Have you ever wanted to just get in your car and drive without a destination in mind? It’s been a while since I did that and I sure miss it terribly. I’m a planner simply because I cannot afford unnecessary expenses. Sometimes I wish I could just pack my bags and be a nomad. Forever wandering and experiencing the most beautiful places in the world.
Somehow my aimless driving led me to the Central Coast of California right into Big Sur. I guess the ocean will always be where I find peace when I get restless. Highway 1 is famous for it’s scenic views of the ocean with it’s narrow and treacherous roads that can leave you breathless and mesmerized at the same time.
As you can see from the photo above, there are small spaces (turnouts) on the side of the road where you can park and take a moment to capture the beauty on your camera or phone. Maybe sit on the trunk or hood of you car and have a snack while enjoying the view.
During the drive, you will see two bridges that fit perfectly into the entire landscape. These are known as the Rocky Creek Bridge and Bixby Creek Bridge. The latter being the more famous one but for me they were equally impressive. There are adequate parking for both to stop and carefully explore the area around it. They are approximately .7 miles apart.
One of the best reasons why I love Big Sur is the ability to park for free at the side of the road and explore the area. It’s really that open and not as crowded as you may think. I went during a busy weekend and still managed to find places that were not that crowded. I also started early. Traffic gets crazy later in the day. Below are several places I discovered along the way. I consider some of them hidden gems because I was mostly on my own.
I hope you enjoyed the pictures. Don’t worry there’s more to come and I will try to write them all sooner rather than later.
Also, there are a couple of famous parks there that require entrance fees. Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park and Andrew Molera State Park. You can actually park at the side of the road and walk inside for free. I decided to skip both since I kind of wanted to go off the beaten path. However, here’s a picture of the famous McWay Falls in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Beach from my previous trip there which was a long time ago.
By the way, thanks for the slight nudge from some of you asking me when I will be writing my next blog post. I really love sharing my adventures with all of you.
Tips for this trip:
- Make sure you have enough gas in your car. Fill it up before you reach Big Sur.
- Drive carefully. There are a lot of accidents that happen because of the narrow and winding roads filled with amazing views. It’s quite tempting to not focus on driving which is definitely a no-no.
- Wear comfortable sneakers or running shoes. You’ll be doing lots of hiking and walking. Sometimes even on sand!
- Bring a camera.
- Bring lots of food and water.
- Bring extra pair of clothes, socks, etc.
- Have fun and make some great memories.
Please check out my Amazon page for all outdoor recommendations. https://www.amazon.com/shop/roadsbeltravelled #AmazonInfluencer
Add me on Instagram @roadsbeltravelled and twitter @belcharm
Thank you for taking time to read my post. Please feel free to comment below. I would love to hear from you.
roads bel travelled 
I so much want to travel…someday I hope I can
Meanwhile your posts will continue to bring dreams to me.🤩
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Thank you for your comment! I am sure you will love these places like I did. 🙂
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Beautiful. One of my favorite places.
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Thank you 🙂🙏
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Thanks for this post. Travelling Route 1 and seeing Big Sur are two of my bucket list destinations and your photos make it more tantalizing.
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Yes, it’s an amazing drive and never gets old. I’m glad it adds to your excitement to visit it too! 🙂
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I hope I get to Big Sur on day.
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I bet you would love it when you visit! 🙂
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Stunning photos and nice descriptions!
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Thank you 🙂
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It was just up the road from Big Sur that I asked my wife to marry me 37 years ago!
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Wow! Awesome memories for you! 🙂
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Such beautiful pictures! They make you feel like you are there with you! looking forward to reading more of your blogs and seeing your journeys ❤ 🙂
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Thank you! It really means a lot to know that you enjoyed reading my post. 🙂
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When I lived in Northern California, I used to love to get in my car and just start driving along the Pacific Coast highway. Absolutely beautiful!
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I love it there! It’s so peaceful driving on the coast. 🙂
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good suggestion 🙂
I think I *will* go for a random drive this Thanksgiving weekend!
