Big Sur

Pacific Coast Highway (PCH), or California State Route 1, along the California coast is one of the most iconic scenic roads in America. Big Sur, a rugged stretch of California’s central coast between Carmel and San Simeon, is the section of PCH that is often the highlight for those driving the twisty road along the ocean with the top down and hair blowing in the wind.

The traditional way to do this drive is over several days making overnight stops along the way in many of the small quaint towns. However, due to a massive mudslide (Paul’s slide), PCH is closed around the midpoint of Big Sur and there is no way to divert around it other than turning around. Although this a major disruption to the traditional traveler, it didn’t affect us since PCH is not advisable for RV travel anyway. Our plan was to set up basecamp in Morro Bay to explore the southern section of Big Sur (in the Jeep) and then set up camp in Monterey to explore the northern part. US 101 is the route to get from one end to the other. That said, we will be separating this blog into Big Sur south and Big Sur north.

BIG SUR SOUTH

As mentioned, we set up our basecamp in Morro Bay in a small state park right on Morro Strand State Beach. Morro Bay is a chilled little fishing town with much of the town located along the Embarcadero, a stretch along the bay with seafood restaurants, fishing charters, seafood markets, bars and shops. Sea lions and Otters regularly hang out in the bay and are great entertainment while hanging out on the pier.

Morro Bay is most recognized by the iconic Three Stacks and a Rock. Morro Rock (the rock), is a nearly 600-foot-tall volcanic plug that sits on the edge of the bay. You can see it from just about anywhere, including our campsite. It’s pretty impressive! The three stacks, the other iconic feature of Morro Bay, is three concrete smokestacks from an old power plant built back in the 1950’s. We originally saw this as an eyesore to the otherwise beautiful coastal town, but learned to appreciate its unique historical value to the community. Ironically, there is ongoing discussions about removing the stacks in the future.

A must do while in Morro Bay is to checkout the Bluff Trail at Montana de Oro State Park. This trail meanders along the ocean on a bluff with stark cliffs and hidden beaches below. It is the perfect way to experience the California coastline and is accessible on foot or bicycle. Walk or bike for the entire 4 miles or turnaround wherever you like, just do it.

Speaking of the coastline, let’s talk about the amazing southern section of Big Sur along the PCH. It’s a stretch of about 60 miles from Morro Bay to Limekiln State Park where the road is closed (pending reopening late Spring 2024), although the southern point of Big Sur doesn’t official start until the town of San Simeon, 30 miles from Morro Bay. The drive itself is the main attraction but there are plenty of places to stop along the way. I’ll cover a few must stops in the order of south to north.

1. Pie at Linn’s Cafe in Cambria

Pie may not be in the “must stop” category (or should it be) but it is well worth a stop in this little town for a slice of fresh pie at Linn’s. We actually stopped on the return trip – a celebratory slice memorializing a great day!

2. Hearst Castle San Simeon

Hearst Castle is an adventure of its own and should not be missed when visiting this part of Big Sur. William Hearst, the publishing tycoon, had the house built on a scenic hill in San Simeon within the original 40,000-acre estate he inherited from his father, George Hearst. Although it’s called a castle its more of a multicultural cathedral with architectural details from France, Spain and even Egypt. It was built to the meticulous specifications of William Hearst’s requirements by renowned architect Julia Morgan. There are several guided tours available with the Grand Room tour being the most popular which takes you through the grounds as well as many of the main interior rooms. The details in architecture are like nothing else, the indoor and outdoor pools are simply amazing and the grounds that it all sits on with the fabulous view is incredible.

3. Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery

Five miles north of Hearst Castle is an amazing site to see, Elephant Seals scattered across the beach. These sea creatures are impressive with adult males weighing from 4,000 to 5,000 pounds and up to 16 feet long. The large viewing area right above the beach provides the perfect spot to watch these large adults and young pups in their natural habitat. They have been coming to this beach since 1990. Although Elephant Seals spend most of their life at sea they “haul-out” to the beach twice a year on a rotational basis so seals can be seen here year round.

Be sure to first stop at the Elephant Seal Visitor Center located 7.8 miles south of the viewing areas in the Plaza del Cavalier in San Simeon.

