California’s Big Sur

Welcomt to one of the world’s most unforgettable stretches of coastline. This roughly 90-mile-long stretch of redwood- and fog-trimmed waterfront between Carmel-by-the-Sea and Heart Castle draws you(and writers like Henry Miller and Beat Generarion darling Jack Kerouac) in with a magic allure that is almost palpable. This is, quite simply, a place you want to be — bluffs, sea, and sky.

The classic drive through Big Sur, along twisting Highway 1, offers plenty of pullovers at places like seen-it-a-million-car-commercials Bixby Bridge. Stop at parks along the coastline and look up to see endangered California condors, North America’s largest birds, or lool down to scan the swells for migrating whales or sea otters floating among dense beds of kelp, California’s signature seaweed. Campgrounds abound, like Big Sur Campground, Fernwood Resort, Riverside Campground, and Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park. The region’s beauty also makes it a magnet for exclusive, splurge-worthy hotels like the cliff-hugging Post Ranch Inn, or luxurious Ventana Inn and Spa.

Discover the ocean vistas, luxury inns, and eclectic vibe of this special California destination on the Central Coast

With cliffs plunging hundreds of feet down to rocky coves churning with foamy surf, it’s no wonder that many people consider Big Sur the most dramatic stretch of coastline anywhere in the world. But along with its rugged natural beauty, Big Sur is a region with a long artistic history, as well as creative restaurants and unique resorts that let you immerse yourself in this world of fogs, redwood forests, and incomparable coastal views.