Big Sur State Park & Carmel-by-the-Sea

Last week Alex and I took a trip a few hours south to visit Big Sur State Park. We drove Highway One down pretty much the entire way and did not regret the extra time it added to our road trip. Hwy 1 runs along most of the the Pacific Coastline and was one of the most beautiful drives we’ve done. We had the most perfect weather and made multiple stops along the way.

(Also, please bear with me as this post includes a TON of pictures! I just could not decide and included them all!)

We stopped briefly in Monterey, but did not spend much time there. We did however cruise along The 17-Mile Drive, a privately managed roadway winding between Pacific Grove and Pebble Beach. It costs $10.25 (cash only) and you are given a map of all the roadside stops and descriptions of the viewpoints. It was a very beautiful drive and there were a lot of people driving on this route.

We made a quick stop in Carmel-by-the-Sea for lunch at La Bicyclette where we split a salad and mussels before getting back on the road.

One of the most famous stops along Hwy 1 is Bixby Creek Bridge. Completed in 1932 for just over $200,000, the concrete bridge is one of the highest bridges in the world of its kind. It stands over 260-feet above the steep canyon carved out by Bixby Creek and makes for a perfect photo opportunity!

This area of California was badly damaged by forest fires and landslides and many of the hiking trails were closed in Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park & Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park. We were aware of this in advance and planned our trip accordingly. On our first day in Big Sur, we hiked the Buzzard’s Roost Trail which climbs upwards through a redwood forest before coming out at the top to panoramic views of the ocean and surrounding park. Again, we lucked out with gorgeous weather and could see for miles and miles in all directions.

After our hike, we drove to Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, less then a 20-minute drive from Big Sur. Again, Highway 1 kills me - it is such a lovely stretch of road and there are so many wonderful areas to pull over and enjoy the views of the ocean and steep cliffs.

Can you imagine waking up to this view every morning?!?!

We did two hikes in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park. The first being Partington Cove Trail which is located directly off Highway 1. This trail winds down to the ocean where you pass through a historic tunnel to an overlook which once was a loading dock for ships.

We then drove another ten minutes to the McWay Falls Overlook Trail. This short trail leads under Hwy 1 and overlooks McWay Cove. From the observation deck, you can see a waterfall which flows directly onto the beach - both the beach and waterfall were formed from a landslide in 1983. I could not get over the color of the water in this cove. It was the most beautiful shade of turquoise and so clear.

After lunch at the Big Sur Roadhouse, we headed over to Nepenthe. Nepenthe is one of the nicer restaurants in Big Sur, and they have a wonderful outdoor patio with beautiful views of the coastline. We sat outside under the umbrellas for a couple of hours enjoying a drink and a slice of banana cream pie.

We ended our first full day by watching the sun set along Hwy 1. It was a perfect ending to a beautiful day.

On our last morning in Big Sur, we woke early and hiked the Valley View Trail. This two-mile trail leads through the redwoods and up to an overlook showcasing the Big Sur River gorge.

After the hike, we showered and checked out of our hotel as we decided to spend the last night of our road trip staying overnight in Carmel-by-the-Sea. On the drive back to Carmel, we saw a lot of cars pulled off on the side of Highway One and noticed there was a pretty viewpoint on top of a hill. We decided to check it out and quickly realized in addition to an observation deck, there was also a short trail along the coastline known as Soberanes Point (part of Garrapata State Park). This trail winds through the many coves lining the shore.

Just outside of Carmel-by-the-Sea, is an adorable winery, Folktale Winery, where we stopped for lunch and a glass of wine. We shared a salad and a cheese plate and just enjoyed the sunny weather on their patio.

We spent the rest of the afternoon in Carmel-by-the-Sea, a charming seaside village (Clint Eastwood has a home here!) south of Monterey. Tons of shops, restaurants, and boutique wineries can be found in this small town. Plus, all the buildings look as though they came straight out of a fairytale book. We spent several hours just walking around and trying out a few of the tasting rooms. We ended the evening with dinner at Cultura.

This has been a highlight road trip for sure and one day I hope to travel all the way from San Francisco to Los Angeles down Highway 1. The coastline is gorgeous and there is lots to do and see. It truly is a beautiful part of our country.

Accommodation: Big Sur Lodge & Cypress Inn

Food: Big Sur Bakery (both breakfast and dinner) & Big Sur Roadhouse

Drinks with a View: Nepenthe

Wineries in Carmel-by-the-Sea: Folktale Winery, Albatross Ridge, Blair Wines, Caraccioli Cellars, Scratch, & Wrath Wines

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