San Juan Bautista, California

Hop on Road 130 heading out of San Jose and follow the winding two lane road up, up, up to to the top of Mt. Hamilton and the Lick Observatory. There are lots of deer, wild turkey, and pigs in the area. If you are lucky you will get to see a herd of deer grazing in a meadow. But be careful that y...

When we stumbled upon this beach we were thrilled to have such great views with no crowds. There is plenty of room to lay out in the sun, you can swim in the ocean to cool off, and the beach is surrounded by beautiful landscape. If you decide to swim be very careful as the waves and currents can ...

Parking for Calla Lily Valley is available along the dirt pullout at Gate 19 for Garrapata State Park, near mile-marker 63. Signs are small and difficult to see. Follow the path between the guide wires and take the right fork, heading north to the bluff overlooking the beach. Continue north and f...

A wonderful roadside beach and state park. Easy parking on both sides of Hwy. 1 with short access trails. There are almost 2 miles of coastline trails heading north and south from the parking area. The north end of the beach is great for swimming and surfing when the sea is calm and the south ...

Panther Beach: Santa Cruz's Hidden Coastal Gem Panther Beach is a stunning, secluded beach nestled among rocky cliff sides along California's Highway 1. This is a great place to catch an awesome sunset, and there's even some decent bouldering on the beach archway for climbing enthusiasts. Beach...

Backpacking to Pat Springs is a way to see Big Sur and the San Lucia mountains from a perspective that few get to experience. The Ventana Wilderness is rugged and remote, yet Pat Springs is one of the most beautiful campgrounds around that will allow you to take in this amazing terrain.  To get ...

Shark Fin Cove is a large rock formation in an inlet off Highway 1 in Northern California. It is located 1 mile south of Davenport and 10 miles north of Santa Cruz. There is a sizable parking lot located on the side of Highway 1 to park in. Walk down the path left of the parking lot and cross the...

The ruins of Davenport Pier are located on Davenport Pier Beach, just north of Davenport on Highway 1, which is about 11 miles north of Santa Cruz. The pier was never completed and the support system for it was left on the beach, the first pillar arch has had a chain swing added to it and can be ...

You can't miss this bridge if you are driving north on highway one. The best time for capturing sunsets behind the bridge is December. The positioning of the sun will better coincide with the location of the bridge.There are four main angles to capture the bridge: The first two are up close on ...

The loops starts at the Andrew Molera State Park parking lot (4.5 miles north of the entrance to Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park along Highway 1). Begin by crossing the Big Sur River using the seasonal bridge. If the bridge has been removed, you will need to cross the water by foot. Usually the water...

Housed in Andrew Molera State Park, the East Molera Trail is easily accessible from Highway 1 with parking and restrooms available to hikers. A day-use entry fee is required (see below) but also provides entrance to Pfieffer Big Sur State Park just a few miles down the road. The trail head is lo...

Entrance to the parking lot is a day-use fee per car, and once you get in be sure to use the restroom before you head for the trail, since you will likely spend a good amount of time out there. Look for the sign that says Creamery Meadow Trail. You'll know it's right when the very first thing yo...

Andrew Molera is about 27 miles south of Carmel and one of the first State Parks you'll hit heading down the coast. There will be signs for the Park as you approach and the main parking lot is only a couple hundred yards from Hwy 1. There are a number of hiking trails and activities to do around ...

This campground is a gem when it comes to Big Sur camping, book here. Each site includes a parking spot, a campfire ring with grill, a picnic table, and plenty of space for 1-2 tents. There are multiple immaculate restroom facilities with showers, clean trash enclosures (emptied and sanitized dai...

This trail is a staff favorite at Big Sur. This family-friendly waterfall trail provides only a moderate challenge for young children and older family members. There are two starting points for this hike depending on where you stashed the car. If you’re parked near the gift shop, the head up the ...

The campground at Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park offers a spectacular variety of natural settings to enjoy. Each of the 189 tent and RV sites is located within the redwood groves, oak woodlands, grassy meadows and they even have riverside camping.Each site has a picnic table, fire ring, access to dr...