From Pacifica to Santa Barbara, the coast of California is one of the most beautiful pieces of land and sea that I’ve ever seen. This year, the pivotal section of Highway 1 is finally accessible again, and with it comes a tempestuous torrent of day-trippers and minivans. I get it, I would want to see the famed Big Sur too. I was lucky enough to not have to wait in traffic jams or be unable to park (except for Pfeiffer Beach, which I’m convinced is fully parked constantly) beyond a few minutes’ delay.
I’d suggest for everyone to visit the coast, but take it slow and leisurely, stopping frequently to see the sights without slowing other people down. Go on a weekday if possible, but I did one of the most popular sections of the route on a Saturday and it turned out fine. By far the most annoying thing was the roadwork going on frequently forcing a long wait at multiple intervals. I haven’t seen any misbehaving tourists or litter anywhere, so I’m thoroughly impressed with the conduct of what I’ve seen so far, though I could be blissfully ignorant of major incidents elsewhere. If you don’t want to contribute to congestion or want to avoid any waits, maybe try off-season or next year.
I would like to give recommendations but I feel like Big Sur and the coast is far from obscure nowadays. Go to Point Lobos, but be aware that it is well-discovered and a legionary camp of cars line the road outside the entrance to the park. Go to Hearst Castle, it’s probably the most spectacular, unexpected wonder on the coastline after seeing miles upon miles of rugged wilderness with little sign of development. The amount of ostentation and opulence imbued within the estate is astounding, and you can really get a look into Hearst’s eccentricity and stubbornness. He was so obsessed with the view that he built his citadel of vanity atop isolated terrain where the temperature is much stuffier than the balmy coast.
Wildlife is very much prevalent to the north and south of the famous Big Sur area, where I saw little to no animals. Stop by the Monterey Bay Aquarium because I love otters and it’s absolutely worth it. Go to Solvang for a nice pastry but not much else. Don’t try to find parking in Morro Bay or Pismo Beach, nearly impossible in the summer. Look at the dunes and big rock and leave.
Anyway, only the coast of southern Portugal and the Italian Riviera at times compare with what I’ve seen here, and neither Portugal nor Italy are nearly as pristine or give you that sense of wild freedom. Big Sur is big in a literal sense.