Big Sur is 90 miles of coastal wilderness in central California, made of up 9 contiguous State Parks. On the ocean side are dramatic cliffs and on the forest side rise enormous redwood forests and hiking trails into the hills. About 1,000 artists, hippies and nature lovers live in Big Sur, but overall its a very small place with only a few gas stations, a general store and a handful of restaurants and lodges.

*Importantly, there is very limited cell phone and internet access. The Big Sur Bakery is one of the few reliable areas of reception.

In and Around Big Sur

Within the State Parks, there are thousands of miles of hiking trails and hundreds of tiny coves with perfect beaches.  To orient you on the map below, the Big Sur Lodge where many of the guests will stay is at Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park and our ceremony will be held close to Lucia, which is near the Limeklin Trails. Though only 25 miles apart, the distance take about 40 min on the curvy roads.

You can find a no-frills visitor's guide that offers all the essential information about anything and everything in the Big Sur region.

Driving the stretch of Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) that runs through Big Sur is an amazing road trip in itself. Some highlights: 

McWay Falls in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park is one of the only waterfalls in America that falls directly into the ocean during high tide.

Pfeiffer Beach is secluded, small, hard to find, on the Big Sur coast and has purple sand. There is a famous Keyhole Rock, which gives you a different look whether it's foggy, sunny, at sunrise, or sunset.

Partington Cove Trail, located two miles north of the Julia Pfeiffer Burns at an unmarked iron gate, is a short walk that takes you through a 50-foot rock tunnel and ends at a century-old boat launch that was used by bootleggers during Prohibition. 

Limekiln and Garrapata state parks also offer incredible hikes in the redwoods and along the coast, respectively.

The Point Sur Lighthouse is at a dramatic location on the drive south from Carmel and offers weekend tours.  

Bixby Bridge, another iconic spot, is one of the tallest single-span concrete bridges in the world. 

California Adventure:  Pacific Coast Highway Roadtrip, 2-5 days

If you are coming from out of town and plan to turn the trip into an opportunity for a longer vacation, we have so many California Adventure tips!  Our favorite is a road trip up Highway 1 (PCH), which is the perfect way to see the West Coast. It's also one of the first trips that Nicole and Dave did together as a couple and we all know how well that turned out.. 

You can start as far south as San Diego and end as far North as Mendocino:

In San Diego, stop at Hotel del Coronado or surf Mission Beach.  In Orange County (Nicole's home town!) explore the tide pools and art shows in Laguna Beach and in Santa Monica, rent a beach cruiser and take a bike ride on the Strand.  As you drive up the coast, visit Santa Barbara and then make sure you stop at one of the wineries in Paso Robles for a tasting before hitting up Pismo beach and San Louis Obispo. 

In San Simeon, the elephant seals bask on the beach just south of the Piedras Blancas lighthouse and October is one of the best times of the year to see them. Then, just across the way, visit Hearst Castle, the extravagant castle built between 1919-1947 by eccentric millionaire and newspaper magnate William Randolf Hearst.

Next, don't forget to stop in Big Sur to attend our wedding.  When that's done, head north to San Francisco, stopping in Carmel, Santa Cruz, and Half Moon Bay. Drive over the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco and make sure you stop for a hike in Muir Woods.  Then, follow PCH even further north up to Bodega Bay and Mendocino. Your biggest problem will be figuring out which amazing little beach town to stop in for the night.