A Painter’s Guide to Big Sur
I find great inspiration in the wild and rugged California coastline of Big Sur. I've painted it for years, all original oil paintings, on location when I can, or in the studio in San Diego. I've stood at an easel in most of the places below, in the fog and the wind and the cold, waiting for the light to turn.
This is the guide I'd give a friend who wanted to see it the way I have, not a checklist, but the stretch of coast I know best, and how to spend real time in it. Big Sur runs roughly from Cambria in the south to Carmel-by-the-Sea in the north: about ninety miles of Highway 1 with the Santa Lucia mountains on one side and the Pacific on the other. Both ends have places to stay, which makes them the natural bookends. Base yourself in Cambria or Carmel, and drive into the wild middle.
Slow down: pull over, get out, wait for the fog to move, let the light change. If you drive it straight through in a day, you'll see it. If you give it two or three days, you'll feel it. Start early, the light is best in the morning and the pullouts are empty. And if you can, stay a night. The dark out here is real, and the stars are worth the trip on their own.
Pavel Gazur painting in Kirk Creek, Big Sur | Painter of Big Sur - California Seascape Original Paintings
Before you go - Road Status
As of early 2026, Highway 1 is fully open again from Carmel to Cambria for the first time in nearly three years, the last slide repair reopened in January. That said, this coast slides and storms, and short closures still happen after heavy rain. Always check current conditions before you drive: Caltrans QuickMap and the Big Sur Highway 1 conditions page.
⚠ Read this before you go
"Some" drivers are looking ... everywhere but the road or cross the lane to park to the sea side of the road to enjoy Big Sur. Keep an eye on them and slow down around sharp turns just in case someone just decided to cross the lane on purpose, or by not paying attention.
Stay back from cliff and bluff edges. The ground along these bluffs is loose and undercut, it gives way without warning. Don't step past railings or worn edges for a photo. No view is worth it.
Never turn your back on the ocean. Sneaker waves and rogue waves come without warning and have pulled people off rocks and beaches. Watch the water, keep your distance from the surf line, and never let children near the water's edge unwatched.
The road has no shoulder in places. Highway 1 is narrow and winding with sheer drops. Pull fully into a marked turnout to look, never stop in the lane, and take the curves slowly. There are bicyclist on the road that can pop in front of you anytime.
Come prepared for remote country. Cell service mostly disappears. Gas stations are few and pricey, fill up before you go in. The weather turns fast and cold on the bluffs even in summer, so bring a warm, windproof layer.
If you have a convertible car. You may want to consider keeping the top closed, I know, the whole purpose of convertible is to enjoy the Big Sur with an open air. Here is the deal - I hear clicks on the top of my car occasionally driving through Big Sur. Yes, some of the rocks get loose and keep falling, specially after the rain. This is not throughout the Big Sur, only few sections, but still something for you to consider.
Carry a first-aid kit. I keep one in the car and a few items in my pack whenever I hike to a remote spot. Help can be a long way off out here.
Poison Oak. Take note that Big Sur has a lots of poison oak, get familiar with the plant, and be sure to bring itchy cream for poison ivy just in case.
Ticks. If you are planning to hike, wear full clothing (cover your shoulders and feet), when ticks are in season they are all over the place. You wouldn’t believe how many times I saw hikers in flip-flops and shorts walking through fields that I knew were full of ticks and poison ivy ... I don't think they read this guide :-)
Much of this I learned the hard way, painting on location for years, more of it is in my plein-air setup post, if you want a painter's version of packing for this coast.
Waves
Waves are huge with empty lineups. Big Sur waves are not the most friendly and safe waves to surf, but when they are on - they are incredible waves, with unforgettable scenery. Watching sunset from a surfer's point of view, immersed in the water, is an experience itself - it's like someone threw a bucket of paint at the sky, water and mountain. I surfed here many times - make sure you check the tides, some places are difficult to get back in during high tide.
How to get there
Coming from South: Best route is Highway 5 -> 46 over Lost Hills -> 41 -> Pacific Highway, or you can take Highway 101 -> 1 but either way you will end up in Cambria.
Cambria
Is a charming town with antiques shops, restaurants, definitely stop by and enjoy Linn's Restaurant - their pies and food are great. We stock up on food for camping at Cookie Crock Market.
