Carmel-by-the-Sea, California who were poets or actors, including Herbert Heron, founder of the Forest Theater, bohemian writer and actor Perry Newberry, and actor-director Clint Eastwood. The town is known for being dog-friendly, with numerous hotels, restaurants and retail establishments admitting guests with dogs. Carmel is also known for several unusual laws, including a prohibition on wearing high-heel shoes without a permit, enacted to prevent lawsuits arising from tripping accidents caused by irregular pavement. Carmel-by-the-Sea is located on the Pacific coast, about north of Los Angeles and south of San Francisco. Communities near Carmel-by-the-Sea include Carmel Valley and Carmel Highlands. The larger town
Carmel-by-the-Sea, California not happen near Carmel, however. Carmel's other major street is Ocean Avenue, which serves as the town’s main business district and goes straight from Highway 1 to the beach. 17 Mile Drive, a scenic road along the Monterey Bay coast, also passes through downtown Carmel. The 2010 United States Census reported that Carmel-by-the-Sea had a population of 3,722. The population density was 3,445.5 people per square mile (1,330.3/km²). The racial makeup of Carmel-by-the-Sea was 3,464 (93.1%) White, 11 (0.3%) African American, 8 (0.2%) Native American, 111 (3.0%) Asian, 6 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 45 (1.2%) from other races, and 77 (2.1%)