Showing 1-10 of 10 results
-
Andrew Molera State Park
This oft-overlooked Andrew Molera State Park enjoys a remote and wild setting, lots of wildlife and great beachcombing - at last visit condors were making quick work of a whale carcass about a half mile south down the beach.
-
Bixby Bridge
About 13 miles south of Carmel, the much photographed landmark Bixby Bridge, spanning Rainbow Canyon, is one of the world's highest single-span bridges at 714ft long and 260ft high. Completed in 1932, it was built by prisoners eager to lop time off their sentences. There's a photo op pull-off just north of the bridge. Don't be tricked into thinking that the similar-looking Rocky Creek Bridge, just north of Bixby, is the real deal.
-
Esalen Baths
The Esalen baths are fed by a natural hot spring and sit on a ledge above the ocean. Dollars to donuts you'll never take another shower that compares view-wise with the one here. The clothing-optional 'nightly bathing' is open to the public from to by reservation; the fee is payable by credit card only.
-
Esalen Institute
Eleven miles south of Nepenthe, world-renowned workshop and hot springs mecca the Esalen Institute is like hippie camp for adults. Week- or weekend-long workshops run the gamut from your standard Deepening your Yoga Practice to Ericksonian Hypnosis & Gestalt and Women's Leadership. Fun fact: Hunter S Thompson was the gun-toting caretaker here in 1960.
-
Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park
This Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park hugs both sides of Hwy 1 and features redwood, tan oak, madrona and chaparral. At the park entrance (on the east side of Hwy 1) are picnic grounds along McWay Creek. The 4.5-mile Ewoldsen Trail offers views of the ocean and the Santa Lucia Range.
-
McWay Falls
California's only coastal waterfall, the 80ft McWay Falls drops straight into the sea - or onto the beach, depending on the tide. Dare you to take fewer than a dozen photos. To reach the waterfall viewpoint, take the short Overlook Trail heading west and cross beneath Hwy 1.
-
Partington Cove
From the western side of Hwy 1, a poorly marked steep dirt trail descends half a mile along Partington Creek to Partington Cove , a little visited but very beautiful section of Big Sur. On the 1-mile loop you cross a cool bridge and then walk through an even cooler tunnel.
-
Pfeiffer Beach
The phenomenal, crescent-shaped Pfeiffer Beach is notable for its huge double rock formation through which waves crash with life-affirming power. It's often windy, and the surf is too dangerous for swimming. Dig down into the wet sand - it's purple!
-
Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park
Named after Big Sur's first European settlers who arrived in 1869, Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park is the largest state park in Big Sur. There is miles of pristine hiking through redwoods in its 964 acres, though the popular trail to reach long and lean Pfeiffer Falls is only a 1.4-mile roundtrip walk.
-
Point Sur Light Station
Point Sur is actually an imposing volcanic rock that looks like an island but is connected to land by a sandbar. Atop the rock is the 1899 Point Sur Light Station which remained in operation until 1974. Views and details of life here are engrossing, so join a three-hour tour. Meet at the farm gate on Hwy 1 at or Saturday or Sunday year-round. There are also some weekday tours from spring through to fall - call for details.
-
Advertisement
Showing 1-10 of 10 results
