California’s Bay Area is the gateway to some of the country’s most beautiful and dramatic landscapes – it’s just a short drive to redwoods up north, Yosemite to the east, and Monterey and Big Sur to the south.
And within Big Sur I explored Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park which covers more than 1,000 acres.
Pfeiffer is purple-sand beaches, thousand-year-old trees, iconic stone arches, and so much more. Pfeiffer also is home to the Big Sur Lodge, a tranquil retreat which offered 62 cottage-style rooms set amid the majestic redwoods that tower overhead. If there’s such a thing as “rustic chic,” I found it!
For me, Big Sur Lodge’s primary appeal was its amazing location inside the park. Equally attractive room rates made it more than affordable for families and individual adventurers. Simply step outside the lodge and numerous trail heads beckoned me to explore routes that range from beginner to extremely strenuous.
And after a day of hiking, the Big Sur Lodge offered me all the comfort and amenities of a modern hotel. My personal preference was a dip in the pool.
I found the rooms at Big Sure Lodge warm and welcoming, and many featured fireplaces and kitchenettes. The lodge’s Homestead Restaurant used locally sourced organic ingredients to craft fresh, creative cuisine that reflected the flavors of the region. The Coffee Bar also provided the perfect kickstart to my morning, along with the opportunity to chill in the evening with hand-dipped ice cream.
Another thing I really liked about Big Sur Lodge are the free passes to other state parks in the area, including Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park and Andrew Molera State Park. I’ve always taken this as something of a challenge, with the lodge telling me “Get out and explore! We’ll be here when you get back.”
Along with the amazing trails that can be accessed right outside the lodge – including Valley View, Buzzard’s Roost, and the challenging Mount Manuel Trail – some of my top spots in Big Sur include:
|| Pfeiffer Beach – A couple of miles down Highway One lies one of the most photographed beaches in the country. As if the three coves, purple sand, and giant rock formations weren’t enough, when I looked out to the ocean I got a glimpse of sea otters, harbor seals, California sea lions, and California gray whales.
|| Bixby Canyon – This is where I retraced Jack Kerouac’s footsteps as he hiked the canyon (Raton Canyon in the novel Big Sur) to the Pacific Ocean.
|| Bixby Bridge – Bixby Bridge is Big Sur’s iconic (and most photographed) arched bridge on the Pacific Coast Highway. It is an architectural wonder and provides amazing views of the rocky shores and sandy beaches below.
|| Turnouts – Plus, I took advantage of the stunning views from the numerous pullouts along the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) – the most spectacular of which was probably Hurricane Point View. It was just after Bixby Bridge traveling south and provided a stunning look at Point Sur Lighthouse.
