7. The area was filled with flowers and they have gigantic succulents everywhere! Definitely dont miss one of the most unforgettable stretches of majestic coastline in the world. Still dreaming of heading back and doing this Monterey , Carmel and Big Sur itinerary again sometime soon! Seeing these trees was such a surreal experience! There were all sorts of cute alleys you could go down to find more hidden gems. Read on for the most perfect Big Sur road trip itinerary! 3 hours 20 minutes (150 miles) Difficulty level: Easy If you are driving up from the south, everything will just be in reverse order. Its beautiful coastline views! Youll find a parking lot on the east side of the road with an underground tunnel for walking over to the trail. Treebones Resort features seven ocean view tent campsites, along with 16 yurts with great views of the Pacific at Cape San Martin! Big Sur's vast wilderness and breathtaking views of the rugged Pacific Ocean coastline connects the northern half -- Carmel, Monterey and Santa Cruz -- with the rolling hills and vineyards of Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Cambria and Hearst Castle of the southern half -- Part of the Best West Road Trip itinerary - Goin' Coastal in the Central Coast Region of California. We are visiting California from the UK in April, a rescheduled trip after we had to cancel in May 2020. Public school whose 1931 auditorium served as Carmel's primary artistic, civic . Read Next: Everything You Need to Know About Visiting Calla Lily Valley in Big Sur! Whether you prefer sweet or savory, their menu will satisfy every palette. Explore Big Sur. We loved the location and walked almost everywhere (except the places in Carmel and Big Sur). Whats your favorite local spot? Like what you see? This state park is absolutely beautiful and is full of wildlife everywhere! My favorites in that area include: Carmel Beach, Lovers Point Park, Pavels Bakerei, the 17 mile drive, and whale watching! Theyve got a manicured grassy lawn which is perfect for picnics, and a whole set-up on their outdoor patio with tables and umbrellas. Traveling by car from Carmel to Big Sur takes an hour. There are a ton of walks and trails to choose from, with all difficulty levels. Evening Pafoua is the author and creator of Her Wanderful World. These are the items on our list that we are possibly looking to hit: Highway 1 Mcway Falls Bixby. It ends near San Simeon. Living in Utah, our family vacations were always to Southern California. Santa Cruz is a cute, funky surf town on the way to the San Jose airport. Details. Nightly bagpipe performances have taken place every day since 1987 at Spanish Bay in Carmel. Welcome back to the California Coast road trip series. I know it is a chain, but I had never eaten there before and thought it would be fun to try it out! To see ratings, other places to visit, photos, and more tourist information, read Big Sur trip itinerary planning site. Looking for sand dollars might result in a disappointment, but youll easily find muscles, crabs, sea anemone, and kelp beds while exploring the nearby rocks during low tide. Yes, youll definitely need to add these 2 to your list and drive along the 101 highway. Hi Shafinah! Hi Jolayne! This waterfall cascades over the cliff and falls about 80 feet into the sandy cove below. Carmel is one of the most charming and quintessential towns I have ever been to. If you choose to visit Big Sur as an out-and-back road trip from San Francisco, you can follow California Highway 1 south from the city past Half Moon Bay, Santa Cruz, and the Monterey Peninsula - then back up. The American Tin Cannery Suite 122 125 Ocean view Blvd Pacific Grove, CA 93950 831-747-1677 _____ 17 Mile Drive 2106 Sunset Drive Pacific Grove, CA 93950 831-717-4912 _____ Pedego Electric Bikes 143 Crossroads Blvd, Carmel, CA 831-293-7063. 