Carmel to San Luis Obispo – 2 days, everything you must see
Day One
Start in Carmel. Get lunch in town before you head out – once you're on the coast road there's not much food worth stopping for.
From there, Point Lobos is your first move. Ten minutes south of Carmel, one of the best state reserves on the California coast. Walk the trails and you'll find otters floating in the kelp beds, harbour seals hauled out on the rocks, and deer moving through the cypress. Give it a couple of hours. It earns them.
Then get on Highway 1 and drive south. The campground is Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park. Book ahead, it fills up. We used Campnab to snag our spot; it monitors reservation sites and sends you an alert the moment a cancellation opens up. It's worth using if you're struggling to find available spots.
Set up camp, start the fire, and keep it simple. We made hot dogs, burgers, and some snacks. Huddle around the campfire and maybe enjoy a couple of 'smores.
Day Two
Start your second day with Pancakes, or whatever your camping go to is.
The Big Sur Gorge is a morning's work so make sure you get up early. The scramble upstream is a journey worth it for the fantastic swimming holes and cliff jumps along the way. We called it after about a mile, but the gorge goes much farther. The water is a little cold but certainly worth it.
Then get on the road for the main event. Heading south, the first place worth stopping is at the Henry Miller Library. It's small, it's strange, but it's worth the ten minutes it takes to take a look around. Miller lived up here for years and the place has his quirky energy.
Partington Cove is the first real stop. A short trail from the road takes you through a tunnel cut into the cliff and out to the cove. The water is as clear as anywhere on this coast.
McWay Falls is non-negotiable. Yes, there will be people but you should go anyways. An 80-foot waterfall dropping directly onto an unreachable beach is about as cool as it sounds. Park along the road or in a lot near by.
Continuing south, you'll see the Big Creek Bridge, then the Pitkins Curve rock shed carved into the cliff face. These iconic Big Sur landmarks are worth slowing down or even taking a stop for at a nearby pullout. They're a bit touristy but you might as well while you're here.
Somewhere between Gamboa Point and Lucia, pull over at a turnout on the ocean side. There are horses grazing the clifftop fields here, right at the edge, with the Pacific behind them. It's a pretty unique scene worth stopping for and taking in. Perhaps you might even bring carrot.
The last wildlife moment is the elephant seal colony near San Simeon. Loud, enormous, completely unbothered by you. A good way to end the drive.
Dinner in San Simeon. Then finish in San Luis Obispo.
What to bring
- Tent–make sure its big so your whole squad can pile in
- Layers–fog and wind even in late May, especially overnight
- A comfy vehicle–a convertible is even better
- Seaker Sun Balm–Zinc oxide, water resistance, and built for a weekend trip.