Despite all ocean views and beaches, theres not many safe spots for swimming. Now you can sit and relax in the car a bit as you head south to Big Sur. The road is not paved. While the entire reserve is beautiful, dont miss China Cove and Bird Island Lookout (on the southern part of the park). I am a huge fan of aquariums! If the weathers lousy (as in thick fog drastically impeding the views), I honestly wouldnt bother with Nepenthe. The picturesque stretch hugs the Monterey Peninsula, threading through the historic Monterey and the fairytale town of Carmel-by-the-Sea before connecting with the jaw-dropping Big Sur. The Lone Cypress is actually over 250 years old! I think we tried 7 different kinds of Clam Chowder and they literally all taste different because they have their own recipes and specialties. 3-day Big Sur itinerary. 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. The 45 minute drive can last all day as you delight in the views (and the cuisine!) Since the road to Big Sur is finally open again (after months of closure due to horrific mudslides), nows the time to visit! Besides Abalonettis another one of our favorite restaurants in this area is Phils Fish Market & Eatery. The Lone Cypress on the 17-mile drive is one of the most photographed trees in the world. We went on the Bird Island and China Cove trailhead first. Just be careful to watch out for other vehicles coming and livestock roaming around! Pacific Coast Highway. We would like to thank Big Sur Adventures for providing discounted tickets for us to experience their e-bike tour. Find a place to park and spend some time enjoying the many art galleries and boutiques. Free shipping for many products! for current highway conditions before your drive. If you start at Big Sur, put your location in as San Simeon and then drive north from there. This mountain range, just inland from the not-so-hidden gem that is Big Sur, runs from below Monterey and Carmel down to about San Luis Obispo. Definitely dont miss one of the most unforgettable stretches of majestic coastline in the world. Any tips/suggestions appreciated. The official name of the Carmel Mission is Mission San Carlos Borromo del ro Carmelo. Big Sur guide. It needs our tourism more than ever, after suffering near economic catastrophe when. Walking on the wharf doesnt take any more than 30 minutes if you just want to do a walk-through, but youd be missing out! Everything You Need to Know About Visiting Calla Lily Valley in Big Sur! Likes Comments. Thanks for your support! Today, he has a wholesale warehouse where he provides his delicious fresh-baked pastries to hotels and restaurants around the area. Next up on your Monterey itinerary is Cannery Row, a waterfront area with old buildings filled with shopping, restaurants, and fun activities such as escape rooms, arcades, and the world-class Monterey Bay Aquarium. We so enjoyed our time on our Monterey and Big Sur road trip. I would advise sharing a sundae with your BFF as the portions are huge, but its delicious nonetheless. You'll likely hit Carmel-By-The-Sea first, which is where you should bed down; the famed L'Auberge Carmel offers old-world luxury. Saving this guide for later! After Fishermans Wharf, we decided to leave Monterey to explore Carmel-by-the-sea. However, if you are here early, the pictures are still pretty amazing and youll miss the 9-10 AM traffic congestion so thats a win! Some places I recommend going to in Carmel: Point Lobos was also definitely another highlight of this trip and should definitely be on your Monterey, Carmel and Big Sur Itinerary. 5. 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. Within its 12 towns, there's so much to discover in . Maybe even take a walk on the Santa Cruz boardwalk! The best location to stay for your Monterey and Big Sur itinerary is in Monterey. Big sur is definitely on my bucket list of places to travel to. There is also the Old Downtown Marketplace every Tuesday from 4 -7 PM in the fall and 4 8 PM in the summer. Its known for its pristine scenery, full of turquoise water, beautifully-designed bridges, rustic hiking trails, and more. The museum exhibits have a few rooms depicting life during the mission days. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Fun for young and old, exploring the rocky coastline in search of creatures is a must-do. And I do love my crab from Phils! Fishermans Wharf is full of cute candy shops and tons of Clam Chowder restaurants! like a Big Sur Monterey California Coast McWay Falls One Day Tour from San Jose.. Alternatively, you can take the Monterey-Salinas Transit Line 22 from Carmel or Monterey, which will take you all the way to Nepenthe Restaurant when heading south. Depending on how hungry you are, appetizers are also available at the outside bar and inside the lounge. If you are planning a road trip to the coast of California, this Monterey and Big Sur itinerary is a perfect option for you, and its so convenient as they are about 30 minutes apart from one another. Grab Life by the Moments Itineraries Highlights Itinerary Outdoors Itinerary Family Itinerary Girlfriend Getaway Itinerary Golf Itinerary Treebones Resort: Looking for something a bit different? 