10. The Best California Road Trips & Itineraries | Monterey, Carmel, Big Sur to Santa Barbara California: Places to Visit North America California Road Trip: Monterey, Carmel, Big Sur and Santa Barbara FIRST POSTED: 4th June 2019 | LAST UPDATED: 7th August 2020 9 minute read Explore my other California guides here! Besides the gorgeous views, the houses in Carmel are also some to steal your breath away with their eccentricities and quaint vibes. The view from the entrance to Old Coast Road isnt half bad either. As always, all opinions expressed are our own. There are warm fires all over the place and lights hanging in the trees. There are so many scenic look outs to stop at so feel free to stop as much as you want along the way! Bring your binoculars for wildlife viewing! We ate a quick breakfast at the hotel (one of the other perks of staying there) and then headed to the 5th Avenue Deli. It was so delicious and the outdoor dining setting right over the ocean was such a dream. When driving from Monterey to Big Sur, youll pass the small seaside town of Carmel-by-the Sea. Cocktails with a view? 3. Yes, its that impressive. You wont miss it, promise, as its just a short 15 miles south of Carmel-by-the-Sea. Three days would be even better so you can really relax and take your time. Its such a pretty area! Weve just started looking for ideas for travel this year. We're currently planning a full trip to the Carmel/ Monterey/ Big Sur area but was wondering if our itinerary is to full? This Inn was so cute and the place we got icecream was in an old blue bus! Youll also be able to witness sea lions and harbor seals frolicking around on nearby rocks any time of year listen and youll hear them no problem! Morning document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Hi I am Aubrie, thanks for stopping by! Free shipping for many products! Monterey is definitely one of my favorite places in CA! The drive from Carmel-by-the-Sea to San Simeon is 2 hours and 20 minutes of curvy, cliff-side driving. Absolute paradise, albeit rather crowded at times. This was a great place to end the day in Carmel. Total Distance: 217 miles ; One-Way Driving Time: 4 hours and 45 minutes ; Route: San Francisco Half Moon Bay Santa Cruz Monterey Carmel-by-the-Sea Big Sur San Simeon ; The drive between San Francisco and San Simeon is more appealing than one might imagine. Day 2: Carmel-by-the-Sea and Big Sur Highway 1 along the Big Sur coast. My photographer heart would absolutely some of those vistas. But it's absolutely still worth visiting! The museum exhibits have a few rooms depicting life during the mission days. There is a small parking lot off the north end of Bixby Bridge where you can step out and take some iconic photos of it. and not many tourists know about it just yet! $8,790.00 USD per person. We love to break up our Big Sur road trip with some cocktails and appetizers from Nepenthe. Note that the color of the sand realllly comes alive right after it rains. Cannery Row is near where we dropped off our bikes so we just walked right over! Carmel Valley is full of vineyards and wineries. Hi Sydney! Nearest Cities: Monterey and Carmel to the north (40 minute drive), San Simeon and Cambria to the south (1.5 hour drive) Closest International Airports: San Jose International Airport (SJC) - 1.5 hour drive | Oakland International Airport (OAK) - 2 hour drive | San Francisco (SFO) - 2.5 hour drive Best Time to Visit: April through October, early fall is best A girls gotta eat, am I right? About this rental. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'herwanderfulworld_com-sky-4','ezslot_26',145,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-herwanderfulworld_com-sky-4-0');A beautiful state park, Garrapata State Park has views of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary and the Soberanes Canyon. Planning ahead: You can plan to picnic at the beach. This rugged and mountainous section of the Central Coast of California is just begging to be explored. Yes and No. Big Sur is one of my favorite places IN THE WORLD (hands down) and one of my favorite road trips from San Francisco. As you arrive, drive straight to the Sea Lion Point parking lot and you can start on the trail there, Cypress Grove Trail. That waterfall on Julia Pfeiffer Burns is incredible!!! . Even if you decide to end here and make this a San Francisco to Monterey drive, you won't be missing out. Of courseeee this is when its most crowded, so if you hoping to have McWay Falls all to yourself, think again. Its such a unique spot on the coastline, and its only a .25 mile hike to get there! In every way, shape, and form. Ive been to California several times but I still havent visited Big Sur or Monterey. I feel the need to say this since youll be getting back in the car to continue on the 1: if youre the driver, please be responsible and limit yourself to one drink at most. One of our favorite spots here is the Pepper Palace where we buy dry rubs and sauces to make our legendary wings. Yes, definitely! Ive already put my favorites