. We figured, okay, let’s check that out. It’s not right in the main town village part, a little ways out, closer to the old Mission.
Finding it wasn’t too hard. Pulled in, and yeah, this felt different. More open, kind of rustic, but classy rustic. You could see the old mission nearby, fields with sheep grazing. Seriously, sheep. It was actually really peaceful.
- Had a nice view over the fields towards the ocean.
- The buildings looked old, well kept.
- Felt less like a tourist trap than the main town.
We went into the restaurant part. Thought maybe we’d grab a drink, soak it in. It was busy. Lots of people, seemed like a mix of tourists and locals. The inside was cozy, fireplace going, lots of wood. Had that old California ranch feel. We managed to get a seat at the bar.
Did We See Him?
Nah, no Clint sighting. Figured as much. Probably doesn’t hang out there chatting with tourists all day, right? Makes sense. But you could kinda feel his influence. The place had character. It wasn’t some generic hotel chain.
We just had a beer, watched the people, looked at the old photos on the walls. Some were of him, local history stuff too. It was… nice. Relaxing. Didn’t feel rushed. The bartender was friendly enough, didn’t mention Clint unless asked, and even then, kept it brief.
So, yeah. Went to Carmel looking for Clint Eastwood’s house. Didn’t find the house, didn’t see the man himself. But we saw the town, saw the place he runs now. The Mission Ranch was the highlight, honestly. Much better vibe than just wandering the fancy shops. It felt a bit more real. Good trip overall. Glad we went. Just manage your expectations if you’re going purely for a celebrity hunt.
