Highway 1: San Francisco to Big Sur

Google “epic road trips” or “scenic highways,” and you’re bound to come across a lot of mentions of California’s Highway One—in particular, the stretch between Carmel-by-the-Sea and Big Sur. G and I would be making the trip from San Francisco to Los Angeles, and we had three days and two nights to do it. G had flown in late Wednesday night and rented a car at SFO. Thursday morning, we hit the road and headed south toward Big Sur, where we’d be spending the night.

I’m not going to lie: I love the California coastline, and the scenery on this particular stretch is truly awe-inspiring. For G, who is afraid of heights, it’s a bit nerve-wracking. He can appreciate the beauty, but winding roads on the side of a cliff and a massive bridge aren’t his ideas of a good time. I say this as I’m the one with my face pressed against the car window the entire time.

First stop: a quick pull in to Pescadero State Beach

On the advice of a great guy I met at the Peak Design flagship store in San Francisco (sidetone: Oh. My. God. I was a total fangirl, and while I could write an entire post on what it was like to be at the Peak mothership, I’ll spare you. But seriously, if you’re a PD fan, GO!), G and I made a stop along the way in Pescadero to check out Pigeon Point Light Station.

I love lighthouses. It’s hard to live on the coast and not love them, especially when so many of them are within just a few hours’ drive of home. While I might be somewhat partial to the lighthouses of New England (looking at you, Maine!), this one was truly worth the stop.

As we meandered further down Highway 1, we stopped in Davenport, a sleepy little town just about 20 miles south of Pigeon Point in Pescadero. I’m a sucker for railroad tracks, and I had to stop to snap a shot of this one.

About an hour and a half later, we made our way to (and across) the iconic Bixby Creek Bridge—we’ve driven over the bridge a few times before, and while G has loosened his grip on the steering wheel a bit, he’s still not a fan. Not until we’re over it. I, on the other hand, love it—even though I’d take bright blue skies over the rainy backdrop we had for the day’s drive.

Note: If you’re ever making this trip, I’d strongly suggest a stop in the Monterey/Carmel area. We’ve visited those areas before, and it’s all just breathtaking. On prior trips, we visited the National Steinbeck Center (loved it!!), and I, ever the English teacher, paid both homage and respects at Steinbeck’s grave in Salinas (I have a thing about visiting authors’ graves; I’m sure a future post on that awaits!). We’ve also driven the famous 17-mile drive, known for its views of the iconic Pebble Beach lone cypress tree. We also really enjoyed stopping off at the Carmel Mission, one of the 21 California missions. For more information on the California Missions Trail, check out this page. These sights are all amazing, and while I would have enjoyed a repeat visit to all of them, we were, unfortunately, on a tight schedule for this trip. Next time…

Just a few miles later, we arrived for lunch at Nepenthe, a restaurant with one of the best views ever—though that wasn’t the case this particular day. Still, spectacular (and the Famous Ambrosiaburger? Again, delicious!)! After lunch, we arrived at our home for the evening, Glen Oaks Big Sur. We stayed in the Redwood Cabin-Forest View, and everything about our stay—and the location—was fabulous. We couldn’t have asked for a better setting to rest our heads for the night.