Gas prices are high, but you don't have much alternatives - you are in Big Sur, gas up in this town as there are only 2 gas stations along the road and prices are higher.
If you want to stay the night, best hotels are along the Moonstone Beach Drive, prices are higher but the experience you get from sleeping this close to the beach is worth every penny.
A bonus - beautiful, well maintained path along the beach with plenty of access to the beach and spots for plein-air paintings.
San Simeon State Park
If you are going camping and want to stay longer around Cambria, this park has it all, well maintained with access to the beach. They have plenty spaces, but book ahead during the holidays.
Short walk under the bridge and you are ready to enjoy the beach and paint.
Ragged Point
Walk around and take few shots it has one of the most beautiful views. Hotel has amazing views. The burgers are awesome. The place has a gas station.
Place is inspiring for paintings from up above.
Plasket Creek
This park has surfing, hiking, fishing, and swimming – and of course perfect for plein-air artists – just walk down to Sand Dollar Beach. Campground is across a street if this is an option for you, note that spaces are limited.
Kirk Creek and Limekiln Parks
The bluff at Kirk Creek is where my book opens and closes — a campground right on the edge of the cliff, the Pacific breathing below. If you want one night in Big Sur, make it here: reserve a spot, and stay for the stars. There's no water or showers, so pack your own water in.
Limekiln Park is 10 minutes away and offer access to the beach, both parks are well run, but spots are limited, especially in Limekiln. Limekiln has a warm shower if that’s something you must have. The place offers some beautiful hikes.
Sites book far ahead — reserve through Recreation.gov.
Partington Cove Trail
This hike is worth it, it’s only a mile long hike through the canyon with beautiful scenic views. Pull up 2 miles north of Julia Pfeiffer Burns State park - it has a long sweeping bend where you park and than you have to go through a gate. As you start the hike on the main path, take a left through a little bridge - you will not miss it, than go through the 60 foot tunnel and you end up at one of the most beautiful coves in Big Sur. On the way back after you exit from the tunnel and you get back to main trail take a left and you end up at another beautiful beach. Coordinates: 36.1770, -121.6937 (36° 10′ 37.2″N 121° 41′ 37.3″W)
Pfeiffer Beach
The moment you pull out of the bakery, in Big Sur continue driving north for about 2 minutes, slow down you are going to take a first left, to a very steep downhill road on an unmarked road leading you to Pfeiffer Beach – talking about a most beautiful beach in the world. There is no sign except “Narrow Road,. No RVs - Trailers”. If you are unsure, set your odometer if you are going South, it’s 1.1 miles from the Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, or 1.8 miles north of Nepenthe Restaurant. You will drive for about 2.5 miles. This is the place many photographers in winter fight (literally) for taking a perfect shot, when sun peeking through the rock opening lights up the opening. There is an entry fee, and note that you can’t get there with a big RV. Best time to go is for the sunset. In winter bring a warm jacket, it can get pretty cold when it’s windy. Coordinates: 36.240215, -121.777226 (36° 14′ 24.77″N 121° 46′ 38.01″W)
Nepenthe
Central Big Sur · restaurant, café, and the Phoenix Shop · open daily
If there's one gathering place on this coast, it's Nepenthe, a restaurant perched 800 feet above the Pacific that's been serving travelers, artists, and wanderers since 1949. It's still run by the same family that built it. Sitting on the terrace with the whole coast falling away below you is one of those Big Sur experiences worth stopping for, even if you only order a coffee.
There are really three parts to it. Nepenthe itself is the restaurant up top, open daily for lunch and dinner, no reservations, it's a walk-in wait list, and there's usually a wait, so come off-peak if you can. Café Kevah, on the terrace just below, is the more relaxed spot, breakfast and lunch, counter service, weather permitting (it closes when the fog and wind win). And the Phoenix Shop below that is worth a look for anyone who loves art and craft: books, jewelry, and work from local artisans, in a redwood-beamed room with the coast in the windows.
For a painter, it's the natural place to warm up, watch the light on the water, and let the crowd remind you that people have been coming to this coast for the same reasons for seventy-five years.
Hours and wait-list details change with the season — check nepenthebigsur.com before you go.
