big sur waterfall glows like a river of fire

BIG SUR WATERFALL GLOWS LIKE A RIVER OF FIRE DOWNLOAD

It’s a good 15-20 minute walk to get to the sand, but you’ll never want to leave this long, lovely cove. Sand Dollar Beach Drive the windy highway 4 miles south, past the Lucia Lodge (the setting for Ratched ), and past Lime Kiln State Park (where wildfire damage has currently closed the redwood forest trails) to the wide and wonderful Sand Dollar Beach. There’s no beach or water access here, but your kids will be psyched to make a rock cairn. At the bottom, there are two routes to choose from: south through a cool old tunnel to tidepools and the cove where logging ships used to land, and north through a redwood grove to a rocky spot where Partington Creek tumbles into the Pacific. The trip down the old wagon road leading to Partington Cove is easy, but the walk might feel a bit steep on the way back for some family members. Partington Cove With the busiest spot of the day out of the way, go back north 2 miles and park near a green gate on the ocean side of the road. If it’s crowded, skip it-it’s not a critical stop unless you’re a YouTuber. Park in the Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park lot and walk the short Waterfall Overlook trail.

McWay Falls Grab a coffee, pack your day’s meals (not much food along the coast), and get on the road early-by 7:00 a.m., seriously!-to have any hope of getting a glimpse of the oft-Instagrammed waterfall.

BIG SUR WATERFALL GLOWS LIKE A RIVER OF FIRE DOWNLOAD

(Don’t forget to download your driving and hiking routes while still in town! Not much cell reception in the area.) We called just a couple days before and snagged a last-minute roadside room at Fernwood Resort and strolled through the nearby campground. We loved the fish tacos and the outdoor patio at the Big Sur Taphouse.īed down Book a cottage at one of the historic roadside lodges in Big Sur proper-or bring your camping gear and set up along the river. Book a tour of the historic Point Sur Lighthouse in advance or just marvel at the outside.īig Sur Taphouse The village of Big Sur has plenty of kid- friendly dining options. Now it likely serves as inspiration for scary-movie screenwriters. The 361-foot rock forms the southernmost outpost of Rancho El Sur, once used as a naval station tracking Soviet subs. Point Sur Now here’s a spot worth stopping for. You should, however, play the theme to “Big Little Lies” all along this part of the drive and imagine why those moms drive their kids this way to get their kids to school in Monterey. For those wanting something tougher, a legit 5-mile hike into Soberanes Canyon starts on the east side of the road, and a longer coastal walk at Soberanes Point begins just a bit farther south.īixby Bridge Don’t stop here! You don’t need to fight for parking to snap a pic of the famous span-just lean out your window! It ain’t easy to get a great shot, anyway, unless you have a drone.

The Garrapata State Park Bluff Trail is an easy looping stroll on the cliffs, providing another chance to see otters and sea lions. Garrapata State Park Ten minutes south of Point Lobos is another opportunity to stretch your legs. (Want more Carmel time? Check out Maria’s weeklong Airbnb stay or Emily’s Parent Escape weekend.) You don’t need to look hard to find sea lions, seals, and shorebirds lazing in the sun, but keep an eye on the kelp bobbing in the water: The biggest clumps are likely otters. Head to Weston Beach at low tide to explore the rocky pools or park in the southern corner to walk the Bird Island Trail. The coves will glow emerald green in fog or sparkle cobalt in clear skies. Point Lobos You can’t lose on the trails here-they’re all family-friendly flat and gorgeous. Monterey Bay farmstands Pack a few days’ worth of breakfast and lunch fixin’s for weekend picnics, but also plan to stop at one of the roadside farm stands in Watsonville or Castroville to bulk up on fresh produce and snacks. So we’re celebrating Highway 1’s reopening by sharing our three-day itinerary of easy hikes that will show off the famed coastline’s diverse grandeur and please the littles, the grandparents, and everyone in between.

In the past year alone, Big Sur has survived not only its normal tourist onslaught, but a pandemic shutdown, a devastating wildfire, and a highway washout, as well. In our vintage roadside motel room, the road noise would probably have been deafening even if they didn’t happen to be paving Highway 1 right outside the front door.īut to two Covid captives, it was paradise. I’d twisted her arm into running away with me, from pandemic lockdown to Big Sur Village. The greens even impressed my ocean-obsessed teen. What I had forgotten was the greens-the coves of Point Lobos, the pools of the Big Sur River, and the redwoods, cypress, oaks, sycamores, willows, and-yes-poison oak-that define and divide California’s legendary wilderness. Heading for my first stay in Big Sur in years, I remembered all its fabulous blues.

Big sur waterfall glows like a river of fire