20220327_081306Coastline of Big Sur (March 2022)

If there’s one place to really capture the wild, coastal beauty of California, look no further than Big Sur. A 71-mile/144 kilometer stretch along the central coast of the state, the region of Big Sur offers dramatic views of the verdant, undulating coastline and the brilliant turquoise blue of the Pacific. And despite its rather isolated location (and with limited services), it doesn’t stop over 7 million tourists annually to take the scenic drive along the coast for that “California dreaming” vibe.

As stated, Big Sur is a region of central California that extends much of the coastline. Although there’s no clear delineation of where it starts and ends, the consensus is that it’s bordered by San Simeon to the south and Carmel-by-the-Sea to the north. Much of the region is in Monterey County, made famous by American writer John Steinbeck of the early 20th century in novels like Cannery Row for its untouched, almost savage nature that’s far-removed from the big cities like San Francisco or Los Angeles, to romanticize the solitude and beauty of being in the redwood forests and by the sea.

Big Sur can be done as a day trip, and in fact it’s common for tourists to make the three to four-hour drive from San Francisco, or a two-and-a-half hour drive from San Simeon. A day trip is doable if you’re only going to hit a few of the stops on the way, but for a fully-immersive experience filled with hikes, beaches, even camping, you’ll need at least a night or two.

Personally, my dad and I only had a day to visit Big Sur, so we opted to leave first thing in the morning (by 7h40) to make the two-and-a-half hour drive from Cambria to our first stop of the day. Weather wasn’t in our favor on the drive over, as it was drizzly and foggy– in fact, March is a precarious month to visit, as the weather can abruptly change from rainy to sunny in a few hours– Big Sur tends to have better weather in the summer, especially June, and it’s when tourism is at its peak. But given that we went early in the morning and during the shoulder season, we dealt with less crowds as a result.

Now, our itinerary was to first drive all the way to the northernmost stop at Bixby Creek Bridge, which was two-plus hours away. Given that the bridge is super-popular and gets crowded by 10h00, we wanted to arrive early to avoid the crowds and then back south towards Cambria, making the other stops along the way. This strategy worked out for us, as we minimized the amount of traffic we encountered on Highway 1 (which is the only road in and out of Big Sur) and still got to enjoy the sites we encountered.

20220327_094429Bixby Creek Bridge

We reached Bixby Creek Bridge close to 10h00. Opened in 1932, this tall bridge juts out 280 feet/85 meters above the Pacific, and its curvature offers some of the most-stunning views of the craggy coastline. It’s the most-photographed icon of Big Sur, and it was especially made popular from the hit series Big Little Lies (which I’ve never watched). It was absolutely windy when we arrived into the small parking lot near the bridge, and the wind really picked up and scattered sand on the dirt road into our eyes. We took a couple of photos before heading out to our next stop in Big Sur.

Our next stop was at Pfeiffer State Beach, known for its large boulders by the water (including the Keyhole Arch) and its purple sand! The sand is purple due to manganese deposits that give it its lavender hue, and it’s very neat to experience this natural phenomenon. My dad and I actually got lost trying to find Pfeiffer State Beach, as its entrance is unmarked and hidden along Highway 1. We ended up stopping at one of the few pit stops literally to ask the store clerk where it was, and after some pointers, we finally found the entrance!

The turnout to Pfeiffer State Beach is a small, super-narrow street that eventually becomes unpaved road through the woods. The road goes for two miles/3.2 kilometers before you reach the small parking lot. We paid the $12 USD entrance fee and soon headed over to the beach.

Just like at Bixby Creek Bridge, the beach was super windy and extremely frigid. It was a struggle walking on the soft sand while trying to push against the wind. Not the most-pleasant beach stroll, but we did see Keyhole Arch and saw the tides come in through the arch. I’d been told that during sunset, the light shines through the arch and it makes for some fantastic photos– alas, we visited in the morning when it was overcast, so we didn’t see the sunlight…but it was still very impressive, and I got to see some of the purple deposit on the sand!

20220327_104431Keyhole Arch and purple sand

By the time we wrapped up with Pfeiffer State Beach, it was already noon, so we took a break before we visited more in Big Sur. At the risk of this post getting too long, I’ll save Part 2 for the next post– stay tuned!

— Rebecca

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Published by Rebecca

Blogger, world traveler, poet, foodie, part-time penguin. Welcome!

61 thoughts on “Destination: Big Sur, California (Part 1)”

    1. It’s doable, but do be careful driving, as it’s narrow, winding roads and some parts don’t have rails. Also be mindful of morning fog, which might not burn off until midday, making for low visibility. Hope this helps!

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  8. As I mentioned in my comment on your last post about Big Sur, I absolutely love this area. We have driven along that stretch of highway many times, and always find something new to see. That said, I have not see Keyhole Arch. Your photo with the purple sand is stunning! I’ll have to go back to see it.

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    1. It was my first time visiting Big Sur, and it certainly didn’t disappoint! Keyhole Arch (and Pfeiffer State Beach) is a bit of a ways out, but very much worth checking out– perhaps you can make it over next time!

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  10. As I said before, your posts are great reminders of our brilliant trip last year. It was June, but the roads weren’t too busy and nowhere was too overcrowded, not even Bixby Bridge or Hearst Castle. And despite it being June, we encountered a lot of fog along the route – luckily though Bixby was one of the clearest places. At the top end of our Big Sur drive, we stopped awhile in Monterey and absolutely loved the place. Would go back there in a heartbeat. California rocks!

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    1. Awesome! Glad weather and crowds were in your favor last June. That was my first time in Big Sur in the spring, so I didn’t know how it’d be during other parts of the year. California truly is a gem, and I’m proud to be from here!

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  12. Despite the poor weather, this sounds like a fun time! Beautiful photos as well. I’m especially intrigued by the purple sand, I’ve never seen anything like that.

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  14. This brought back fond memories of our own road trip down Highway 1 from San Francisco. The views at Big Sur were spectacular but it was a bit cloudy as on the day you and your Dad visited. Monterey was as far south as I had been in California until last month!

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  15. Big Sur is one of my absolute favorite places in the world. All those rugged cliffs and expansive ocean, and the twisty turny goodness of Highway 1. Thank you so much for the lovely post and for sharing about this beautiful slice of California.

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  17. Ha, it’s funny, but Big Little Lies also popped into my mind while I was reading this. Such dramatic scenery that, seemingly, even patchy weather can’t spoil. The bridge and arch are both gorgeous and somewhat iconic. And purple sand would certainly be a first for us.

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    1. I didn’t know Big Little Lies was so popular! The scenery was absolutely gorgeous despite the dark weather; I hope to return to spend more time at Pfeiffer State Beach to really take in the purple sand, perhaps witness a sunset behind Keyhole Arch!

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  23. Despite the weather, this area seems stunning! I can understand why many people decide to go there. I had never seen purple sand before and I’m sure it looks even more impressive in person! Looking forward for part 2! Thanks for sharing!

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