Big Sur

Big Sur is a coastal section along Highway 1 in central California stretching roughly 90 miles between Carmel and San Simeon. Steep rock faces drop directly into the ocean while dense forests of redwoods and coastal pines cover the mountain slopes further inland.

Highway 1 was completed in the 1930s and made continuous car travel along this coast possible for the first time. The Bixby Creek Bridge, opened in 1932, became one of the most recognized bridge structures on the road and crosses a deep canyon near the northern edge of the region.

The Henry Miller Memorial Library hosts readings, film screenings and concerts in a wooden house surrounded by redwood trees. Restaurants and art galleries along the coast display works by local painters, photographers and craftspeople who often live and work in the area.

Several state parks along the route offer hiking trails, campsites and access to small beaches reached by stairs or short paths. The road often runs narrow and winding, requiring slow driving especially in fog or after heavy rain.

McWay Falls drops directly onto a sand beach that can only be reached from the water and is never walked on by people. The waterfall flows year round because it is fed by an underground spring that does not dry up even during the driest summer months.

Location: California

Part of: Central Coast

GPS coordinates: 36.10750,-121.62583

Latest update: December 2, 2025 22:41