up above throughout the Big Sur road trip itinerary, but here are some more! And plus, Im from San Francisco so Im typically driving down the coast, not up. Unfortunately, when I was there, you could only go on part of the trail and since it is only a small pathway where you can see the falls, it was pretty crowded. Find a place to park and spend some time enjoying the many art galleries and boutiques. Day Three: Monterey Morning Monterey is just a 10 minute drive from Carmel and a great area to explore for the day! Heres more California-related content I think youll love: Here is a quick glance at all my go-to travel tips and resources that I use to plan every trip! Named as one of the top 10 travel bloggers on Instagram by Kayak and short listed as the best travel influencer by FlightCentre. I love how comprehensive this is Monterery and Big Sur look like such BEAUTIFUL places ! Again, thank you! There will also be many spots to pull over and take some beautiful pictures on the drive. The road is narrow, so be extra careful when pulling over for the views (my advice only pull off in designated spots, theres plenty of them). I think you. Filed Under: North America, USA Tagged With: big sur, california, central coast, pacific coast highway, Your email address will not be published. We've compiled a list to help guide you through one of our favorite destinations! Continue with Recommended Cookies. If you are into golfing, the 17 mile drive also has the world famous Pebble Beach! THIS is the bridge that everyone thinks is the iconic Bixby, but its not! Youll be driving on private land, so you cant stop to take tooo many photos, but since its usually not crowded, feel free to stop in the middle of the road if you must for some shots. This was actually my favorite part of Fishermans Wharf. The Whisky Club in Monterey hosts trivia on the first and third Thursday each . And thankfully, the parking lot has bathrooms! While the tours are quite long at three hours, the history and information is so interesting you wont even notice the hours passing by. Its important to note that many businesses have shorter opening hours during the off-peak season. Pacific Coast Highway. Use caution while driving as the road is rather windy and narrow! The region is 90 miles long and begins south of Monterey and Santa Cruz. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for sharing. Admission is $10.50 per vehicle and when you arrive at the entrance they give you a map of all of the scenic stops and designated places to see. The colors over the water were absolutely spectacular! I really thought this was a great aquarium and I loved seeing all of the conservation efforts they had put into place. Point Lobos has a long history, dating all the way back to the mid-1800s, and hosted many groups including the Ohlone Native Americans, Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, and Spaniards. Thank you for this helpful resource. Don't be me. I was really excited to go here because I hadnt seen redwood trees since I was a little kid. The town is truly tiny at only one square mile, but it is absolutely packed with amazing things. They have ice cream, churros, and sundaes, which is the best option! ), all while taking in the magnificent views! Where does the Big Sur drive start? *Tidefall = a waterfall that drops directly into the ocean (I didnt know either). It is possible to drive Big Sur in one day, but many people like to spend longer exploring the area. Tina Yen's travel guide for Big Sur with 47 favorite places to visit. Our favorite thing to get: almond croissant. They sometimes even host concerts, cultural events, and film nights as well. They also have bikes you can rent as well. : Sand dollar beach does indeed have sand dollars! The first stop in your Big Sur itinerary is Point Lobos State Natural Reserve, which is known as the crown jewel of all state parks in California, located just south of Carmel-by-the-Sea. AirBnB: Due to the higher-than-normal cost of accommodation in Big Sur, you may want to check out AirBnB for a less expensive option, many even with those ocean views were all swooning over (without the super hefty price tag). We drove all the way south to the furthest location we wanted to see and then worked our way back north. Most people start this iconic road trip in L . Your email address will not be published. Hi Kate! We are surrounded by forest. After Bixby Bridge, this is on everyones must