Note: The Pacific Coast Highway from Carmel to Morro Bay is currently closed for the removal of the Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge after mudslides damaged it. It is not known when repairs will be completed as mudslides continue to threaten the Big Sur region, but state officials hope to re-open it in September 2017. There is no reasonable detour around this section of the highway, so the route should not be attempted until repairs are complete.
Highway 1, a.k.a. the Pacific Coast Highway, has long been most one of the most famous road trip routes in the United States. It’s a seemingly remote stretch of pavement situated between the Santa Lucia Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. The section stretching from Carmel to Morro Bay is the crown jewel of the highway, with Big Sur drawing tourists from around the world with its natural beauty.
Planning Your Trip on the Pacific Coast Highway
Fortunately, not much planning is needed for a ride along the Pacific Coast Highway. The road is immaculately maintained for the throngs of tourists who visit every year, so it requires no special riding skills. The biggest hazard might be the traffic between Memorial Day and Labor Day. The section from Carmel to Morro Bay is 120 miles and takes only a few hours if you aren’t stopping to take photos every few miles (though you probably will).
Fuel
There are plenty of small towns along this route, so in theory, there’s a gas every twenty to thirty miles. However, many of them charge twice what gas in larger cities would cost. Fill up in Carmel, and if you can’t make it the 120 miles, you’ll have to top up at higher prices.
Accommodations & Food
This route can easily be completed in one day, but you could break it up if you wanted to spend more time seeing the sights. Stop for the night in Big Sur and stay at Lucia Lodge, where bungalows sit on the edge of a cliff overlooking the ocean. There are plenty of places to eat in Big Sur, but, being a tourist hotspot, they’re quite expensive. For cheaper eats, head to the town of Cambria, just 20 miles from the end of the route at Morro Bay. To save even more money, pack a lunch and stop for a picnic at a state park or beach along the way. Limekiln State Park, 52 miles south of Carmel, is a good stopping point, and it has a beach and a trail to a waterfall right by the parking lot.
Sights
This is one of the most photogenic landscapes in America, the type of place that features on postcards. The coastal mountains are sparsely covered with trees, so every turn in the road gives unobstructed views of the ocean. Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park is a great place to experience the beauty of the area, with its breathtaking landscapes and waterfalls that plunge from the high mountain cliffs onto sandy beaches below. It’s also a great place to stop for a hike or a picnic amongst the massive redwoods and oak trees.
Around mile 90 is the town of San Simeon, which is the site of Hearst Castle. It’s where early 20th-century newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst spent his final years as a recluse in a home of unbelievably luxury. His story inspired the Hollywood classic Citizen Cane, and you tour his jaw-droppingly opulent home and learn about its history.
Photo Credit: Kevin Stanchfield /CC BY Photo Credit: jphilipg /CC BY Photo Credit: Proimos /CC BY
