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Most people are surprised at how little civilization is around here no traffic lights, strip malls, or banks. The high season in this area is during the summer months, just after May and through August, so you may want to avoid these months if you dont want to be around the crowds. Seaside cliffs. Day 2. This was our last stop heading down Highway 1 before we turned around and made some stops on the way back to Carmel. 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 There is so much you can do and see while you are in Carmel. Evening Aubrie is a Utah based blogger/content creator. It is highly recommended that a car or truck with high clearance would be better to drive through it. , Point Lobos looks absolutely stunning! The 72-mile portion that runs through Big Sur is an official American National Scenic Byway. This was a great place to end the day in Carmel. Day 1: San Francisco to Santa Cruz. Weekend Big Sur itinerary. 1. I cant recommend this place enough! We will be coming here mid-May and will definitely use your advice. Cocktails with a view? Yes, definitely! 9. And so is Nepenthe! In this quaint town, you will find a gas station, a few small hotels, convenience stores, bathrooms, and restaurants. Book lover? We were able to order build your own sandwiches that came with a drink and chips. (10/13/18). If we get there earlier, we get saltwater taffy and enjoy them on our hikes/beach time. This looks amazing. Its known for its pristine scenery, full of turquoise water, beautifully-designed bridges, rustic hiking trails, and more. Cannery Row also has some cute candy shops, arcades and even an indoor mini golf arena! Youll be hungry after your ride, so head over to Hulas for a late lunch. Although I can definitely see why its just as beautiful and even the same style! A stay at Deetjen's is a step-back in time; you are immersing yourself in the unique historic . Time needed: 1 to 2 days. Be warned, traffic can slow along this stretch (especially south bound) during the summer, so its best to visit Bixby in the early AM! This 11 mile road is what those back in the day had to use before the famed Highway One was complete! My favorites in that area include: Carmel Beach, Lovers Point Park, Pavels Bakerei, the 17 mile drive, and whale watching! Carmel-by-the-Sea. I am a huge fan of aquariums! Where does the Big Sur drive start? Ten interesting facts we learned on OurEDventure: There is so much to see, this is only the tip of it! Hungry? There are a lot of really good options of places to stay in Carmel. There was a river right behind the Inn with lots of cute chairs to sit on and relax and people were even tubing on the river! Itineraries: Monterey Bay, Carmel, and Big Sur In a nutshell, this drive is all about the jaw-dropping scenery of the Pacific Coast. Be sure and check out the view from both sides of the street, but be careful when crossing. Note that youll have to walk/hike about 100 steps or so to access the beach. Top tip: pull off at a turnout from the bridges south end at sunset. Best things to See: Iconic Bixby Bridge, Ragged Point, McWay Falls, Keyhole Arch at Pfeiffer Beach. Eating fresh clam chowder is a must on any Monterey and Big Sur Itinerary! The Lone Cypress on the 17-mile drive is one of the most photographed trees in the world. These are the most common ways to take a Big Sur road trip: Start and finish in Carmel-by-the-Sea but only drive as far as McWay Falls (78 miles of driving) Start in Carmel-by-the-Sea and finish in Morro Bay (120 miles of driving) If youre from outta town, and by that not within driving distance, youll need to get yourself to SFO (San Francisco) first. Youll have an amazing time when you visit! Definitely dont miss one of the most unforgettable stretches of majestic coastline in the world. And thankfully, the parking lot has bathrooms! Patience is the only requirement, but binoculars are nice to have as well. The ambience at this place was amazing. Still dreaming of heading back and doing this Monterey , Carmel and Big Sur itinerary again sometime soon! Youll find plenty of sunny days over here! Be sure to take along a sweater as the trails are shaded and can be very cool the entire time, which makes for a spectacular break on a super hot day! It was the prime location for marine life spotting! Have you been? Recommended accommodation options in Monterey and Carmel that wont break the bank: With that being said, the hotels in Big Sur really are quite special, and if you can splurge for one night on your California Coast road trip, these are the best places to do it: Post Ranch Inn: Offering 3 pools, one being an infinity hot tub, you can spend the bulk of your time here overlooking the stunning California coastline. With binoculars you can see sea otters and sea lions. Besides the gorgeous views, the houses in Carmel are also some to steal your breath away with their eccentricities and quaint vibes. While the tours are quite long at three hours, the history and information is so interesting you wont even notice the hours passing by. :p. Have you ever seen a beach with purple sand?! 4.. Can You Start from San Francisco to Big Sur on the Road Trip Itinerary? Enjoy your ice cream on the wharf and enjoy watching all the puppies greet each other as their owners walk them up and down the pier. A short 15 minute walk along the cliffs with beautiful views of the coast and even a waterfall! Oh la la, Crepes! This weekend itinerary will immerse you in the Big Sur experience. Weve just started looking for ideas for travel this year. Hi Faith! If you found this article useful, consider using the links within the article or below. Renting a Car : Note that you'll undoubtedly need a car for this Big Sur road trip (it is a mini road trip after all!) When booking your Monterey to Big Sur car rental online, I recommend using Discover Cars. Head back north and drive into the quaint little town of