Is Big Sur California Worth Visiting? My Honest Review in 2026

I am a huge nature lover, and I feel like whenever I have the choice between visiting a city or taking a trip into the great outdoors, I will choose nature every single time. Because of that, Big Sur is by far one of my absolute favorite places to visit in California.

I recently road-tripped through Big Sur and had the best time. I did plenty of hiking, saw stunning waterfalls, and drove the famous Highway 1 coastline. Honestly, I already wish I could go back soon.

In this article, I want to help you guys out and answer one of the most basic questions: is Big Sur California worth visiting? I’ll make sure to include everything I loved about it, the things I didn’t like so much, and then some extra tips alongside my top things to do.

Is Big Sur California Worth Visiting? My Quick Answer

To keep this quick and easy, I’m telling you yes, Big Sur is 100% worth visiting. There is no doubt about it at all. 

This was my very first time visiting this part of California and it was just absolutely incredible. We spent about three days in Big Sur, stayed in a super cute little log cabin in the woods, and did so much hiking. Just being out and about in nature was awesome, especially after being in San Francisco for a while; it was such an amazing break.

The fact that the famous Highway 1, the highway along the cliffs with those incredible views over the ocean, recently reopened made it so worth coming down here for us too. It was probably one of the absolute best drives I have ever done in the whole USA.

I do want to say again, though, that I personally love being out in nature, and pretty much 90% of all Big Sur activities are very outdoorsy. Big Sur also doesn’t really have a main town. It’s basically just a bunch of restaurants, hotels, and bars scattered along Highway 1, which again, I loved. 

But if you are the kind of person who needs more of a city or a town vibe, then I recommend checking out Carmel-by-the-Sea or Monterey instead. That way, you can still easily drive down into Big Sur for the day, but you get restaurants, wineries, and shops much more accessible.

What I Love About Big Sur

1. The Stunning Nature 

After spending quite a few days in busy cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles, being completely outside in nature was incredible and I enjoyed literally every second of it. Big Sur is super unique because it has some of the most amazing ocean views, especially while driving down Highway 1m but also incredible beaches, waterfalls, massive redwood trees, and rivers. Honestly, the list is kind of endless.

2. It was Surprisingly Affordable 

I was actually so surprised when I did my budget breakdown for Big Sur at the end of the trip. Once I added it all up, it turned out to be surprisingly cheap for us. Yes, of course, accommodation was kind of expensive, I feel like that is always the case in the US, but other than that, we really didn’t spend much money. 

Watching the sea lions near Point Lobos, visiting Pfeiffer Falls, hanging out at the beach, or going on a massive hike, all of those activities were completely free. We also packed sandwiches and snacks a lot, too, so all in all, it was definitely much cheaper than staying in a city like SF or LA.

3. It wasn’t even that busy 

We visited Big Sur in the middle of June, and I was shocked by how it wasn’t overrun at all. I’m not sure if it just felt that way because I’m used to insane European summer crowds, or if it really just wasn’t that busy, but I never felt like there were too many other tourists around. 

Yes, a few specific spots like the area outside Point Lobos or Bixby Bridge got a little crowded, but other than that, the whole area felt pretty peaceful in general.

4. The Restaurants and Hotels have a lot of Charm 

I really loved the restaurants and the places to stay here because everything felt very “Big Sur,” if that makes sense? 

We stayed at the Big Sur Campground and Cabins, which had these super cute little log cabins that fit right into the forest vibe, and so many of the restaurants were exactly the same. 

I specifically loved the Big Sur River Inn, because they had a huge wooden patio and chairs right in the middle of the river. There are pretty much no hyper-modern, corporate hotels around, which is fantastic. Everything is rustic and has so much local charm.

What I Didn’t Like so Much About Big Sur

1.The weather was unpredictable 

I know, I know, this is obviously just Mother Nature, so don’t take it too seriously that I put this on the list, but the weather really was unpredictable. 

We visited in June, which the locals call “June Gloom,” and it was super cloudy and misty a lot of the time. The nature and the hikes were still beautiful, but the thick fog definitely took a bit of the beauty away, especially when you are trying to catch the famous ocean views from Highway 1.

2. A car was essential 

I personally am someone who just loves walking. If I could, I would walk absolutely everywhere and never drive, but Big Sur is pretty much the exact opposite. 

