The Perfect Big Sur Day

A full day itinerary for the first-time active visitor: Waterfalls, redwoods, and a sunset cocktail on the edge of the world.

If you've never been to Big Sur, I'm SO excited for you! It's my favorite place, and I love to take people there for the first time and watch them bask in childlike wonder. There are very few places in the world where the mountains tumble straight into the ocean, where a waterfall lands directly on the beach, and where a beverage at sunset can make you feel like the luckiest person on earth as you're perched at the very edge of it.

This itinerary was made for you — the first-timer who wants to explore the best of Big Sur by foot and only has a single day. And know that after this day, you'll be tired, fulfilled, and dreaming of coming back.

Quick notes:

• This is a full, eight+ hour day in Big Sur. I swear you're going to love each stop!

• There is no (or extremely limited) cell service in Big Sur. You can save directions to all places above in your phone's Maps app; it will continue to navigate as long as you don't modify the directions while in Big Sur. Consider bringing a map or noting the mile markers along the way so you don't stress about missing locations.

• Bring snacks, plenty of water, sunscreen, hiking shoes, comfortable change of shoes, any necessary medication including EpiPen, basic first-aid kit, and potentially a change of clothes.

YOUR DAY, STOP BY STOP  | NORTH TO SOUTH

DIRECTIONS HERE | GOOGLE MAPS

1.  Garrapata State Park  |  Soberanes Canyon & Point Trails

While technically in Carmel, Garrapata State Park is the first stop south en route to Big Sur — and it rewards you with BIG Big Sur views right from the start. Begin your morning with one or both of its easy hikes: the shaded Soberanes Canyon Trail (2.9 miles), where redwoods close in around you and streams trickle underfoot, and the sunny, wide-open Soberanes Point & Whale Peak Trail (1.6 miles) along the oceanfront. Despite sitting just across Highway 1 from each other, the two trails offer completely different experiences — and both are worth your time.

If you plan to do both trails, start with the canyon trail. There's something about going deep into the cool redwood forest for a while, then stepping out into the bright open daylight. It awakens the mind and the body in a way that sets you up beautifully for the rest of the day.

A 15-minute drive from Carmel. Parking is along Highway 1. Allow 2-2.5 hours if you hike both trails.

2.  Bixby Creek Bridge  (optional)

Full disclosure: tourist traffic around Bixby Bridge has gotten so congested that we locals now drive past — cautiously dodging pedestrians in the road — and shake our heads in dismay. It is, without question, a magnificent structure: a graceful concrete arch suspended over a deep canyon with the ocean below, and a genuine feat of human engineering. But if I'm being honest, I find it less impressive than what Mother Nature has to offer everywhere else in Big Sur.

That said, if you happen to catch it on a light tourism day, it's worth a quick pull-off to admire and snap a photo. Stop at the west side viewpoint heading south for the best angle — the east side is no longer open for tourist parking.

A 10-minute drive from Garrapata State Park. You can make this a quick 15-minute stop if parking opens up for you. You can also try to catch it on the ride home if you're coming back before sunset!

LUNCH STOP

If you didn't pack or pick up a lunch in town, the burrito bar at the River Inn General Store is your best bet for a quick bite. Bring it with you to munch on at the beach - Stop #4!

Plan to spend 15 minutes here.

3.  Big Sur Lodge  |  Big Sur River & Redwood Grove

Stop into Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park for a short, sweet stroll through the redwood grove beside the Big Sur Lodge. The shift in atmosphere is immediate — you go from sun-blasted clifftops on Highway 1 to a cool, cathedral-like forest in minutes. The redwoods here are the biggest and most accessible you'll find in Big Sur. After your redwood stroll, make your way down to the Big Sur River, where concrete stairs let you walk right through the water — when the river is running low, you can often stay completely dry.

While you're at the lodge, this is also your first chance at indoor plumbing. Restrooms are in the lobby, along with a gift shop and a café. I love the peanut butter cookies with Reese's Pieces and have a hard time resisting them! They are a real treat on a day of moving your legs.

If you have two days in Big Sur and the second day is hot and sunny, earmark half of it for the nearby Big Sur River Gorge: a magical slot canyon where swimmers and sunbathers gather in glittering turquoise pools. (But that deserves its own blog post entirely!)

A 20-minute drive from the Bixby Bridge.

Plan to spend 30–60 minutes here, depending on how long you linger. Don't get caught up too long in the gift shop! While they have cool touristy shirts worth buying, I like the more authentic gifts and books offered at the Phoenix gift shop.

4.  Pfeiffer Beach

Pfeiffer Beach is one of the most popular beaches along the California Coast and one of few beaches you can reach in Big Sur. The beach is secluded and known for its purple-tainted sand and Keyhole Rock. Did you get your lunch? This is a good picnic lunch spot rest, munch, and take in the waves.

