big sur carmel, monterey itinerary
Here youll find multiple historic buildings including Californias First Theater, Colton Hall, the Stevenson House, and many more! This stop is a definite must on your Big Sur Itinerary. Day 6: Santa Ynez Valley to Los Angeles. (7/16/18), "It just opened yesterday! This sample itinerary aims to show how you can cover the two towns of Monterey or Carmel in as little as 2 days. (7/15/18), "It's such a kid-friendly area, and I just heard that the entire Hwy 1 is now opened." Sure, the food is on the pricey side (like the rest of Big Sur), but its such a great place to stop and relax for a bit. Begin your day with breakfast at From Scratch Restaurant in Carmel by-the-Sea. Explore my other California guides here! On one side, youll see the quaint houses up close and on the other side, youll have a clear view of the iconic Carmel beach down below. (Keep this in mind if you are headed off to the airport so that you give yourself plenty of time.). It took my breath away. Visitors pressed for time often make the drive from. Just letting you know so there are no surprises! I mean, its absolutely GORGEOUS. Big sur is definitely on my bucket list of places to travel to. Havent had enough of the great outdoors on your Big Sur road trip just yet? Not to be missed, youll need to visit the Point Pinos Lighthouse, which is the oldest operating lighthouse on the West Coast. I absolutely fell in love. The Andrew Molera State Park is located in Big Sur and is a relatively undeveloped park in the area. FYI: Affiliate links may be sprinkled throughout the awesome, free content you see below. Hi Elena! Its beautiful coastline views! Drive about 2 miles to get to the ticket booth and have cash with you to pay for the $12 entry fee. : Sand dollar beach does indeed have sand dollars! We so enjoyed our time on our Monterey and Big Sur road trip. Some of the overgrown trails are known to have poison oak to get to the beach views, so make sure to protect yourself if you want to get to the water. I teach 9-5 professionals how to maximize their limited time off with carefully planned out itineraries, long weekend inspiration, and general travel planning tips. There are twists and turns along the cliff, with most parts of the highway being only one lane in either direction. I was an ex-pat and now still trying to re-pat. You dont really need your bathing suit here as the water is waaaay too cold. There are a lot of incredible eateries in Carmel. The inside had the most beautiful design and the outside was just as lovely with tables and benches everywhere and live music playing. The perfect amount of time to see Monterey and Big Sur is 2-3 days. No one is allowed to go down to beach, so it's in pristine condition. 17 Mile Drive is said to be one of the most beautiful drives in the U.S. This road trip itinerary is designed to be done in one to two days depending on your timeline and how much you want to get out and see along the way. Thx!! Youll most likely be coming from the airport if youre visiting, so aim to pick up your car rental from SFO. My photographer heart would absolutely some of those vistas. Not as expensive as the other two, so check out Treebones if youd like to give your wallet a bit of a break! The location was great and we were able to walk all over town. Public school whose 1931 auditorium served as Carmel's primary artistic, civic . Carmel-by-the-Sea has one art gallery for every 34 residents. Not many out-of-towners know this, but. Fun fact: Bixby Bridge was built 5 years before the road was paved to connect Carmel to San Luis Obispo! Since the road to Big Sur is finally open again (after months of closure due to horrific mudslides), nows the time to visit! Big Sur is the farthest distance of the San Francisco day trips on our list (2.5 hours away from the city). Explore Big Sur. We went on an amazing trail past a gorgeous river and into a meadow with giant redwood trees everywhere. This scenic drive is so rewarding with views of cute homes overlooking the never-ending Pacific ocean. House dating to 1867 of one of the first American families to homestead the Big Sur coast, with a New England-style saltbox wing built in 1877. If youre not in a rush on your Big Sur road trip, why not make the extra stop? Renting a Car : Note that you'll undoubtedly need a car for this Big Sur road trip (it is a mini road trip after all!) Welcome back to the California Coast road trip series. We definitely have gone back multiple times and found new places to explore every time! Carmel Beach is definitely the best place to watch the sunset. Hi Rosie! Many people dont actually realize this, but Big Sur is not an actual city/town for that matter. After you finally find it (the road to get to Pfeiffer Beach is a bit hidden and narrow with no signs), youll be pleasantly surprised that the sand is actually truly purple in some spots on the beach. However, you can also stop at a local restaurant for lunch too! Youll be able to come back to a small town and enjoy a night on the town after you explore the nature scenes of Big Sur. Highway 1 is a one lane highway that winds along the coast. Big Sur is one of my favorite places IN THE WORLD (hands down) and one of my favorite road trips from San Francisco. Big Sur, located along Central California coast, is one of the best places to visit on the West Coast of USA. Have a great rest of your day. Day 2. Perfect ending to your Big Sur Pacific Coast Highway day trip! In Old Downtown Monterey, youll find over 400 shops and restaurants lining the main streets as well. This 11 mile road is what those back in the day had to use before the famed Highway One was complete! While the tours are quite long at three hours, the history and information is so interesting you wont even notice the hours passing by. The trail will take you less than an hour as its about 0.8 miles long and will bring you to the beautiful shorelines where you might even spot a sea otter! Jackie Jegat, the owner and founder, moved from his home in France to open his own restaurant on the California Coast when he was about 30 years old. Tina Yen. We decided the best way to get there was the scenic route! Not having lunch at the Big Sur River Inn. In the morning, after breakfast at your hotel, make your way to the quaint village of Carmel-by-the-Sea (4 miles, approximately 10 minutes), which became an artist's colony after the 1906 Great San Francisco Earthquake destroyed that city.Take a stroll along Ocean Ave. and admire the charming shops and galleries. Fog usually disappears around 9 AM even though that sounds