When people ask me about the best place to visit in California, my answer always surprises them. It’s not Los Angeles, not Disneyland, and not even the bright lights of San Francisco. It’s a rugged stretch of coastline that looks like something out of a dream a place where mountains meet the sea, time slows down, and your soul feels a little lighter. I’m talking about Big Sur.
I did not intend to fall in love with Big Sur. I did not even plan my visit very much. I just threw a bag in the back of the car, got in, and took off driving up Highway 1 without any where to go just a desire to get away. What I discovered was not California’s best place to see it was a part of the world that made me feel more alive than I had been in years.
The Drive That Feels Like Therapy
If you’ve never driven California’s Highway 1, you’re in on one of America’s prettiest road trips. It clings to the coast like a ribbon, curving through the cliffs that fall straight into the ocean. And once you get to the Big Sur section, things get seriously interesting.
There is something therapeutic about the way the highway curves through foggy hills and beneath redwoods. The Pacific wind blows through your rolled-down windows. The world begins to slow down. You forget your phone. You forget work.
That trip in and of itself? Worth it mile by mile.
A Bridge, A Beach and a Whole Lot of Awe
The first time I’d ever heard of the Bixby Creek Bridge, I drove over it and just pulled off the road to gawk. It’s this enormous stone-and-steel arch span over a deep canyon with the ocean thundering below. It doesn’t feel like real life it feels like something you see in a movie. (And, in fact, it has been used in a few.)
A little way down, I strolled onto Pfeiffer Beach, with sand that was purple-streaked and waves pounding through an arch of rock out of a fantasy book. I stayed there until the sun dipped below the horizon — bare feet, jacket zippered up, looking at the orange sky through the arch. No one else around. No sound. Just the ocean.
That’s the enchantment of Big Sur. It beckons you to be.
Hikes That Humbly You
I am not the very stern hiker. I enjoy trails that reward me with expansive views without destroying my knees. Big Sur has plenty of those.
One day, I hiked the Ewoldsen Trail in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park. It lies concealed behind a redwood grove older than time itself. Each step across the soft forest path was a sacrament. When the trail suddenly broke out into an opening, I had a view of the entire coastline. It was the kind of vista that makes you lop off in the middle of a sentence, recall nothing it was, and just breathe.
And then there’s McWay Falls, which is perhaps California’s most Instagramable waterfall. It drops off a cliff directly onto the beach, like a natural postcard. The path down to it is brief — really, more of a stroll — but it lingers long afterward.
Sleeping Under the Stars (and the Redwoods)
I’ll confess, I adore a good hotel mattress but Big Sur, you have to camp. I camped at Kirk Creek Campground, where every site has an ocean view. I slept to the waves and awoke to a sky flushed with dawn.
Not a camper. Don’t worry. There are alternatives that still place you in nature. There’s the Big Sur River Inn with its snug cabin-style rooms, and you can sit with your feet in the river and have coffee. Indulge yourself, and there’s Post Ranch Inn, whose rooms dangle over the cliffs and feel like a fairy tale come true.
Where the Soul Gets Fed (and So Does Your Stomach)
I hadn’t anticipated eating so well in a place that felt so remote. But Big Sur surprised me there, too.
I dined on the deck at Nepenthe, chomping on a burger and enjoying clouds rolling in over the cliffs. It was one of those meals where the view added flavor. And, of course there’s the Big Sur Bakery. To this day I fantasize over their hot-baked bread and wood-fired pizza.
But the true sustenance wasn’t so much the food. It was that nothing was quiet. That everywhere hummed at a slower pace, in a contemplative, kind way.
A Place That Feels Sacred
You do not go to Big Sur to party. You go to remember who you are.
It’s not surprising that writers and artists have migrated here for decades. The Henry Miller Library is a small oasis filled with books, music, and hammocks hung between trees. Men and women walk by with coffee cups in their hands, discussing poetry, or maybe not discussing anything at all.
And then of course there is the Esalen Institute a seaside retreat where individuals go to heal, to become more, to relax in hot springs as waves crash against rocks below. I didn’t reside there (this trip), but even driving past, I could feel the energy cross over. It’s one of those places where you can lose the static and just. be human.
When to Go (and When Not To)
I visited in autumn, and it was ideal. Chilly air, warm light, fewer tourists. But Big Sur is lovely every season just differently lovely.
- Spring has wildflowers and cascading waterfalls.
- Summer is hot, populous, and better for longer days.
- Fall is less crowded and colorful.
- Winter is dramatic, foggy, and sometimes rainy but hauntingly beautiful.
Just look for road conditions. Landslides occur, and cell service is intermittent. But come on? That’s half the fun. You shouldn’t be online in the first place.
Some Useful Tips Before You Go
Guzzle up on fuel before you get to Big Sur. Gas is scarce and expensive.
- Stock up your maps: GPS can be gone.
- Bring layers: Fog and sun like to play games with each other.
- Expect to wait: The roads are tight and vistas will cause you to linger.
- Take nothing but memories: Leave nothing but bubbles.
- Leave no trace: This is sacred ground treat it accordingly.
The Nearby Gems
If you’re turning it into a day (and you should), here are some local places worth adding:
- Carmel-by-the-Sea – Wine tastings and storybook cottages.
- Monterey – Sea otters, aquariums, and boat cruises.
- Point Lobos – Seals, sea lions, and painter-worthy coastlines.
- Hearst Castle – A marble mansion of intrigue.
They are all breathtaking. But believe me by the time you get to Big Sur, you will never want to leave.
The Best Place to Visit in California Isn’t a Town It’s an Attitude
I arrived at Big Sur exhausted, drained, and really not sure what I was looking for. I departed feeling lighter. Whole-er. Alive.
It’s not Disneyland. It’s not always Instagram-perfect. It’s rainy, untamed, dramatic, and real. And perhaps that’s why I loved it so fiercely.
If you’re wondering about the best place to visit in California, go to Big Sur. Not just to see it — but to feel it. To remember that you are part of something bigger. That the world is still beautiful. That sometimes, the best things aren’t planned they’re just discovered.
And sometimes, they change you.