4. Ragged Point

Ragged Point is a restaurant and lodge right on PCH with a long storied history. The main attraction to this place is the amazing ocean peninsula that it sits on. This would be an amazing place to spend a night or two, but even if you don’t, stop in for a bite to eat or get a coffee at their cafe and walk the grounds. Simply amazing!

5. Sand Dollar Beach

Fifteen miles further up the coast is this amazing crescent shaped beach. It’s a bit of a hidden gem so be sure to watch for the sign to the small parking area. The walkway down to the beach was actually damaged so we decided not to take the treacherous descent, but the walkway does go to an overlook with breathtaking views that were accessible.

PCH isn’t the only scenic drive in the area, Green Valley Road (California 46) is amazing as well. The road is located between Morro Bay and San Simeon and connects PCH with US 101. The 22 mile section of CA-46 slowly climbs through rolling green hills and at around the halfway point are several pull-outs to take in the view. On a clear day the coastline can be clearly seen in the distance beyond the rolling hills. You might think you have been transported to Ireland. The landscape changes to beautiful vineyards in the eastern section of the drive. When you come up to Niners Wine Estates look for the heart shaped cluster of trees on the hillside.

Our stay in Morro Bay wouldn’t be complete without some honorable mentions of our favorite eat spots.

Dorn’s Breakers Cafe – Awesome place for breakfast or brunch with great food and great service and a hillside view of the bay. Get the seafood omelet or buttermilk pancakes… or both.

Hofbrau der Albatross – Casual little spot on the bay famous for their roast beef french dip sandwiches. délicieux!

Taco Temple – Casual “taco” place along PCH that serves all kinds of seafood tacos. Honestly the only thing that resembles a taco is that there is a tortilla underneath it somewhere. The halibut tacos where the best fish we have had on the Pacific coast so far.

BIG SUR NORTH

We set up camp in Monterey, the neighboring city of Carmel and the northern starting point of the approximate 100 mile stretch of Big Sur. Many people come to the Monterey Peninsula area and never venture further. The peninsula is filled with beautiful ocean front homes, exquisite shopping and some of the most famous golf courses in the world such as Pebble Beach.

The best way to see Carmel, and specifically the Pebble Beach community, is to drive the 17 Mile Road. There’s a $12 toll to drive this road which can be reimbursed when dining in any of the resorts. The road meanders through the elaborate homes, redwood trees, pacific ocean vistas and of course the resorts. They give you a map so all of the POI’s are identified including the famous Lone Cypress. We stopped for a glass of wine along the way at the outdoor lounge overlooking the 18th fairway and green at Pebble Beach. It was a surreal experience recalling all of the momentus golf moments that have taken place in that very spot!

Spanish Bay is another famous golf resort in Pebble Beach and a great spot to watch the sunset on their outdoor patio. As sunset nears, you hear a bagpipe in the distance. He walks around the adjoining green and continues to play, standing up on a plush green hill with the ocean behind him, before finishing up around the firepit at the lounge. Are we still in California, or have we somehow been transported to Scotland? This tradition has occurred every evening, rain or shine since 1987. It was great to experience it with some family friends who were in town checking off their golfing bucket list.

You never know who you might run into hanging out at one of the Pebble Beach resorts. After we watched the sunset at Spanish Bay we moved to the indoor lounge and sat by the fireplace to warm up. A gentleman and his wife came by and sat with us and generously bought us all an after-dinner drink. He happened to be the long-time president and general manager of the local television station that is part of the Hearst Corporation. He loved to tell stories and we were a good audience. We learned how he mentored Oprah Winfrey, some details within the Hearst family and all of the political connections he has locally and nationally. He used to do a regular live political commentary on air. It was enjoyable but brought home the disturbing thoughts of just how much media and politics is inappropriately intertwined and how this all began with William Hearst’s powerful influence. We have strict laws that prohibit the blending of state and church but nothing that prohibits the influence of politics on the media and vice versa. This only creates a toxic breeding ground for corruption.