We had to drive everywhere and couldn’t really walk anywhere from where we were staying. As I mentioned earlier, Big Sur is basically just Highway 1 with restaurants, hotels, and hiking trails all scattered miles apart up and down the coast, so a car was absolutely needed every single time we left our cabin.

My Favorite Things to Do in Big Sur California

Visit Pfeiffer Falls

The Pfeiffer Falls trail was definitely the best low-effort, high-reward “hike” we did. It is a super cute little area with boardwalks and hiking trails cutting right through the redwoods with a river and a waterfall. It’s very easy and great for kids or anyone who wants to be outside without feeling like they are doing an intense workout.

Take a picture at Bixby Bridge

The most iconic place to take a picture in Big Sur is for sure at Bixby Bridge, with the incredible cliffs and ocean surrounding it. We went to Bixby Bridge at around 6:00 PM and we got lucky to find parking, but there isn’t much parking space and loads of people are constantly trying to stop by. 

It can definitely be pretty chaotic, so I recommend you either go visit late or really early in the day. There isn’t anything else to do anyway, just take a picture, but be careful because the cliffs are super steep around there!

Hike up Timber Tops

My favorite hike we did in Big Sur was Timber Tops, which I’ll be honest with y’all, it was pretty hard. We hiked up three miles with 2,500 feet of elevation gain and it was hot, but we were rewarded with some of the most amazing views over Big Sur, so it was definitely worth it.

Spot sea lions at Point Lobos State Park

I feel like the whole coast of California is covered in sea lions and seals, and I spotted them at so many spots from San Diego to San Francisco. But one of the best places to see them is for sure Point Lobos! Again, it gets super busy here, so I highly recommend coming early. Alternatively you can always visit Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park as well, which is usually less busy.

Explore Henry Miller Memorial Library

One of my favorite places in Big Sur was for sure the Henry Miller Memorial Library. We went there and didn’t really have big expectations—we didn’t really know what it was—but it was so cool. It’s a small little library in the middle of the woods with a super cool, mystical atmosphere. I definitely enjoyed a lot wandering around looking at some cool books and spending some time there. If you’re a big bookworm, I definitely recommend stopping by.

FAQs About Is Big Sur Worth It

Do I need a car for Big Sur? 

Yes, you 100% need a car for everything. We needed it to get to Big Sur in the first place, and then whenever we wanted to leave our cabin to go on a hike, do some sightseeing, or head out for dinner, a car was absolutely essential.

How do you get to Big Sur? 

You will definitely want to drive to Big Sur, which is what I highly recommend since you’ll need a vehicle anyway. Now that Highway 1 is completely reopened, it is super easy to get there whether you are driving down from San Francisco or coming up from Los Angeles.

Where should I stay in Big Sur? 

There are loads of amazing rustic hotels and cute little guesthouses around the area. We stayed in a little log cabin at the Big Sur Campground and Cabins, which we absolutely loved and would definitely recommend to anyone visiting.

Is Big Sur expensive? 

Yes and no. From my own experience, our cabin was fairly expensive compared to other places we stayed at in California, which I assume is just due to the limited places to stay within Big Sur. But on the flip side, most of the activities we did, from the hikes and beaches to the waterfalls, were basically all free.

What is there to do in Big Sur? 

Big Sur is a super outdoorsy destination. We pretty much spent most of our days hiking, mountain biking, exploring waterfalls, hanging out at the beach, or just driving down Highway 1. However, if you stay at one of the more upscale hotels in the area, you can easily add hot tubs, saunas, and pools to that list as well!

Final Thoughts: Should I Visit Big Sur California?

I don’t think I have to add much more to this little guide. I think I’ve made it pretty clear that I absolutely love Big Sur and 100% think it is worth visiting.

I am a huge outdoor person who loves hiking, climbing, mountain biking, and just being out in nature. If that is your thing too, or if you just want a peaceful escape from the city for the weekend, you are going to love Big Sur, I promise.

I hope this little guide on whether Big Sur is worth visiting gave you some good ideas and plenty of inspiration to book your next trip. Happy travels and stay safe out there!

Check Out My Other Big Sur Travel Guides

Things to Do in Big Sur California: My Top Activities

Is Big Sur California Worth Visiting? My Honest Review

Best Hikes in Big Sur California: The Best Trails for Beginners