If you’re ever in the mood for a short escape from LA’s urban sprawl, consider a one night trip up to gorgeous Big Sur. Big Sur refers to a region of the coast roughly 40 miles south of the Monterey peninsula and 300 miles north of LA. It’s defined by a dramatic, rocky coastline, stunning azure waters, towering fragrant pine forests, and an untouchedquality that is very refreshing.
My brother and I recently drove up the coast from LA to take in Big Sur’s majestic beauty. I picked him up from LAX at noon, and after a celebratory meal at In-n-Out we were off. (Depressingly, it took 45 minutes to get from LAX to the PCH.) On the way up the coast, we stayed as west as we could. Since the 1 and the 101 repeatedly overlap then separate, there are several different ways you could go. It was my brother’s first time up the coast, so I wanted to stay on the 1 the whole way for sentimental reasons. If you want to cut down on driving time, take the 101 until the turn off for Cambria.
With multiple stops for gas, food, and taking pictures of the elephant seals near San Simeon, we got to our hotel Lucia Lodge at about 7:30pm.
Lucia Lodge is an enchanting little row of cottages impossibly perched on the side of a cliff. It is located about 15 miles south of Big Sur, so the location isn’t that convenient, but the view was amazing. We ate dinner at the restaurant, which was alright but over-priced. A better dinner spot is Deetjen’s Inn, about 15 miles north. If you go up and you have a chance to stop in there for breakfast (8am-noon) or dinner (5pm-9pm), DO IT. It is delicious.
The next day after a complimentary breakfast we drove further north to see a waterfall on the beach at the Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park and an amazing rock formation on a beautiful Pfeiffer Beach.
We also went into several local shops and art galleries. We left the area at about 1:45pm to just barely make the 3:20pm tour at Hearst Castle back down in San Simeon. Hearst Castle is the massive estate of publishing tycoon William Randolph Hearst that inspired Xanadu in Citizen Kane. It is absolutely worth the trip. There are four different tours you can do; we went on the overview tour since it was our first time there. The castle complex is absurdly opulent. It’s filled with artifacts and treasures from across the ages and around the globe. A massive indoor pool is tiled with 24 karat gold; an outdoor pool mimics Roman ruins.
At about 5:30pm we headed back down towards LA. After Cambria we took the 101 the rest of the way down and got back to Santa Monica at about 8:30 pm.
A few things to know: If you’re only going for one night, a lot of your trip will be spent in the car, but that’s where a lot of the amazing scenery is anyway, so it will still be incredible. Plan on your cell phone not working for most of your time there. There’s strong reception at the Big Sur Bakery; go there for your phone calls. Most hotel rooms/cabins have no internet, phone or TV to better facilitate your communing with nature, so bring books or board games. There are a lot of campgrounds in Big Sur, if you want a cheaper and more rustic retreat. And definitely check out this website before you leave - it’s a priceless guide to lodging, restaurants, art galleries, parks, and points of interest.
Pictures by Devon Iott
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2 responses so far ↓
1 Bobbie // Jun 14, 2008 at 10:25 am
Great shots Devon! I love Big Sur. It’s probably one of the most beautiful places on Earth.
2 Photo Essay: Big Sur Part 2 | LA.CityZine.com - Los Angeles // Jun 25, 2008 at 8:00 am
[...] already highlighted my trip to Big Sur, but I had so many pictures that I wanted to share a few more this week as another photo essay. The [...]
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