Traveling down (or up as the case may be) the Big Sur Coast should be easy and fun and beautiful. Here are some tips that will make your drive and stay a little smoother:
1. Take it slow! If you thought you could go the 80 miles between Carmel and Morro Bay in an hour and a half doing 60mph in your sports car, you are sorely mistaken! The road is narrow and full of hairpin curves, not to mention lots of other cars in the summer and fallen rocks in the winter. Although enticing, this is also not a road for racing motorcycles …
2. Check the weather and prepare for it. You don’t really want to get caught in the fog if you are a Big Sur newbie. If you do find yourself in that situation, follow Tip #1. Sometimes the fog can be gorgeous. I’ve driven the road at sunset with the fog layer socked into the lower part of the hills so that the road went up into blue sky then down into the fog while the sun was setting. Incredible visuals! That only happened once though.
3. Plan on taking the whole day and stop wherever your whims take you. Big Sur is such a beautiful stretch of coast that it’s almost a sin to breeze through it!
4. Go off season in the early spring or late fall. Traffic is much lighter and the local people are more into spending time with you. The vibe is more laid back and you’ll also have a sense of having lived there, even if you only go for a day.
5. Even if you are not a hiker, plan on doing a few of the short easy hikes through Pfeiffer Big Sur or to some of the beaches like Jade Cove or San Simeon.
6. Accommodations are expensive. If you have any hesitation about spending money, take your tent and camp in any of the State Parks or Private Campgrounds in the area.
Another alternative is to stay in San Simeon. There is a cluster of motels seemingly out in the middle of nowhere that may be somewhat reasonably priced. San Simeon is on the South End of the Big Sur Coast and has a desolate beauty all of it’s own.
7. Food is also expensive. If you are camping, take food with you. If you want to eat out and are on a budget, then breakfast is the affordable meal to eat at one of the cafes in Big Sur. Try Deetjen’s, Ripplewood, or the Big Sur Bakery. If your pockets are deeper, try Nepenthe’s anytime of the day or Deetjen’s for dinner.
The Camp Store at Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park is actually reasonably priced for food and forgotten items you might need while camping. Most people don’t know that the store is there because you can’t see it from the road.
8. Read about the literary history of Big Sur before you go. Big Sur has a rich literary history having attracted the likes of Henry Miller, Jack Kerouac, and Lawrence Ferlinghetti.
9. Visit the Henry Miller Library. Hang out and chat. Play some ping pong. Read some books. Hang out with Magnus, his knowledge of Henry Miller and the Big Sur area is extensive. Buy something to support the library!
10. Carmel’s creative history is in the field of Photography. Edward Weston and his sons Brett and Cole Weston called this place home. Check out the Weston Gallery in Carmel.
Do you have any other tips for taking the coast road through Big Sur? Add them in the comments!
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Tags: big sur, california coast, highway 1, road trip, tips