see list during any Big Sur road trip. Although I can definitely see why its just as beautiful and even the same style! You'll most definitely wanna make a few stops along the way ( Half Moon Bay, Pescadero, Santa Cruz, and Carmel/Monterey are my favorites), so plan accordingly! I ordered the Dungeness crab and N got fish and chipsalways so good. They were so cute, I was squealing! Required fields are marked *. Bixby Bridge is the epitome of Big Sur and its everything youd expect and more (but really, its the surrounding scenery that really steals the show). The best location to stay for your Monterey and Big Sur itinerary is in Monterey. Hearst Castle from $900. If you want a taste of France in sweet Monterey, Paris Bakery is your go-to spot! There are a lot of really good options of places to stay in Carmel. This weekend itinerary will immerse you in the Big Sur experience. A Carmel to Big Sur road trip can take anywhere from one hour to five, depending on how many stops . Big Sur and Monterey/Carmel I'll be spending this upcoming weekend on a road trip from Los Angeles to Monterey and thought I'd post my general itinerary and pose a few questions for the Big. Whether you are looking for a shopping trip, family getaway or romantic getaway we have just the travel itinerary for you! Just letting you know so there are no surprises! Pafoua writes from her numerous excursions about all things travel, from fun itineraries to creating memorable experiences on the road. You could drive the famous 17-mile Pebble Beach drive en route. Maybe even take a walk on the Santa Cruz boardwalk! Read on for my favorite Big Sur activities, where to stay, what to do in Big Sur, and (most importantly), what and where to eat! It could be difficult to drive a large vehicle or RV through this area as it is one lane and very narrow. Besides Abalonettis another one of our favorite restaurants in this area is Phils Fish Market & Eatery. Traffic is really bad, please use public transport or other forms to reduce as much as possible. " They start getting crowded around 9 am, so plan to arrive before then. 3. Theyre my two favorite spots in Point Lobos, and you wont find clearer waters. The ocean is a short walk away. You can easily park on the side of the road and forgo the paid parking, which is what most people do (Im not saying its a-okay just letting you know thats an option if the parking lot is full). Evening Youll most definitely wanna make a few stops along the way (Half Moon Bay, Pescadero, Santa Cruz, and Carmel/Monterey are my favorites), so plan accordingly! This place is absolutely perfect for lunch! I have visited California many times through out my life. Some of the overgrown trails are known to have poison oak to get to the beach views, so make sure to protect yourself if you want to get to the water. I would love to visit all of the beautiful beaches, go on those hikes and eat the saltwater taffy and ice cream! If you start at Big Sur, put your location in as San Simeon and then drive north from there. Bixby Bridge was one of my favorite stops on my Big Sur Itinerary! Hi Chris, Many thanks for your inquiry! Time needed: 1 to 2 days. Jackie Jegat, the owner and founder, moved from his home in France to open his own restaurant on the California Coast when he was about 30 years old. Youll find plenty of sunny days over here! Located just a smidge south of Pfieffer beach is Big Sur Bakery, which is actually a 1930s ranch-style home. There are numerous places to eat and drink in Big Sur, although some are definitely better than others. Harbor seals can dive 300 feet and stay underwater for up to 28 minutes! The beach down below was beautiful; however, hiking down to the beach is not advisable as the cliffs are unstable and there is no clear path. Best things to See: Iconic Bixby Bridge, Ragged Point, McWay Falls, Keyhole Arch at Pfeiffer Beach. Have you been? Within its 12 towns, there's so much to discover in . Famous for its narrow cobblestone lanes, little cottages dressed in flowers and plants, and enchanting shops that sell tons of local goodies, Carmel is a . On your first morning, wake up early and by 8 AM start your Big Sur itinerary by heading south on Highway 1. With more ocean views than you ever thought possible, eco-friendly and luxurious hotel stays, wooded hiking trails and nature for days, I can never get enough of this stretch of the coastline.
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