Big Sur: Long Weekend Itinerary + Travel Tips

I did a post on What to Do in Big Sur, but I figured I’d dedicate a post to a travel itinerary, as well! You can get more in-depth information on each of the spots mentioned below in that post. 

However, I know it’s helpful to have an actual itinerary to work off of to see how to best schedule things, so… let’s get right to it! Here is a look at the 3-day Big Sur itinerary I followed last time I visited, as well as a few travel tips. 

The Lodging: Ventana Campground

During our trip, we camped at Ventana Campground, a privately-owned campground in the Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park area. This gorgeous, redwood-surrounded campground is easy to get to (it’s right off the 1) but still feels secluded. 

If you’re feeling fancy, they have glamping sites, which looked pretty amazing when we drove by. We kept it simple and went the good ol’ fashioned tent route. There are bathrooms on-site though, so, you know, it’s not too old fashioned. 

Let’s be honest – the price here is kind of silly, and definitely higher than other state park/Los Padres National Forest-operated campgrounds in the area. Tent sites at Ventana are currently $80 per night, compared to $35 per night at other campgrounds. One benefit of the higher price is that it doesn’t seem that these reservations get snagged up as easily. So, if you’re planning a last-minute camping trip, you might have more luck getting a spot at Ventana. In the summer, state park operated campgrounds (like Pfeiffer Big Sur Campground or Kirk Creek Campground) fill up super quickly – often six months in advance.

Day 1

We were driving in from up north, so the first stop on our Big Sur itinerary was Soberanes Point. Here, we did an easy hike and took some photos of the coast. There’s a good amount of parking on both sides of the road at the trailhead.

Afterwards, we drove 6 miles south (under 10 minutes) to take in the views of Bixby Bridge from Castle Rock Viewpoint. Parking here can be a bit more tricky, especially since this is such a popular spot. You may need to wait for some groups to leave. We were there in the off-season (early November) so we didn’t have a problem getting a spot. That said, there was still a pretty decent sized crowd. 

We drove in from Los Angeles that morning (the 1 was closed from the south, which is why we went the long way and came from the north), so day 1 on our Big Sur itinerary was more of a half day for us. After Bixby Bridge, we checked into our campground at Ventana. We got settled in, and then stopped by Big Sur Deli to pick up some drinks to enjoy by the fire that night. 

If you have a longer day, two other great stops you could hit up on the more northern side of Big Sur are Andrew Molera State Park (which has easy trails along the coast) and Pfeiffer Beach. I’ve included more info about these two spots in my What to do in Big Sur post.

Day 2

Since we explored more of the northern areas on our first day, we decided to spend our second day further south. We started off the day by heading about 7 miles south of our campground to hike down to and explore Partington Cove and Partington Point. Once we were done, we drove just about 2 miles further south to check out McWay Falls. After McWay Falls, we drove 22 more miles south (which doesn’t feel long at all when you’re driving along the coast!) to visit Sand Dollar Beach. 

This was a full day for us. We didn’t try to rush through each spot, and particularly spent a lot of time at Sand Dollar Beach. Since we were there at the end of the day, it was nice to be able to walk around, explore the tide pools, and watch the sunset. After, we drove back to the campground where we made dinner and hung out around the campfire. 

Day 3

On our final day in Big Sur, as we drove up north to start our journey back home, we stopped by Notleys Landing Viewpoint. where we did some whale watching! Blue Whales are most common in this area from June through October, so it may be worth stopping by if you’re visiting in this timeframe.

The very last stop on our Big Sur Itinerary was Carmel-by-the-Sea. It is an adorable town that is definitely worth stopping by to walk around. It’s not actually in Big Sur, but if you’re driving north, I highly recommend visiting!

If nothing else, at least stop for a meal or coffee. Carmel Valley Coffee Roasting Co. is a great stop for a cup of coffee and some baked goods. If you have a sweet tooth, stop by Cottage of Sweets (their fudge is delicious!). You can also walk down Ocean Avenue to get your final beach fix at Carmel Beach.

That’s it – my 3-day Big Sur itinerary! As mentioned above, be sure to check out my post What to Do in Big Sur. You’ll find some more in-depth information on these iconic spots!