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. If you have time for more hiking and want to explore more of the Big Sur area on foot, check out this link for ideas. I ordered the Dungeness crab and N got fish and chipsalways so good. It has an awesome art community, and its one of the most beautiful places in Californiatry the 17-mile scenic drive! 1. Luckily, I have a few more trips planned this fall so the Visiting between the months of November to March? Although I can definitely see why its just as beautiful and even the same style! Planning ahead: You can plan to picnic at the beach. Make sure to bring a light jacket since it gets a little bit chillier at night. Hi Sydney! The scenic pull-offs are along the coast, and driving north to south provides the easiest access to these. One weekend is the perfect amount of time to see the highlights of Carmel, Monterey, and Big Sur along Highway 1. Winding turns. This is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Monterey . The Barbacoa Beef tacos are insanely delicious! I saw many of them while riding my bike on the Pacific Coastal Trail and just rode down a particular street if I saw any that looked really interesting! The Mcway Falls trail is located at the Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park. Be sure to dabble your toes in the river at Big Sur River Inn and then end your day with a sunset dinner and ocean view at Pacific's Edge. Just letting you know so there are no surprises! 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. When is the Best Time to Visit Monterey and Big Sur? If youve had enough of driving on your road trip, you can park near Carmel beach and walk the scenic path. There are a lot of really good options of places to stay in Carmel. It is located towards the end of the wharf, so beware that you may be tempted to stop at one of the restaurants before it. If you are driving up from the south, everything will just be in reverse order. Aww, thank you so much! This trail was amazing and we saw a cove with the most turquoise blue waters and baby sea lions down below. Located at the mouth of the Big Sur River, the park has gorgeous panoramic views of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. I was an ex-pat and now still trying to re-pat. Pfeiffer Beach will be the second turnout, There are many more options for Monterey ranging from the, If youd like to stay in Big Sur, there is the, Blanket or lawn chairs for hanging out at the beach, Bike if youd like to explore Monterey by bike. 10 Things You Should Know About The Brando Resort in Tetiaroa, A First-timer's Trip to Australia; Sydney, the Whitsundays and the Central Coast, Paradise in the Dominican Republic: The Samana Peninsula, Explore the North Coast of the Dominican Republic, A 3-Day Itinerary for Charleston, South Carolina, How to Spend 3 Days in Nashville, TN - A Girls' Trip, Balboa Island in Newport Beach,California, Carmel, Monterey & Big Sur - A Perfect 3-Day Itinerary, Mission San Carlos Borromeo del Rio Carmelo, "I've actually been meaning to take the kids on this road trip. We loved the location and walked almost everywhere (except the places in Carmel and Big Sur). Hi MacKenzie! and not many tourists know about it just yet! We enjoyed a little downtime at our hotel. Small and cozy and rustic and delicious. They provide the best deals for car rentals in California! You can read all about how this area came to be here. Since Big Sur is located between Carmel-by-the-Sea and San Simeon, its best to start from either of these (and finish in the other) if you wanna experience the entire coastline of Big Sur. Note that parking is rather limited and costs $10, with restrooms available. There will also be many spots to pull over and take some beautiful pictures on the drive. Yes, definitely! Carmel-by-the-Sea has one art gallery for every 34 residents. Hi Jolayne! Since it was already the middle of the day, there were no parking spots down by the beach. Youll find plenty of sunny days over here! If you and your group aren't ready to slow down yet, take this time to explore the shops on Fisherman's Wharf or Cannery Row. Looks like such an awesome road trip. If you are a morning person, you might want to head out earlier to avoid the other tourists. In the Big Sur region, hop on the Pacific Coast Highway (or PCH; part of California State Route 1), one of the state's most scenic routes, and take your pick of any of the stunning coastal towns. Youll drive into places like San Simeon, Cambria, Cayucos, San Luis Obispo, Pismo, and more! You would never imagine this town is in California, it feels like a fairy tale town in Germany. Check the missions website for daily hours and admission prices. : Sand dollar beach does indeed have sand dollars! Big Sur Itinerary - Day 2: 1. If you are into golfing, the 17 mile drive also has the world famous Pebble Beach! The drive was nice and pretty straight forward and just took a little over an hour and a half. Day One Montereys Fishermans Wharf is an iconic stop for your Monterey itinerary. While youll see monarchs all around Big Sur, Andrew Molera State Park is the place to be to spot the most! Please make reservation for dinner; No Dinner Wednesday/Thursday; Deetjen's Big Sur Inn is a non-profit dedicated to the preservation and rehabilitation of the historic Big Sur Inn at Castro Canyon. We