The best guide & advice on how to conquer all these stops in a few days or less.
Unfortunately, right now PCH has a few closures as you get close to Big Sur - we learned this the hard way and had to backtrack - if you are leaving from Los Angeles you will have to head up to Monterey, then head back down PCH, missing a lot of the gorgeous coast drive. And while it is gorgeous if you do eventually take PCH the full way up, be prepared for no service, no turn-offs, and no stops besides luckily one gas station and 1 little mart. AKA have a full tank of gas, water, and some food in the car just in case.
BIG SUR
You can do all the main stops at Big Sur in 1 Day and yes it is breathtaking. Below are some of the main sights and the order to do them.
McWay Falls
There is a small parking lot, we went during the off-season so it was free, but usually it would be $10, and a short walk away you will see the beautiful beach and waterfall.
Pfeiffer Falls Trail
This park is $10 to enter and has many different trails. If you are up for hiking, you could spend the day. We just did the trail to see the waterfall which was about 1.6 miles and takes about an hour. It is really pretty and a nice time in nature hiking through the scenic redwoods.
Grimes Point Scenic Overlook
There are so many different points you can pull over and get great ocean views.
Lunch at Coast Cafe
Unfortunately they were closed when we went but this is a to-do on the next trip. A beautiful cafe, right on PCH, across from the ocean.
Rocky Creek Bridge
I think we missed the stop for this one, but we definitely drove over it!
Bixby Bridge
This bridge is stunning - pull over for some epic pics.
Monterey
This was a must-see after Big Little Lies - the show made it look gorgeous. And while it is pretty, it was my least favorite stop. The wharf is nice but it just did not have that appeal I thought it would. If we had more time we would have gone to the Aquarium which is supposed to be one of the best.
To Do:
Old Fisherman's Wharf
Aquarium (tix ~$60)
Point Lobos
This is a moderate hike right on the coast - beautiful views of the Ocean. $10 to park if you enter or there are some spots on PCH a short walk away for free.
Luckily Monterey is only a few minutes away from Carmel...
Carmel-by-the-Sea
The cutest town with so many shops, restaurants, and art galleries. The beach is breathtaking, the vibe is fun, and there is a lot to do.
Highlights:
Walking through the town, and sitting on the beach.
17 mile Drive
To enter it costs about $12 to drive through and it is worth it! You will see stunning estates, manicured golf fields, and many lookout points including Lone Cypress
Also you can use your $12 towards any of the restaurants at the Pebble Beach Resort - which I recommend. We ate at The Bench, the food and drinks were great and it was stunning.
Last but not least...
Yosemite
About a 3.5-hour drive from Carmel and 30 degrees cooler! We were very excited about staying in Yosemite at an AutoCamp - while not actually camping since I don't think I am up for that, the next best thing is glamping. We really enjoyed our stay here, it was clean and surprisingly roomy, the staff was extremely nice, and only about an hour from Yosemite Park.
We only had 1 day to spend in Yosemite, it is $35 to enter and you can use that for the whole week. People say Yosemite is one of the places in the world you need to go, and they are not lying, it was gorgeous. We got to see the Bridalveil Fall which is absolutely jaw-dropping and the half-dome. We only did one hike - we didn't realize most of these hikes can be 8+ miles long - so the next visit I will make sure I come prepared. Hiking boots, food, water pack, all the gear that is necessary for a full day of hiking.
Regardless it was beautiful and I cannot wait to go back! If you are looking for a trip to reconnect with nature, this is it. California does have it all.
Kenny
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