Can You Do A Monterey To Big Sur Day Trip?
Traveling To Monterey, California And Wondering If You Can Visit The Big Sur Area On Just A Day Trip?
When I first visited the Monterey area in Northern California, aside from seeing and doing everything Monterey was known for, going on a day trip to the Big Sur coast was at the top of my list during my trip and although it was a long day, it was one of the best scenic drives I’ve ever done and it was totally worth it.
🏞️ Can You Do A Day Trip From Monterey To Big Sur?
You can definitely do a day trip from Monterey to Big Sur, in fact it’s actually one of the easiest larger cities to start from to see this part of the California coast.
If you don’t plan on staying in the Big Sur area, it will be a pretty long day (depending on how far south you go), but it’s definitely worth it if you love nature, wildlife, and ocean views.
How Far Is The Drive From Monterey To Big Sur?
How far the drive is from Monterey to Big Sur depends on exactly how much you want to explore (and it’s one of the most scenic drives in the state, so I think it’s worth driving completely through).
- the drive from Monterey to the very start of Big Sur (around the Bixby Bridge) is about 40-45 minutes (18 miles)
- driving a little further into Big Sur from Monterey to see beautiful and secluded places like Pfeiffer Beach or the Point Sur Lighthouse is about an hour to an hour and 20 minutes (25-34 miles)
- to go all the way through Big Sur from Monterey to the Ragged Point area, the Elephant Seal Boardwalk, or the Hearst Castle it would take about 2-3 hours (78-95 miles)
With all the stopping to see the views and the return trip back to Monterey (there is another faster, more boring freeway route), doing a day trip to Big Sur is a full day event, but definitely worth it.
Are There Any Tours?
Although it doesn’t give you the freedom to fully explore Big Sur, if you can’t/don’t want to drive yourself on a day trip, there are a few tours available that will take you into parts of Big Sur and sometimes also the Monterey and Carmel areas.
Do You Need To Rent A Car?
If you’re ok driving curvy, high, and sometimes foggy routes, I would definitely suggest renting a car to see all of Big Sur on your own time.
I definitely suggest only doing the drive in good conditions (more on this later), but I didn’t have any issues on my drive even though it was a little foggy for a while.
Should You Visit Monterey Or Big Sur, Not Both?
If you’re already going to Monterey and plan to see the Carmel-by-the-Sea and 17 mile drive areas, you might be wondering if it’s even worth doing a day trip into Big Sur?
Although I think all of those areas are beautiful and worth checking out, I don’t think there is any comparison when it comes to Big Sur, and I would say that Big Sur is definitely better than Monterey considering the incredible coastal and mountain views.
🌁 Places To See On A Day Trip From Monterey To Big Sur
Unless you plan on camping (there are few hotel options), Big Sur is mostly an amazing scenic drive, but there are still many places you can stop to see even more interesting and beautiful views on a day trip from Monterey:
- Hearst Castle – famous mansion built by William Randolph Hearst
- Elephant Seal Boardwalk – one of the few locations in California where you can see Elephant Seals
- Piedras Blancas Light Station – historic lighthouse on a wildlife sanctuary
- Ragged Point – cliffside area with amazing views, a hotel, and restaurant
- Heaven’s Edge Lookout – beautiful coastal cliff views
- Southern Redwood Botanical Area – nature preserve
- Nathaniel Owings Memorial Redwood Grove – there are prettier Redwoods as close as Santa Cruz, but at least you can still get a look here
- Big Sur Lookout – one of the most iconic Big Sur viewpoints
- Willow Creek Viewpoint – beautiful views, a picnic area, and a beach
- Sand Dollar Beach – beautiful scenic area along the Big Sur drive
- John Little State Natural Reserve – state park
- McWay – a waterfall, beach, cove, and viewpoint area
- Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park – huge state park with viewpoints, waterfalls, and redwoods
- Partington Cove – scenic secluded bay and beach
- Big Sur River Gorge – beautiful canyon river area
- Pfeiffer Beach – famous for it’s pinkish/purplish sand
- Point Sur Lighthouse – historical lighthouse with a park, a vista point, and naval facility
- Bixby Bridge – historic bridge with beautiful viewpoints
- Hiking Trails – throughout Big Sur there are tons of hiking trails that might offer some even more spectacular views; some are short and relatively easy while others would be better for those planning to stay in Big Sur
There are also lots of other pullouts along the drive through Big Sur that offer some incredible scenic views (driving north to south makes these easier), so anytime you see one I suggest stopping to check out more of this beautiful California coast.
📆 When Is The Best Time To Visit Big Sur?
Because Big Sur is in-between mountains and the coast, the fog, rain, and mudslides can be a real problem, so you really don’t want to do your day trip drive from Monterey under certain conditions.
When I went on a morning day in May, it was foggy for a little while but still safe enough to drive, although I can easily see how scary and dangerous it could be in worse conditions.
I suggest visiting Big Sur in the lowest rainfall months (June, July, August, September, and maybe May or October) to have a chance of the best possible weather conditions, but I also suggest changing your plans if it seems at all too sketchy to drive.
🔁 Sum Up: Monterey To Big Sur Day Trip
Monterey is actually one of the easiest cities to start from for a Big Sur road trip and it can definitely be done in just a day, although it is a pretty long day if you go all the way through Big Sur and make all the stops along the way. Whether you drive yourself or go on a shorter guided tour, any amount of Big Sur that you can see should be worth it because it’s one of the most scenic and untouched natural areas in the US.
