3 Big Sur Itineraries for Your Next Trip to the California Coast

Big Sur is the stuff of California dreams. From the boulder-studded coastline to the sky-high redwood groves, it has all the iconic elements of an ideal travel destination in the Golden State. I've published a lot of Big Sur itineraries on the California Wayfaring blog over the years, and today I want to pull them all together in one blog post. They'll help you plan your trip to this stunning part of the Central Coast. Read on for the highlights. There are maps, too.

Big Sur Travel

Just south of Monterey and Carmel, Big Sur is not only one of my top picks for places to soak up coastal scenery and hike into forests, but also one of my favorite areas to explore secluded beaches, enjoy meals with views, and see unique sights. Given I was born and raised in the Bay Area, I've been coming here my whole life. I hope my itineraries encourage you to visit, too.

My Big Sur travel guides cover a variety of things to do and see both on the coast and inland. They include the best beaches, famous hotels, great restaurants, hiking trails, shopping, and more. Whether you want to soak up the sun, sit in an Adirondack chair in the middle of a river, or hike in the hills, they have something for you.

I plan to publish more travel itineraries for Big Sur in the future, and I'll add them to this blog post as I go. If you want to bookmark it or pin it on Pinterest, you can use it as an easy reference for finding all my guides.

1. Big Sur Road Trip

I'll start my list of Big Sur itineraries with a road trip. It's one of the most popular ways to see the region, and most visitors do it this way. The guide is for you if you want to experience everything from coastal areas to beaches, restaurants, redwoods, and shops. It will show you a wide variety of things to do and see in 5 days.

My Big Sur road trip itinerary includes visits to the area's renowned coastal spots, great hikes, a famous shop, waterfalls, an enchanting library, and more. There's a cool place to stay for the night and a famous restaurant for dinner as well.

If discovering a range of things to do in Big Sur sounds like your kind of road trip, you can see the full itinerary and map here. It's ideal for first-time visitors and those looking for a broad overview of what this part of California has to offer.

2. Big Sur, Carmel, and Monterey Itinerary

The next of my itineraries is for you if you're interested in seeing the big sights and discovering additional parts of Monterey County. It will show you how to spend 4 days in Big Sur, Carmel, and Monterey. The guide covers a range of things to do over a long weekend or on a mid-week getaway.

The Big Sur leg of my itinerary includes a great place to stay, a fun hike through the redwoods, beautiful coastal areas, and good lunches and dinners. The rest of it will take you to Carmel Valley, Carmel-by-the-Sea, and Monterey.

If experiencing a range of the highlights of this part of the Central Coast sounds like your ideal escape, you can see the full itinerary and map here. This one is great for first-time visitors and those looking to explore multiple destinations within Monterey County.

3. 24 Hours in Big Sur

The next of my Big Sur travel guides is for you if you have a bit less time and you want to stay at one of the most famous hotels in the world. It's a fun 1-day itinerary that will show you the highlights of both the coast and the inland areas.

My itinerary for 24 hours in Big Sur includes time at the hotel, a trip to a famous rock arch, forest hikes, great restaurants, and more.

If experiencing the best of Big Sur in a short amount of time sounds like your kind of vacation, you can see the full itinerary and map here and the YouTube video here. It's a fun one if you have 24 hours in the area and you want to get a good overview of things to do and see here.

Big Sur Itineraries

I hope my itineraries have inspired you to visit this beautiful part of California's Central Coast. There's so much to do in the area, whether you want to see the famous coastal spots or get into the redwoods.

If you're after additional ideas, you can take a look at my blog posts about the best California itineraries, the top Central Coast itineraries, and classic California road trips. They have lots more tips for places to visit in the Golden State.

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