ended up booking the Hideaway an adorable boutique hotel. With binoculars you can see sea otters and sea lions. Not many out-of-towners know this, but coastal fog is another downside of a Big sur road trip during summertime; it can hang around as late as midday! Any Big Sur road trip aint complete without a stop at iconic Bixby Bridge, one of the most photographed spots in Big Sur (which Im sure youve seen alllll over instagram and pinterest). Day 1 6pm After a thrilling drive along historic Highway One, you've arrived at the Big Sur Campground and Cabins for an authentically rustic Big Sur stay. If you have never seen redwood trees another great stop is Pfieffer Big Sur state Park , mentioned by the previous poster. I discuss Nepenthe below as a must-visit stop on your Big Sur itinerary! Stay for sunset as the rock formations on the beach make for some epic scenery! Patience is the only requirement, but binoculars are nice to have as well. You could spend all day in this area headed from winery to winery. I feel oh so lucky to only live a few hours north, which means we typically make it to Big Sur at least once a year! This was our last stop heading down Highway 1 before we turned around and made some stops on the way back to Carmel. Next up on your Monterey itinerary is Old Downtown Monterey located on Alvarado street and named after Juan Bautista Alvarado who was the former governor of Alta California. The 72-mile portion that runs through Big Sur is an official American National Scenic Byway. Afternoon There is a $10 honor system daily charge, so bring some cash. 10. And if you venture a bit further south from the city before you hit Carmel, you can enjoy the splendours of the 17-mile-drive a coastal route that is considered to be one of the most scenic drives in the entirety of the US. La Playa Carmel. On the opposite side of the road, there is a dirt road known as Old Coast Road. They check out all the major websites, and you can customize what you need as well! What a wonderful place you get to call home. The location of the Carmel Mission isn't the original spot. March 3, 2023. Monterey or Carmel to Big Sur The best place to stay if embarking upon a Big Sur day trip is Carmel or Monterey. Mmm! They sometimes even host concerts, cultural events, and film nights as well. The beach there was beautiful with views of the cliffs next to the ocean. Is driving to Big Sur dangerous? Have you been? The clam chowder here is also amazing! Answer 11 of 32: Hi all! As you start your Big Sur road trip down from San Francisco (after exploring Monterey and Carmel-by-the-Sea prior), youre first official stop should be Point Lobos! How many days do you need in Monterey and Big Sur? But it's absolutely still worth visiting! Continue driving south on Hwy 1 towards your next stop in this Big Sur itinerary: Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, which is not to be confused with Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park. Top tip: pull off at a turnout from the bridges south end at sunset. Pafoua is the author and creator of Her Wanderful World. Tip: Driving it can be challenging, but well worth it. And so is Nepenthe! As always, thanks for the support. Another thing I loved about Carmel Beach was how dog friendly it was. This was one of my favorite stops on this trip. Our guide Johnathon was knowledgeable about the area telling us interesting facts along the route. There is so much to see, this is only the tip of it! To eat here though, you definitely pay for the cliffside views. Cannery Row is near where we dropped off our bikes so we just walked right over! I love Monterey! Pafoua writes from her numerous excursions about all things travel, from fun itineraries to creating memorable experiences on the road. READ MORE - Road trip from Sacramento to Lake Tahoe. For more information, check out my travel resources page. Tours cost $15 per person. For a delicious Mediterranean style dinner, head over to Dametra Caf. Our other option is to do Monterey/Carmel on Tuesday (aquarium, 17-mile drive, etc), and then Big Sur first thing Wednesday morning (July 4th). There are a ton of walks and trails to choose from, with all difficulty levels. The ocean is a short walk away. 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 mesmerizing stretch of coastline is located between Carmel (about ~45 min drive north) and San Simeon (roughly 1.5 hours drive south). Highway 1 is one of the most scenic roads I have ever been on! The Andrew Molera State Park is located in Big Sur and is a relatively undeveloped park in the area. Psst: When people say theyre hiking to McWay Falls, theyre really just casually strolling down a paved path. Cocktails with a view? This area is gorgeous where you can easily spend a couple of hours hanging out. Woooo its finally time to get this Big Sur road trip itinerary under way! I personally love #doingallthethings at the beginning of my trips and then slowing down as I stay longer, but you can puzzle this Monterey and Big Sur itinerary out to best fit your weekend and travel style. As always, all opinions expressed are our own. Also, there are two different viewpoints- one of the front side of the bridge and one of the back. Then head over to the American Tin Cannery Outlets and meet up with Big Sur Adventures for an e-bike tour of the coast. Answer 11 of 11: Hello I'm hoping for some advice. Big Sur isnt too far from Monterey and you get all the nature with it. The inside had the most beautiful design and the outside was just as lovely with tables and benches everywhere and live music playing. It will take you about 2 hours to drive right into Monterey. It's $10.50 entrance per car to see the iconic views. Thankfully theres hot chocolate, tea, and/or coffee waiting for you. Hi Chris, Many thanks for your inquiry! 