My husband and I were very fortunate to stay at Fancy Free for the month of November 2016. We have visited the Carmel area annually since 2000, and have stayed in several VRBO homes. For many reasons, Fancy Free was our favorite in the town of Carmel.
The home itself is lovely, as the pictures show, and Gary and Denny are the consummate hosts. We loved quiet times reading by the fire with the patio doors open, allowing us to experience the beautiful gardens even on cool days. We took the short walk to the beach daily, especially enjoying the sunsets and early morning quiet times. We also walked to town daily for lunch or an early dinner.
The home is wonderful for entertaining, as we had a long visit from our son, daughter-in-law and 4 year old grandson. They loved staying in the very comfortable back room with patio access. The beach toys, board games and children's books were very much appreciated. We also had a weekend visit from my sister...she traveled from San Francisco with a friend. The pull down bed in the study came in handy! She and her friend especially enjoyed the outdoor areas and the wonderful kitchen.
Our favorite experiences in the area:
Point Lobos!!!
Coast drive with breakfast at Deetjen's - not to be missed!
Pfeiffer Beach - can be difficult to find, but well worth the effort - purple sand and arches
McWay Falls - Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park
Ventana - outdoor dining
Carmel Valley - Georis Tasting Room (our favorite wines in the area), Corkscrew Cafe, Roux
Beach trail walks at Carmel Beach, Pacific Grove and Monterey
Carmel Restaurants: Luca, La Bicyclette, Casanova - lunch in the courtyard, Mission Ranch at sunset, Lafayette Kitchen & Cafe on Dolores for breakfast
The Inn @ Spanish Bay - bagpiper at sunset, outdoor firepits - VERY special
The Lodge @ Pebble Beach - The Bench, firepits at sunset
17 Mile Drive - coast road
The Cheese Shop in Carmel Plaza - sample cheese and wine, fun experience!
If you've never been to this area, do yourself a favor and go! Beauty cannot be matched, and ease of access to all of Monterey/Carmel area and Big Sur coast make it our favorite vacation spot in the US.