Big Sur California / A Western Road Trip Like No Other

Big Sur coastline

If you have an opportunity to take a California vacation and your plans include a road trip in the central part of the state, you will be very well rewarded including a drive on California Hwy 1 along the simply magnificent Big Sur coastline. I have driven this route several time over the years and I will say there is no other quite like it. The pictures on this page will give you a good glimpse of just how beautiful this stretch of California coastline is.

A Very Popular California Destination


If your road trip through the California Big Sur turns out to be more than a day trip and you decide to stay awhile an enjoy the area, there are an abundance of Big Sur campgrounds. Big Sur camping has long been a favorite for many tourists and northern California locals. There are also some very unique hotels in Big Sur. One favorite is Deetjens Big Sur Inn.This Big Sur Inn happens to be on the national Register of Historic Places and is currently operated by the Deetjens Big Sur Inn Preservation Foundation. This Big Sur Inn was actually built over a span of three decades from the 1930's to the 60's. Deetjen's Big Sur Inn offers both rooms and cottages.

Rugged cliffs of Big Sur

Additional great lodging in Big Sur California is the Big Sur River Inn. The Big Sur River Inn is directly on Hwy 1 and nestled alongside the scenic Big Sur River. The Big Sur River Inn has been in operation since 1934 and among other things offers the visitor riverside dining. Like so many other tourist areas of California, the land which today's Big Sur River Inn is situated on dates from 1888 when Jay Pheneger acquired a 160 acre parcel from the U.S.l government. Pheneger gave his name to the creek that bounds the River Inn to the south. Barbara and Michael Pfeiffer, who had already homesteaded and were farming near Pfeiffer Beach later purchased the Pheneger property. A significant event in the area of Big Sur certainly was the eventual paving of the section from Carmel California on southward through Big Sur. The inn has been operated, added to and grown ever since the 1934 opening. It is still operated by both members of the Pfeifer family along with family friends.

Big Sur River Inn

For the campers out there, Big Sur campgrounds have plenty to offer. Big Sur camping presents a lot of options. You can enjoy the state parks in Big Sur or try the privately owned campgrounds. The is stream side camping as well as ocean side camping on the high bluffs. Bluff camping is situated on the southern end of Big Sur. Both tent camping and RV camping is available. One popular camping spot is Big Sur Campground and Cabins. The emphasis is placed on family camping and lodging. Tent and RV camping on the forest floor is featured while you can enjoy an inner tube on the cool river. Several styles of cabins, from rustic tent cabins to fully equipped cabins with kitchens and fireplaces are also featured.As you can see, lodging and camping choices in Big Sur California are quite varied. Also, there's something to fit all travel budgets.

People sometimes wonder what the boundaries are for the official Big Sur California historic region. There are actually a few definitions. First of all, there really are no "official" boundaries. One includes ninety miles of coastline from the Carmel River south to the San Carpoforo Creek. This definition extends Big Sur to about twenty miles inland. Some other sources extend the area to only about twelve miles inland. Other people have considered the Big Sur California region to be roughly between Carmel and San Simeon along Hwy 1. One of the reasons that Big Sur makes a fine weekend road trip is that the northern boundary of the area is only about 120 miles south of San Francisco. In fact, there are so many historic and fun stops along the route from San Francisco to Big Sur that a visit there can easily be made into a week long California vacation. Two excellent combination trips along with Big Sur California are the Carmel Mission in Carmel-By-The-Sea and the Mission San Juan Bautista. Both are between San Francisco and Big Sur and you'll pass both of them on your drive.

The History of Big Sur California

Hwy 1 along Big Sur

Like much of California, the first Europeans to lay their eyes on Big Sur were the Spanish mariners including Juan Cabrillo. Cabrillo sailed by in 1542 (two years after Coronado's expedition into New Mexico) but sailed past without landing his ships. At the time, the Big Sur area in general were inhabited by three different Native American tribes. The first European to actually land in the area a travel inland was Gaspar de Portola. Portola landed in the southern region of the area and traveled inland from there to not encounter the sheer cliffs of Big Sur. In 1770, Portola landed in Monterey Bay to the north and worked to establish a mission there with the aid of Father Junipero Serra who established the first California mission in 1769 in San Diego. As most people know, the Spanish missions were established in California for really two reasons. One was to attempt to educate and convert the native population to Christianity. The other was to help solidify Spanish control over the entire Alta California area. In a way, the Spanish military worked closely with the Franciscan friars operating the various missions. A tragic byproduct of European exploration into these land that were once the exclusive domains of the Native Americans was that European diseases were introduced. Just as had been the case in the American western frontier one hundred years later, the Native Americans picked up diseases of which their immune systems couldn't handle and many of the died from this.

When Mexico took over Alta California after the 1820's Mexican Revolt, the lands of the Big Sur were granted to certain Mexican citizens for Ranchos. Mexican governor Jose Figueroa gave almost 9,000 acres of land to Juan Bautista Alvarado for this purpose. Alvarado eventually gave this Big Sur acreage to his uncle by marriage, a Captain John Cooper in exchange for Rancho Bolsa del Potrero. A good historic site to see during your Big Sur vacation is the Cooper Cabin, built in 1861, which is on the Cooper Ranch and is said to be the oldest surviving structure at Big Sur. The Cooper Cabin, also called the Pioneer Cabin, is at the Andrew Molera State Park.

Weather at Big Sur

Weather in Big Sur can vary greatly. In fact, it's almost impossible to give it any generalization. For one thing, weather can vary significantly between two locations only a mile apart. About the only thing you can on the National Weather Service regarding Big Sur is the high and low temperature forecasts. Many people very familiar with the area contend that you'd need dozens of forecasters at various locations to give a true forecast. What in some other areas of the country might be a rainstorm that starts and stops and then people continue with their plans, in Big Sur a rainstorm has the chance of changing your plans for weeks or more. One truism about Big Sur is that rainstorms can and have washed out roads, such as Hwy 1, and it's not too uncommon for the rain to cause slides which also can close the highway. Winter rainstorms at Big Sur can be problematic.

Point Sur Lighthouse location

If you absolutely had to describe weather in Big Sur, you would say that it has a relatively mild climate year-round. Summer and fall are typically sunny and dry. Winter and spring bring on the rainy season. Temperatures on the coast stay fairly constant throughout the year, ranging from the 50s at night to the 70s by day from June through October. From November to May you are looking at the 40s to 60s. Like most California locales, the further inland you go the more temperatures vary. In any event, when the sun goes down at Big Sur temperatures can be quite cool in any season so a good jacket is always something good to bring along.

It should be mentioned that in addition to being one of the world's most scenic drives and best photo opportunity site in North America, Big Sur is also an excellent place for birding. Birdwatching at Big Sur is a popular activity. Andrew Molera State Park offers a wealth of avian life. The park is some 5,000 acres in size and includes the Big Sur River mouth. It's said that the Molera State Park hosts a list of about 379 species. Surprisingly, people, especially locals, were well aware of the birding potential in Big Sur for many years.l decades. The problem mostly was that the area was not readily accessible until it became a state park in 1972. Still, not as many people as you might think took advantage of the birding opportunities until 1992. At that point a non-profit conservation organization, Ventana Wilderness Society, established a research and education center and bird observatory, Big Sur Ornithology Lab, in the Andrew Molera State Park. This research center has been operating ever since. The establishing of the bird observatory and research center increased the awareness of just how popular Big Sur is as a world renown birding site.

Adding a Big Sur California road trip to your California vacation planner is well worth it. It is truly one of the most unique and scenic automobile road trips in the U.S. and adjacent to many other historic sites in the state.


(Photos from author's private collection).