Did you ever go to Garrapata State Park? One of your photos reminded me of the inland trail. It’s a really nice trail that receives a lot less traffic than other parts of Big Sur 🙂
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Yes I did! It’s so lovely there. And you should definitely go for a random drive. The unplanned trips are the best…🙂
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Sadly because covid I cant do my hobby 😦
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Hopefully, it goes back to normal soon…..
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Looks fantastic and sounds wonderful. thanks for sharing
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Thank you! Glad you liked it 🙂
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Thank you for the trip to Big Sut. Been on my travel-to list for a while. Alas! So many places, so little time. 🙏🏻
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You said it! There are too many beautiful places in the world and not enough time to see them all 😊
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Sigh.
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Its been over 20 years since I have been there. It truly is an unforgettable place! Your beautiful pictures brought it all back for me. Thank you!
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I’m glad you liked it! Big Sur is always breathtaking 😊
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Yes, Big Sur is beautiful!
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Unforgettable 😊
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Oh, wow! Beautiful pictures!! I would love to visit those places. Maybe one day. Thanks so much for sharing!
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You’re welcome! It’s so gorgeous out there. You would enjoy it for sure 😊
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Ooh! Another Bucket List place I want to visit one day. Every time I see that Bixby bridge and those cliffs, I get that big urge to head on up and check it out. Hopefully one day. Gorgeous place, though. Thanks for sharing!
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Every time I see it I’m still in awe of the scenery. It never gets old! 😊 Hope you get to visit soon 😊
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I’ve missed traveling, what with all the fires and now the pandemic. I’ve passed through this area several times on my trips, though I haven’t spent much time exploring it. Your pix make me think maybe I should change that…
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Yes, there is so much to see in the area. I find it so relaxing to be able to just park on the side of the road and explore. I’m sure you’d love the scenic views as much as I did. 😊
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Hi. I’ve been in Big Sur several times, and consider myself fortunate to have experienced it. Fantastic region. Jack Kerouac wrote a book titled Big Sur. I recommend it to anyone who likes his style of writing. Neil S.
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Yeah it’s absolutely gorgeous. Love it there! Thanks for the comment! 😊
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Hello there. If you get a chance, stop by my site. You might like it. Take care.
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Will do! 😊
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I’ve only been there once but I dream about it all the time! Breath taking❤️
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Thank you! It really is a gorgeous place 😊
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What a pretty area! I’ve lived in Northern California all my life and have never taken that drive! Looking forward to reading more of your adventures.
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I can relate! I live in Southern California and haven’t visited a lot of beautiful places in my neck of the woods. 😊
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I’ve only driven to Big Sur once, but it left a mark on me! It was in 2008 and a forest fire had burned a lot of the surrounding land during the week or two before my visit; ash from the fire drifted through the air like snow.
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You should come back. It really is a place that you could visit over and over again and never grow tired of it 😊
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I LOVE Big Sur. We’ve been there once but I’d love to go back and see all the stuff we missed!
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Yes, there really is a lot to see out there. ❤️
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I enjoyed every bit of this beautiful scenery. Your narration makes me feel like I am taking the journey myself. It seems like your aimless driving turned out way better than expected. Keeping producing more content like this. Thank you for taking such mesmerizing pictures.
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Big Sur is special. Thank you for your kind words. It is truly appreciated 😊🙏
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You are most welcome. I just couldn’t resist speaking my mind regarding your wonderful post.
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Great post- love your pictures!
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Thank you! 😊
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Nice one Bel. I’ve always thought it would be nice to start out small. Hop on a local train and go no-where in particular. Yet to pluck up the courage……Joking but serious about the idea. We live blind to the outside in our own little cocoons…..
