DigitalMy California Map (800+ pins on Google Maps)
Every place I enjoyed in California, pinned in one map: 800+ of my favorite spots to explore across the state. It works directly in the Google Maps app.
Top Hotel & Airbnb Stays
Yurt
Resort
Inn
Resort
Resort
Cabin
Lodge
Tours & Experiences
📍 From San Francisco
Monterey, Carmel, 17-Mile Drive, Big Sur & McWay Falls Private Tour
Book This Experience
My Big Sur Reels
Big Sur, California
A full Big Sur itinerary
Big Sur, California
Where to eat along Big Sur
Limekiln State Park
The beach at Limekiln
Post Ranch Inn, Big Sur
The cliffside rooms at Post Ranch
Alila Ventana Big Sur
Alila Ventana, plus 9 spots
Treebones Resort
Yurts above the Big Sur coast
Glen Oaks Big Sur
Cabins in a redwood grove
Deetjen's Big Sur Inn
Deetjen's, tucked in the forest
Big Sur Lodge, California
Espresso under the redwoods
Big Sur River Inn
Lunch on the Big Sur River
Big Sur, California
Big Sur Roadhouse, over the forest
Big Sur, California
Café Kevah, above the Pacific
Big Sur, California
20 spots along the coast
About Big Sur
Top Places To See or Explore
- Highway 1
- McWay Falls
- Bixby Bridge
- Pfeiffer Beach
- Big Sur Village
- Best time to go:
- April to June and September to October (fog clears)
- Getting there:
- About 2.5 hours from San Jose, 45 minutes from Monterey
Planning a Trip to Big Sur
Ninety miles of cliffs, bridges, and pullouts between Carmel and San Simeon. There is no shortcut and no cell service, and that is rather the point.
What to Do in Big Sur
Drive it north to south
Every turnout ends up on your side of the road.
Stand over McWay Falls
A ten-minute walk from the Julia Pfeiffer Burns lot.
Find the keyhole at Pfeiffer Beach
Unmarked turn down Sycamore Canyon Road. Best in January.
Book dinner somewhere with a view before you go
Six restaurants across ninety miles, and they fill weeks out.
Common Questions About Big Sur
- When is the best time to visit Big Sur?
- April to June and September to October (fog clears).
- How do you get to Big Sur?
- About 2.5 hours from San Jose, 45 minutes from Monterey.
- Where should you stay in Big Sur?
- Good bases are Big Sur Village, Carmel-by-the-Sea and Cambria. The places I'd book first are Treebones Resort, Alila Ventana Big Sur, Post Ranch Inn and Glen Oaks Big Sur.
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