What to Do in Big Sur Story

The spectacular Big Sur Coast is on the bucket list of most visitors to California. Totally understandable, because it's one of the most scenic coastlines in the world.

[{"selector":"#anim-827b7fd6-ed30-4695-b6ad-d052d84ed73c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-138ab3f6-b88b-4908-9722-c1ece9b181fe","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.90684%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":500,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Learn more

California Highway 1 winds along the Big Sur Coast, providing access to stunning overlooks, scenic hikes, picture-perfect waterfalls, beautiful beaches, redwood groves, and wildflower displays in season.

[{"selector":"#anim-e8dc141f-0ae9-4148-956e-383c1ed83934","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-aeffb4fb-27c8-44e8-a073-b3a3890f7b48","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -117.87825%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":500,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Learn more

Bixby Creek Bridge is one of the top sights on the Big Sur drive. The bridge is considered an engineering marvel, and makes for epic photos.

[{"selector":"#anim-1e052a5f-f6da-4d41-bcd9-14cf31d20c87","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-97eee86c-b70a-4c7f-94fe-779833f96bb7","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(114.59628%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":500,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Learn more

A thin ribbon of water that plunges onto a pristine cove (or straight into the Pacific Ocean!), McWay Falls is another must-stop spot in Big Sur.

[{"selector":"#anim-a7b0e044-b3b1-428c-a7d0-995e0851390c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d4798822-5e36-4a64-a1d9-4b61e8236275","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-113.35403%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":500,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Learn more

Pfeiffer Beach is known for its purple sand, but the Keyhole Arch is also worth the detour off Highway 1 to get here. The beach is especially beautiful at sunset.

[{"selector":"#anim-ed35005c-e93e-4d12-8b9b-ed941292b5ad","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3f5aae84-e714-43ac-afea-1c147de2160e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -242.49892%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":500,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Learn more

Garrapata State Beach, Andrew Molera Beach, and Sand Dollar Beach are other beautiful beaches in Big Sur where you can catch some sun. They are not swimming beaches, though.

[{"selector":"#anim-1cea26af-fb3c-4981-bda6-7041085e415c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9026b98c-304b-4825-99c4-31e3b7d3efb9","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(114.59628%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":500,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Learn more

Point Lobos State Park near Carmel, at the northern end of the Big Sur coast, offers many easy scenic hikes. Bird Island Trail offers views of jade-hued China Cove and lots of nesting birds in season.

[{"selector":"#anim-a0b0d194-1489-40c5-b1fc-ca88b06f86a8","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a47062b4-efed-4d02-a092-7059ee650e8c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.90684%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":500,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Learn more

In season, you will see lots of wildflowers in Big Sur, from California poppies and wild irises to bush lupine and mallow. Visit in April or early May for wildflowers.

[{"selector":"#anim-5a733c97-8b86-4e72-8e4d-d2efdcbbe5e5","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d1f05e0e-29ce-43de-977c-95bbdb786e78","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(113.04347%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":500,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Learn more

Swipe up to discover many more exciting things to do in Big Sur -- plan your Big Sur adventure today!

[{"selector":"#anim-2949f8fc-73c0-487b-9951-48a6275376a7","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-83e4913c-dc5b-4a85-afc6-2d97acb8b29b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -200.7334%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":500,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Swipe up!