like a disappointing fact. 2. As always, thanks for the support. Aubrie is a Utah based blogger/content creator. These are the most beautiful and often historically significant routes in the country. The first stop in your Big Sur itinerary is Point Lobos State Natural Reserve, which is known as the crown jewel of all state parks in California, located just south of Carmel-by-the-Sea. Hours: 9 am - 6 pm (7 pm on Saturdays) daily at the Pacific Grove shops. Specialties: World-famous Breakfast served Daily 8:00am-noon; Dinner Friday-Tuesday starting at 5:30pm. I recommend anywhere from 1-3 days in Big Sur, kinda depending if you wanna go on a few hikes or just see the typical tourist Big Sur road trip stops. It is a charming little area that also has some good marine life sighting spots. like a Big Sur Monterey California Coast McWay Falls One Day Tour from San Jose.. Alternatively, you can take the Monterey-Salinas Transit Line 22 from Carmel or Monterey, which will take you all the way to Nepenthe Restaurant when heading south. The picturesque stretch hugs the Monterey Peninsula, threading through the historic Monterey and the fairytale town of Carmel-by-the-Sea before connecting with the jaw-dropping Big Sur. Search for thecheapest car rentals over here! McWay Falls Big Sur is most popular between April and October, when the weather is at its nicest. Big Sur is the 90 mile stretch of California coast, nestled between Monterey and San Luis Obispo that is as breathtakingly beautiful and unreal as a dream, with the waves of the Pacific ocean crashing along its rugged shores, simply begging for a visit. As always, all opinions expressed are our own. You can also head to the water where you might be able to spot some marine life. I personally love #doingallthethings at the beginning of my trips and then slowing down as I stay longer, but you can puzzle this Monterey and Big Sur itinerary out to best fit your weekend and travel style. Some places I recommend going to in Carmel: Point Lobos was also definitely another highlight of this trip and should definitely be on your Monterey, Carmel and Big Sur Itinerary. Big Sur looks truly incredible. There are souvenir shops, where I bought a super cute Monterey boat picture frame, theres a clam chowder stand, a cafe spot that I love and forget its name, and my favorite the Monterey Bay Creamery where theres a huge cow statue selling ice cream. Finding it can be a challenge in itself because the turn is not marked. (7/16/18), "Enjoy and let me know how it goes!" You wont miss it, promise, as its just a short 15 miles south of Carmel-by-the-Sea. Then head over to the Carmel Mission. The high season in this area is during the summer months, just after May and through August, so you may want to avoid these months if you dont want to be around the crowds. There are also hiking trails you can check out here, too, and if youre wanting a more rugged experience, camp out at the park. Monterey is definitely one of my favorite places in CA! You might recognize this bridge if you have seen Big Little Lies. Its one of the most iconic bridges in all of California and definitely one of the most photographed for its aesthetic. Whether youre driving down the entirety of the California coast or just making the short drive from SF, youre in luck. The Perfect Monterey, Carmel and Big Sur Itinerary, Wizarding World of Harry Potter | Perfect Itinerary, Mickeys Not So Scary Halloween Party | Top 10, Utah in the Winter | 11 Magical Things to Do, Best Things to do in Jacksonville Florida, 20 Top Things to do in Iceland- The Ultimate Bucket List, Things to do in Kauai | Perfect Itinerary, Things to do in Seoul, South Korea | Top 20, Baja Cantina & Grill- quirky inside and outside, Mission Ranch Restaurant- popular spot for Brunch. Renting a Car:Note that youll undoubtedly need a car for this Big Sur road trip (it is a mini road trip after all!) Located at the mouth of the Big Sur River, the park has gorgeous panoramic views of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. After leaving the park, there was quite a bit of traffic to get back to Carmel. 5. Santa Cruz is a cute, funky surf town on the way to the San Jose airport. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. As you arrive, drive straight to the Sea Lion Point parking lot and you can start on the trail there, Cypress Grove Trail. The grounds are incredibly beautiful and this place is definitely worth a stop for the gorgeous grounds and architecture. Do take note of the tide schedule though high tide can essentially make the sandy beach disappear, making it difficult to find a place to sit. Swimming is not recommended at this beach because there are a lot of rock formations that could cause harm if a strong wave pulled a swimmer the wrong way (and there were a lot of waves crashing through the rock formations), but you could also stay near the sandy area and dip your feet in the Pacific Ocean. Her Wanderful World is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Sea Salt & Fog | National Park Itineraries & California Travel Planning At the time of posting this article, the section of Hwy 1 south of McWay Falls was still closed due to mudslides from 2017. This rugged and mountainous section of the Central Coast of California is just begging to be explored. I definitely recommend booking in advance. And thankfully, everything is laid out quite well with proper signage, so theres no risk of getting lost. We loved visiting the Whalers Cabin in Whalers Cove and thought the scenery was the most spectacular around Bluefish Cove. They have ice cream, churros, and sundaes, which is the best option! You'll likely hit Carmel-By-The-Sea first, which is where you should bed down; the famed L'Auberge Carmel offers old-world luxury. Arrive as early as possible on your first day so that you can maximize your time. You can always put your feet in if youd like! Book now from $9.99! And thankfully, neither are too strenuous or long (perfect if you dont have all day). 3 hours 20 minutes (150 miles) Difficulty level: Easy If youre planning on hanging out on the beach, pack your swimsuit or a wetsuit to surf. If you are driving up from the south, everything will just be in reverse order. Our other option is to do Monterey/Carmel on Tuesday (aquarium, 17-mile drive, etc), and then Big Sur first thing Wednesday morning (July 4th). 8. I really thought this was a great aquarium and I loved seeing all of the conservation efforts they had put into place. Yes and No. Big Sur Itinerary - Day 2: 1.
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