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 . Again, theres a toilet here! Do note there is no beach or ocean access, and its actually forbidden to go down there. 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! The entire area is pricey, so expect to pay big city prices (~$15ish for a cocktail, ~$20-30ish for an entree). I had always heard about the Monterrey Bay Aquarium and how great it was and how Finding Nemo was based on that aquarium! Monterey Peninsula Recreational Trail is an 18-mile trail that runs from Pacific Grove up north to Castroville and alongside the old Southern Pacific Railway. It was easy to find the area where we needed to take a shuttle to the rental car building. (If you come between April-June, there are purple flowers all over the place in this area and Pacific Grove!). Yes and No. It is the foggiest park even when some of the other parks are clear, youll want to make sure to check the weather as you wont be able to see much with the fog. Quiet. If youre not in a rush on your Big Sur road trip, why not make the extra stop? Day 6: Santa Ynez Valley to Los Angeles. Hearst Castle Day 1. Time needed: 1 to 2 days. In Old Downtown Monterey, youll find over 400 shops and restaurants lining the main streets as well. This scenic drive is so rewarding with views of cute homes overlooking the never-ending Pacific ocean. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. Thanks for all the recommendations. You can find her on Instagram @herwanderfulworld. Then we'd be driving from Mc Way Falls back up to Monterey and then down to Arroyo Grande where we're staying Wednesday night. Look out for them clustered in trees in the early morning, and flying around during the day. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. En route, you'll pitstop on the Monterey Peninsula before snaking along through the wilderness of Big Sur. Inside you'll nd: Flexible, strategic itineraries including long weekends in Monterey, Carmel, and Santa Cruz, and a three-day road trip from Big Sur to There was even a point in our war history where Point Lobos was part of secret military operations, too! And just one reason its on every list of the most beautiful places in California. Sign up for AirBnB with my link and get up to $40 off your first stay! I really enjoyed Spanish Bay Beach, Fanshell Beach overlook, Cypress Point Lookout and the Lone Cypress. Each room actually had binoculars making it even easier to locate the animals! . This is definitely a place I would like to spend more time at if I head back to this area. I heard from a local that even though Carmel is small, there is always something new to discover and I can definitely believe it. Most the attractions mentioned in this article are closed due to covid19. Left-wing Paranoia in Big Sur, Caramel, Monterey County, California Nov 2021 and Nov 2020. Where we stayed: Youll get a really nice view of the beach. You can easily follow along the road trip stops, doing every single one (my recommendation) or picking and choosing a few if you only have part of a day. With that being said, you can easily see oh so much in even as little as one day. 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. Miles of misty coastline. Carmel is a small, beautiful, and charming seaside town tucked between Big Sur and Monterey on the central coast of California. Homewood Suites by Hilton in San Jose Four Points by Sheraton Hotels in San Jose Aloft Hotels in San Jose InterContinental (IHG) Hotels in San Jose Extended Stay America Hotels in San Jose Residence Inns in San Jose Choice Hotels in San Jose Best Western Hotels in San Jose Motel 6 Hotels in San Jose Fairfield Inns in San Jose Four Points by Sheraton Hotels Now part of the Ventana Inn resort. 1. Ive already put my favorites up above throughout the Big Sur road trip itinerary, but here are some more! These are the items on our list that we are possibly looking to hit: Highway 1 Mcway Falls Bixby. Then walk across the street and indulge in a local favorite, Revival Ice Cream. This takes 3 hours and 30 minutes to the lowest point of Big Sur, Cambria, where you can start this itinerary (in reverse order from how it's posted). They start getting crowded around 9 am, so plan to arrive before then. It is highly recommended that a car or truck with high clearance would be better to drive through it. And plus, whats cooler than a cone from a bus? :p. Have you ever seen a beach with purple sand?! From SF, Big Sur is about 2.5 hours south. I stopped at this state park on the way back to Carmel and I really loved it! Theyve also got some wood-fired pizzas, burgers, and avocado toast if youre still hungry after Big Sur River Inn.
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