Big Sur drive
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Big Sur - by Iris Papillon on Unsplash
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Description
Big Sur refers to Central California's dramatic coastline between Carmel and San Simeon. Thanks to heavy development restrictions it has been kept mostly untouched with the Santa Lucia Mountains rising abruptly from the Pacific Ocean and the human imprint essentially limited to the CA-1, with the 70 miles (110km) stretch between Malpaso Creek (near Carmel Highlands in the north) and San Carpóforo Creek (near San Simeon in the south) marking the unofficial boundaries. The drive is one of the country's most popular and highlights include the Bixby Creek Bridge, the Point Sur Lighthouse, the McWay Falls at Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, and Pfeiffer Beach (only accessible via a 3km trail)
Access & Transport
The Big Sur drive starts just south of Point Lobos, 12km south of Monterey with Bixby Bridge coming quite early on followed by the Point Sur Lighthouse. San Simeon is 50km north of Morro Bay and 200km northwest of Santa Barbara.
Instructions & Recommendations
Nepenthe Restaurant is a well-known stop along the road, about 1/3 of the way heading south. On the south side, San Simeon and Cambria are good place to overnight before or after the journey. Note that since driving is on the right-hand side, the southbound views are marginally more impressive than northbound.
Environmental & Social
Mostly green activity (except for petrol of drivers not driving electric). The increasing numbers of tourists is putting a strain on local communities
Conclusion
Big Sur is a delightful and genuinely beautiful drive that will reward road-trippers, photographers and outdoor enthusiasts alike. There are few coastlines in the US that have managed to keep residential and commercial developments at bay, especially with large cities within a couple of hours drive.
Key positive
Wonderful views
Several points of interest along the way
Key negative
Some areas can get very busy
Suitability
No restrictions but some points of interests will not be accessible without assistance for visitors with reduced mobility
About this Rating
TYPE
Desktop
RESEARCHED IN
Updated in July 2023
PROVIDER
Koreval
av. transport time:0h 45m
est. visit time:4h
Sunrise / early morningOk
MorningOk
Lunch timeOk
AfternoonOk
Sunset / eveningOk
Night – bef. midnightNo
Night – aft. midnightNo