Let's go to Big Sur! the famously beautiful stretch of Pacific Ocean coastline, 2+ hours south of San Francisco. Australian painter, Frances McComas, is frequently quoted as calling the Big Sur coast "the greatest meeting of land and water in the world."
Usually we go 2-3 hours south and come back on the same day...total duration 11-12 hours. We include stops in Monterey & Carmel—they're en route. Mostly you enjoy panoramic views, but you may also want to take a strenuous hike in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, or enjoy lunch on the terrace of the legendary Nepenthe restaurant or at the exclusive Post Ranch Inn, one of Zagat's highest rated. Some activities make more sense logistically with an overnight stay. Unless fog obscures the view, we always include photo stops before and after the iconic Bixby Bridge ...it's the one you've seen in nature calendars and sportscar ads. If you're up for a really long day, we can travel all the way to the little known yet spectacular! McWay Falls* waterfall, which shoots out from a cliff and drops 80 feet to the beach below.
Back in Carmel or Monterey, you can peruse a few of Carmel's hundred art galleries, visit the beautiful 1770 mission church...recently sainted Spanish missionary Junipero Serra is interred there...and Steinbeck's (tarted up) Cannery Row, Clint Eastwood's B&B and,or the world-class Monterey Bay Aquarium. Unlike with other companies, if the fog is thick and unrelenting, you won't spend hours peering through a gray mist--we'll seek out other activities for your enjoyment. We can also feature a winery visit or arrange for a walking tour by a local expert. No one lucky enough to see the Big Sur coast on a clear day fails to say "Wow!"
* Unfortunately, as of late April '19, the safe walkway from Highway One to the falls has been closed due to damage from winter rains...and we don't know when it will be repaired: stay tuned.