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I’ve done that before took the train followed by the bus…ended in Santa Monica Pier…Good times! 😂
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You must be at the computer same time as me. But on opposite ends of the planet. I’ve heard of Santa Monica Pier, I think. So much of America in your songs……
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So many good memories tied to Big Sur. It was one of Den’s favorite spots.I loved the water and the winds. Those “tiny” bridges, not so much! 😀
Another great share, Bel! ❤
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But those “tiny” bridges and the cliffs are the best part! 😜 I’m glad it brought back good memories with Den! 😊
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❤ ❤
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What a beautiful part of the world! You’re very lucky. Lovely pics.
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Thank you 😊🙏 I feel lucky to be able to visit such a lovely place.
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The last time I saw Rocky Creek Bridge, it was down to one lane because an earthquake had cracked it.
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Yeah there was also a recent landslide at Big Sur earlier this year and they closed down the road for a couple of months.
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I am transfixed by your pictures!
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Thank you! It’s easy to take pictures when the scenery is that stunning! ❤️🥰
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you have been gone much too long but this was a nice re-entry.
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I am trying to get back into it. Thanks for being patient 😊
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I’ve not gone that far north of California, despite being born and raised in this West Coast state. It’s high on my US bucket list to check out someday; the scenery looks absolutely stunning!
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Yes, you definitely should visit Big Sur! I’m sure you would find it just as amazing as I did. 😊
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Hey Rebecca! I was born in LA, but Haven’t been there in ages. I’m in the middle of the country now. But it’s weird seeing another Rebecca from California…
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Haha, yes! Always happy to meet another person with the same first name…in the same home state!
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Nice to see you back on WP and having adventures Bel. I remember the coast and Big Sur as a beautiful area to drive through. I wish I had time to stop and explore like you did.
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I feel like I’ve been gone for a while. Time sure flies way too fast. I wish you did get to explore it. Maybe next time! 😊
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Thanks Bel.
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It looks wonderful! We have visited Big Sur when we did a Highway 1 road trip a couple of years ago. It was fantastic and I hope to go back!! Beautiful!
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Yeah. It really is so scenic and peaceful. One of my favorite drives! 😊
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I love your adventures, Bel, and always look forward to seeing your name pop up. I haven’t visited Big Sur, but it looks lovely (misty and mysterious on your visit). The ocean is our ancient home, so I can relate to that feeling of peace. Going early is a great idea too. ❤ Hugs.
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And I love hearing from you! I feel like you’re an old friend from a past life that I just haven’t met in real life 😂 You have to visit Big Sur. You’re going to love it and you can make it a setting in one of your novels. 🥰 Like some sort of Battle in Big Sur kinda thing 😀
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Ha ha ha. What a lovely comment on all counts, my friend. We’ve made plans for the Grand Canyon and Zion in the spring. There are so many places we’d like to go. I can relate to your desire to just get in your car and go. ❤ ❤
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Can you try to visit Bryce Canyon on your way to Zion? I always feel that I loved it more than Zion. 😊
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We are! We have a full day there to hike and play. 🙂
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Yay! That’s going to be fun! 😊
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Sensational capture of your trip 🙏🙏
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Thank you! 😊🙏
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You’re making my “travelling-mouth” water! 😀
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That’s the goal! 😁
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When we were in California [Palo Alto] earlier this year, we enjoyed a different part of the coast: from Half Moon Bay to Santa Cruz.
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Yes, it’s even more gorgeous out there! I’m sure it was a great time for you. 👍
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Thanks for taking us down memory lane. We spent a couple days in Big Sur while on our honeymoon 51 years ago! Keep up the great work!
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Oh wow that’s amazing. Congratulations to 51 years…many more to come 🥰
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These are some great pictures! I wish I could be a nomad sometimes too.
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What a life that would be right? 😊
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Yes! We have taken a couple of short road trips recently and loved them.
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So many beautiful places not enough time 😂😂
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Thank you for sharing your journey, and I loved the pictures! I, too, love road trips and can’t wait till I can do it full-time.
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That would be a dream! To be able to do it full time. I’m happy you liked it. Thank you 😊🙏
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Awesome privacy.💞🏞🏝
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It’s like my own private oasis 🥰
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Understood!💞💞💞💞
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