Carmel-by-the-Sea. Sure, its the most expensive pastry Ive ever bought (at a whopping $8.50), but my husband and I both felt it was worth the hefty price tag. Be sure to checkout some of my blog posts which include information about travel, fashion, lifestyle and photography. Point Pinos Lighthouse is the oldest continuously operating lighthouse on the West Coast. Aww, thank you so much! Read on for the most perfect Big Sur road trip itinerary! This is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Monterey . Three types of whales frequent the Big Sur coastline: If youre visiting Big Sur in the winter months between October and December, youre in for a real treat tons of monarch butterflies! This sample itinerary aims to show how you can cover the two towns of Monterey or Carmel in as little as 2 days. Pfeiffer beach is best known for its amazing rock structures, sunsets and sometimes there is even purple sand! Planning ahead: You can plan to picnic at the beach. Three tips for the Best Pacific Coast Highway Stops. Your email address will not be published. READ NEXT: 25+ Best Road Trips from San Francisco. 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! The people that worked there were friendly and gave us a map of the nearby trail and tips on places they recommended seeing. Big Sur is most popular between April and October, when the weather is at its nicest. 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). At an early hour, you might be too early for Nepenthe the restaurant upstairs, but Cafe Kevah down below has a delicious selection for brunch. . These are the items on our list that we are possibly looking to hit: Highway 1 Mcway Falls Bixby. Sign up for itinerary inspiration, travel tips, and more! 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. 6 days / 5 nights / 4 rounds. The Barbacoa Beef tacos are insanely delicious! Pin it for later or share it! To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Depending on how hungry you are, appetizers are also available at the outside bar and inside the lounge. The path to get to the lookout for the falls is very short and flat. How to get here: When youre heading southbound (recommended), take the 2nd right after you see the Big Sur Station. I guess we'll have to plan another trip." Theres really no way around it. The fog is usually gone by early Fall, and you can even witness whales and butterflies this time of year (yes, really, if you know where to look!). Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for California CA Big Sur Carmel Monterey Coastline Postcard Old Vintage Card View at the best online prices at eBay! I love the mixture of beautiful scenery, learning about new things, and getting outside and being active. Additionally, Big Sur is hard to reach and necessitates either a long drive out-and-back or loop to see the whole area. Within its 12 towns, there's so much to discover in . I was an ex-pat and now still trying to re-pat. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. Free shipping for many products! Nightly bagpipe performances have taken place every day since 1987 at Spanish Bay in Carmel. The water was soooo extra beautiful when we were there we actually felt like we were in Hawaii for a hot second! Monterey Carmel Big Sur Pebble Beach Private Charter by Luxury Vehicle 6 hrs~ 6 hours Hotel pickup offered. Yes please! While youll see monarchs all around Big Sur, Andrew Molera State Park is the place to be to spot the most! Hi.. we are driving in from Santa Barbara and wanted to plan a Big Sur , Monterey trip where should we stop first where would u stay if u want to see Carmel too? Its so nice to just be surrounded by nature and kinda forget about the rest of the world for a little while! Looks like you had a wonderful time too. Fun fact: Bixby Bridge was built 5 years before the road was paved to connect Carmel to San Luis Obispo! And yes, theres so much history in this little area. Its such a pretty area! There are also hiking trails you can check out here, too, and if youre wanting a more rugged experience, camp out at the park. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for sharing. With an early head start to your day, you will have plenty of parking spaces to choose from if you stop for lunch here. The rest of the year is considered cool temperature, but Monterey does boast of 300 days of sunshine. Look out for them clustered in trees in the early morning, and flying around during the day. Just a few of the things Big Sur is well-known for. I ordered the Dungeness crab and N got fish and chipsalways so good. If you want a taste of France in sweet Monterey, Paris Bakery is your go-to spot! Being Big Surs largest beach, as long as the tide is low, youll find plenty of space to lay your towel down and relax. Thank you! Thx!! The ocean is a short walk away. I havent been to Malibu yet, but if they look the same then Im down to see more gorgeous views! Since you are now past the influx of traffic, you wont be in a rush to get into any of the popular sites. One of the best features of the hotel was the Happy Hour that happened every day from 4-6. There are definitely so many good spots for pictures that you cant get enough of! Like what you see? What is there to see between Monterey and Big Sur? There are twists and turns along the cliff, with most parts of the highway being only one lane in either direction. We definitely have gone back multiple times and found new places to explore every time! Park along the road right before the entrance to save on a $10 parking fee. Make sure to have these essentials on your list: The best time to visit Monterey and Big Sur is in the fall during the months of September to November or in the spring during the months of April to May. Have dinner at Lallapalooza on Alvarado Street. For a complete San Francisco to Big Sur day trip , start in San Francisco and make your way through Monterey and Carmel-By-The-Sea to Big Sur on Highway 1 and US-101.