A 12-minute drive from the Big Sur Lodge. Only 0.5-miles down Highway 1 from the Big Sur Lodge, make a sharp right turn off Highway 1 to reach Sycamore Canyon Road. Drive slowly on the gravel Sycamore Canyon Road until you reach the end.

$15 day-use fee. This is not part of the state park day-use pass, but the Los Padres National Forest. Plan to spend 1-2 hours here.

5.  Partington Cove

This is the hidden gem of the day — and in high tourist season, often an escape from the crowds. The Partington Cove Trail (1.2 miles round trip) begins right off Highway 1 at a hairpin turn, dropping steeply down to a rocky cove framed by dramatic sea cliffs. Along the way, you pass through a hand-hewn tunnel cut directly into the rock — one of those unexpected "this is cool and kinda scary" moments, where you're briefly in complete darkness before walking forward and catching that first sliver of daylight peeking through the other end.

The cove itself is raw and beautiful: no sand, just smooth boulders and a surprisingly deep green sea. Sit here a while. It's a good spot to get quiet and let the place sink in. And if you're lucky, you might spot dolphins porpoising just offshore — at least I did on my first visit there, and I'm still thinking about it.

The trailhead is easy to miss. Look for the gate on the west side of Highway 1 as you approach a hairpin turn, roughly 2 miles south of Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park. You'll see other cars parked alongside the curve. Come in hiking boots if you can; the main trail is steep enough that trekking it in Birkenstock sandals is too humbling of an experience (speaking from personal experience).

A 22-minute drive from Pfeiffer Beach. Plan to spend 1-1.5 hours here.

6.  McWay Falls

Miles south, past the main strip of roadside motels, restaurants, and art galleries, you'll arrive at Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park to reach the Overlook Trail to McWay Falls (0.4 miles). McWay Falls is an 80-foot ribbon of fresh water that cascades off a cliff and lands directly onto a crescent of pristine beach — unreachable by humans (due to incredible risk and potential arrest). The sight of that waterfall against the turquoise cove is the kind of thing you'll still be thinking about years from now. Take the photo. Take it again and again to make sure you captured it — because you'll treasure it.

Note: As of April 16, 2025 (and still stands as I publish this in March 2026), the Overlook Trail to view McWay Falls at Julia Pfeiffer Burns is CLOSED for a long-term retaining wall repair project. This project will limit parking spaces inside the park and is expected to continue into 2026. The only place to view the McWay Falls is from a small viewing area on the side of Highway 1. It's still worth visiting this viewing area!

A 4-minute drive from Partington Cove. A $10 day-use fee applies for parking. Plan to spend 30-45 minutes here when it's open and 15-30 minutes if it's closed.

7.  Nepenthe & the Phoenix Shop

After all that trekking, oohing, and aahing at the beauties of Big Sur, end your day at Nepenthe — a Big Sur institution perched on a clifftop 800 feet above the ocean. Before going up what seems like 1,000 stairs after a full day of hiking, browse the Phoenix gift shop downstairs first (note: it closes at 5 or 6 PM depending on the season). Inside you'll find eclectic local gifts and, my personal favorite, a wonderful little bookshop collection worth lingering over.

Then steel yourself for those stairs. At the top, the views of the mountains and ocean will somehow still take your breath away — you're at a dramatically higher vantage point than anywhere else you've been today, and it shows. If there's a wait, head to the host stand to put your name in, then make your way to the bar. The wine list is impressive and the cocktails are equally worthy — take your pick and settle in on the back deck (not the front deck; don't sell yourself short!). Watch the light turn the sea to copper and gold, feel your mood lift, tell your people you love them, take a few sunset selfies, and before you know it, your pager is buzzing for your table.

When you sit down, order a basket of fries for the table immediately. They are some of the best fries you will ever eat. Then take your time with the rest of the menu. This is the perfect ending to a perfect Big Sur day.

A 15-minute drive north from McWay Falls. If you can, time your arrival for about an hour before sunset to take in the views.

Nepenthe does not accept reservations and gets very busy in the summer months and on weekends. Eat some trail mix in the parking lot first, if you must. The pager and that back deck view make the wait more than worthwhile. Plan to spend two hours here.

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Big Sur is a magical, restorative, and beloved place. This itinerary, while full, is just the tip of its greatness. Please be gentle to Big Sur and yourself along the way. Drive carefully along Highway 1. Pull over when possible if you're moving slowly to allow local motorists to pass. Take all trash home with you.

Thanks for reading. And I’d love to hear all about your Big Sur experience!

Ashley