Big Sur ​

Big Sur is the stretch of California coast that makes people pull over every 30 seconds, block traffic on Highway 1, and temporarily forget how to form sentences because the view just did something to their brain. Cliffs dropping straight into the Pacific, redwood canyons tucked into the mountains behind them, and the Bixby Creek Bridge looking like it was built specifically so photographers would have something to put on postcards. Which, honestly, it kind of was.

There's no actual town called "Big Sur" — it's more of a state of mind stretched across 90 miles of the most dramatic coastline in North America. Cell service is a memory. Gas stations are rare and expensive. The nearest anything is an hour away. And that's exactly the point. Pfeiffer Beach's purple sand, McWay Falls dropping directly onto the beach, Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park's underwater canyon — it's all here, and it all looks fake even when you're standing right in front of it.

Photo Gallery ​

Good to Know ​

Road Closures: Hwy 1 closes periodically due to landslides. Check Caltrans before you drive. Getting there only to find a "ROAD CLOSED" sign is a special kind of disappointment.

Camping: Kirk Creek and Plaskett Creek are the standout campgrounds. Reserve well in advance or prepare to be flexible.

Gas Up: Fill your tank before you enter. Gas in Big Sur costs roughly as much as a small mortgage payment.