The other side of Carmel and Pebble Beach is the very different town of Monterey. The old Fisherman’s Wharf sits on the relatively calm Monterey Bay where fishermen and sailors spend their days on the water. Steep cliffs along the ocean shore give way to sandy dunes and city beaches. Even if you never leave the Monterey Peninsula on your visit, be sure to fully explore all of this area. In addition to 17 Mile Road, drive Ocean View Boulevard which provides amazing views and opportunities to walk along the ocean and be sure to stop at Carmel Beach. But there’s more, much more.

Driving south from Carmel enters the northern section of PCH and the Big Sur area. You don’t have to go far to be in awe but it’s well worth driving as far as you can. We continued south close to where the road was closed… and then we came back another day for seconds. Here’s our list of must stops, heading north to south.

1. Point Lobos State Natural Reserve

There’s a reason this is considered the crown jewel of the California state park system. The oceanfront is amazing here and through a chain of easy trails along the shoreline bluff, you can experience it all. Cypress Grove Trail, Sea Lion Point, South Shore Trail and Bird Island Trail connects it all. Hike the entire stretch or drive from one area to another. Sea Line Point is great for (you guessed it) viewing sea lions and Birds Island is an amazing tranquil oasis with turquoise water inlets and bird habitats.

2. Garrapata State Park

The Soberanes Point Trail loops along the ocean and then back along the road where you can climb the 50 feet to Whales Peak. It was a beautiful trail, and as we experienced all over this area, plenty of Blue Blossom Ceanothus and California Poppy along the trail adding to the beauty. The 50 foot climb to Whale Peak was well worth it for the spotting of 3-4 Gray Whales in the distance while standing on the hill.

3. Calla Lily Valley

This one wasn’t even on our list but caught our eye while driving by. Huge beautiful lily’s grow wild in this small valley which makes for some great photo ops. You can then take the trail a little further and get down to an amazing hidden beach.

4. Bixby Bridge Vista Point

Possibly the most iconic man-made elements of PCH is this incredible structure. It can be viewed right from the parking area and roadside (depending which vantage point you prefer). However, if you drive down beyond the parking area on Old Coast Road (a dirt road) you can get the best vantage point of the bridge looking from afar through the valley. If you’re up for more adventure and a side trip, drive the rest of the 10 miles on Old Coast Road. We were only able to make it a little over 2 miles until it was closed, but it was still a great little detour.

5. Pfeiffer Beach and Keyhole Arch

This was a big miss for us as both areas were closed due to the many recent storms that have ravaged the coastline. Drop us a line if you have been there or get a chance to in the future. We’d love to experience it through others since we couldn’t ourselves.

6. Nepenthe Restaurant

With all that driving and sightseeing you deserve a break and there is no better spot than Nepenthe. This oceanside restaurant with it’s huge outside patio sits up on a hill overlooking the Pacific. Whether you stop for a drink or a bite to eat, this is a worthy stop along PCH.

7. Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park

The Partington Cove Trail is right off of PCH before you get to the entrance of the state park. It’s a unique short hike with two sections. One goes to a cool overlook via a bridge and tunnel and the other leads down t a rocky picturesque beach. Another amazing spot along Big Sur!

8. McWay Falls

There’s a short trail that goes down to this waterfall which cascades into the ocean. The trail was closed but thanks to a small viewing area off the road it can be seen from there. This is an easy stop along the way that shouldn’t be missed.

There are so many good restaurants in the Carmel area, but there are also some smaller local spots, two restaurants in Monterey we really liked are:

Monterey Fish House – a somewhat unassuming place but this is where many of the locals come. We sat at the bar to eat and met locals, Johnny and Marissa. Johnny happens to be a caddy at Pebble Beach and gave us some other great tips on the area. Good casual atmosphere and great seafood!

Sandbar & Grill – If you’re on the Fisherman’s Wharf pier you will need to go to the “other” side of the pier for this hidden gem. This small restaurant is literally on the water and down a stairway from the pier. Outstanding food and great service!

Big Sur and the Pacific Coast Highway have so much to offer and so many ways to experience it. Whether you’re a golfer, naturalist, enjoy beautiful drives or an avid hiker, you will surely enjoy the beauty of this 100-plus mile stretch of the Pacific coast. It doesn’t matter how you do it, just do it… even if you travel in an RV.

Be sure to check out all of our pictures from both sides of Big Sur.