Driving Down Highway 1 to Big Sur
Growing up in upstate New York in a blue-collar family, I never got past New Jersey and Pennsylvania until I started interviewing for jobs in my senior year of college. Leaving 3 feet of dirty snow in Syracuse in November and being on the beach in Los Angelas on an 80-degree day was amazing. Driving over the Golden Gate Bridge into Marin the first time was unforgettable.
I didn’t know anybody when I moved out to Northern California after HP hired me, so I spent every weekend driving up and down the coast, exploring the incredible California coastline. I still drive up and down the coast and continue to be stunned by the incredibly diverse scenery this area has to offer. This is the first in a series of posts of some of my favorite places I’ve visited along the northern California coast.
Point Lobos
Point Lobos State Natural Reserve is what I consider to be the northern boundary of Big Sur — it’s just a few miles south of Carmel. Of all of the state parks I’ve visited Point Lobos is probably my favorite. It has a great set of hiking trails, with a wide variety of stunning views. Due to the incredible popularity of Point Lobos it is increasingly difficult to enter the park on the weekend — you can park on the side of Highway One and walk in. But I’ve read that the state is considering moving to a reservation system to deal with overcrowding.
South of Point Lobos
Garrapata State Park is just a few miles south of Point Lobos and a great place to stop and walk along the beach. You can also hike inland and get some great views of the ocean.
As you head further south there’s not a whole lot of places to stop for lunch — so if you’re hungry check out Rocky Point Restaurant. Yes, the prices are a bit expensive, but the views are incredible, and I’ve always had tasty meals there.
As you head further south you’ll cross Bixby Creek Bridge. It’s one of the most photographed bridges in the world and a great place to stop. Just be careful when taking photos as it can be crowded and cars don’t always slow down. If you have decent mountain bike skills just a few miles south of Bixby Creek Bridge is Old Coast Road. It’s an 11-mile fireroad that is a total blast and ends at the north entrance to Andrew Molera State Park. Be warned that if you do this ride and then head back north on Highway One on your bike you will most likely face strong headwinds the whole way — but it’s so worth it!
Soon you’ll be passing the Point Sur Naval Facility and Point Sur Lighthouse. I’ve never actually stopped to visit the park and lighthouse, but it’s always a stunning view to drive by it.
The Town of Big Sur
As you pass Andrew Molera State park Highway One heads inland and soon you’ll arrive in the town of Big Sur. It’s a good idea to gas up your car while you’re here, and there’s several good places for lunch. On our last trip we tried out the new Big Sur Roadhouse and thought it was great. Really nice to sit outside there if the weather is good.
Just south of Pfeiffer Big Sur Campground you can make a right turn onto a not clearly marked road that is a dodgy 2-mile drive to Pfeiffer Beach. It’s one of my favorite places to hang out in the Big Sur area, but it can be crowded on weekends, so get there early.
I’ve only stayed overnight in Big Sur once, at Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn, which feels like a throwback to the 60’s hippie era. It was an experience. The newest and most expensive place to stay in Big Sur is the Post Ranch Inn. Rooms there start around $1500/night and many are over $2000. But here’s how you can experience it for much less. Make a reservation at their restaurant, Sierra Mar, for lunch. The food is fantastic there, as are the views.
Now when you are done with lunch, there’s a bench you can hang out on with exceptional views of the Big Sur coastline. Just be careful to not wander around too broadly, as their security people will bust you and send you back to the restaurant area. You can ask my wife about that. :)
Further South
If you didn’t stop at Sierra Mar for lunch there’s still a great option south of the Post Ranch Inn. Nepenthe is a Big Sur institution. It has great views, good food, and is always crowded. A fun place to stop. As you head south of the town of Big Sur things get pretty desolate. There are just so many places to stop and take in the great scenery.
Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park is known for McWay Falls, an 80-foot waterfall that drops into the ocean and is visible from the highway. However, just north of the park entrance there is the trailhead that leads to incredible views of the ocean. Bring plenty of water, and be ready for a serious workout!
During winter and spring there are many waterfalls in the area. Generally, if you see a large number of cars parked on the east side of Highway One in the middle of nowhere, there’s probably a waterfall a short ways inland.
I generally turn around when I hit the small towns of Lucia or Gorda. But if you go just past Gorda make sure to check out Salmon Creek Falls. It’s an easy 1/4 mile hike to see a 120-foot waterfall!
That’s a quick tour of my favorite places to see in the Big Sur area. In my next post, I’ll cover Monterey and Carmel.