Big Sur Village
Central Big Sur, in the river valley · lodging, food, gas
When people say "Big Sur," they sometimes mean the whole ninety-mile coast, and sometimes they mean this: the small cluster of inns, restaurants, and a couple of gas stations strung along the Big Sur River valley, under the redwoods, roughly in the middle of the coast. It isn't a town in the usual sense. There's no main street, no stoplight. Blink and you've driven through it. But it's the closest thing this coast has to a center, and it's where you'll find most of the food, fuel, and beds between Carmel and the south end.
A practical note, because it matters out here: the Big Sur Bakery, a community landmark since the 1940s, was destroyed by fire in May 2024, and its future is uncertain. The gas station on that same property (the Big Sur Shell) survived and is still one of the few places to fuel up on this stretch, but don't count on the bakery being there. Gas is scarce and pricey along the whole coast, so fill up whenever you can.
Point Sur & the Lighthouse
19 miles south of Carmel · tour-only, first come first served
A lighthouse on a 361-foot volcanic rock, and the heart of my book, the water off this point is where the USS Macon went down in 1935. It's open only by docent-led tour: about three hours, a steep climb, no reservations. Tours run Saturday, Sunday, and Wednesday; you meet at the farm gate on the west side of Highway 1. Arrive 30 minutes early — they fill up, and the walk is strenuous, so dress in layers for wind.
Tour times shift by season and weather — confirm at pointsur.org before you go.
See the story behind the book “The Light at Point Sur” →
Garrapata State Beach
A wide pale beach below green bluffs, reached by unmarked turnouts along the highway — easy to drive right past. This one is personal for me: my wife Siobhan and I were married here, and it's a central place in the book. Come for the sunset and the walk down, and watch your footing on the bluff trails, the edges are loose. There are no signs to stop, however if you are driving south, it’s 2.3 miles from Soberanes Point. There is plenty of parking along the road. Download this map to your mobile phone, or print it before your trip.
The day we married at Garrapata
Soberanes Point
The point has beautiful hikes with great views. Watch out for poison ivy! There are number of trails where you can hike, stop take pictures, or paint. Download this map to your mobile phone before your trip.
Point Lobos State Park
Drive all the way to the last parking lot - and go on a hike to China Cove it has the most amazing sunsets. Picture perfect - you will find endless inspirations for your plein-air works.
Carmel by the Sea
The northern doorway to Big Sur, and a good base if you want a bed, a meal, and a gallery walk at the end of a day on the coast. From here it's a short drive south to where the wild coast begins.
Book: The Light at Point Sur
Years later, that same coast became the heart of my first novella, The Light at Point Sur, a love story set on these beaches and the 1935 USS Macon disaster off Point Sur.
Where to eat and stay
There isn't much between Carmel and the south end, so what's here matters. These are the places I'd point a friend to, a few good, longstanding spots rather than a full listing. Big Sur lodging books up well ahead, especially in summer and on weekends, so reserve early.
Big Sur River Inn — Right in the heart of the valley, on the Big Sur River. Riverside and ridge rooms, a restaurant and full bar with decks over the water, a general store with a burrito bar, and an ice cream bus on the lawn. There's also a gas station and store here. A good, unfussy base.
Deetjen's Big Sur Inn — A historic inn under the redwoods in Castro Canyon, built in the 1930s and on the National Register. Rustic single-wall cabins, wood stoves in some rooms, and no TVs, phones, cell service, or WiFi — that's the point. The restaurant is a Big Sur institution: breakfast every morning (their eggs benedict has won "best breakfast" in the county), dinner Friday through Tuesday. Reserve for dinner, and note there's no dinner Wednesday or Thursday.
Nepenthe & Café Kevah — The gathering place, covered above. Worth it for a meal or just a coffee on the terrace 800 feet above the water.
For a splurge — Big Sur also has two of California's best-known luxury retreats, Post Ranch Inn and Ventana, both perched on the cliffs, and the Esalen Institute, the historic hot-springs and workshop retreat. Different world, different price, but they're part of what Big Sur is.
Camping — If you'd rather sleep outside, this coast is made for it. Kirk Creek (above) is the clifftop favorite; Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park and the private campgrounds in the valley put you under the redwoods along the river. Reserve ahead through Recreation.gov or the campground directly.
Hours, closures, and openings shift constantly on this coast — always confirm directly before you rely on any of it.