Big Sur

On Saturday morning we took State Route 1 south from Monterey down along the Big Sur coastline. Big Sur is a long and scenic stretch of undeveloped coastline known for its dramatic scenery. The Santa Lucia Mountains rise just off of the coast of the Pacific Ocean creating one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world. Along with ocean views, the winding, narrow two-lane road cut into the face of towering seaside cliffs is a quintessential part of the experience of Big Sur.

We drove about an hour in the morning to our first stop, Pfeiffer Beach. This beach is tucked away in a little state park 2.5 miles off the main road. To get there you drive down a very narrow road through a forested area. This beach is famous for two things - purple sand (which we didn't really see) and a keyhole arch in a rock out in the ocean. This beach was truly beautiful and not at all crowded. There were a couple of fishermen and some other sightseers, but otherwise we had the beach to ourselves. The waves were powerful and we stood and watched in awe as the ocean beat against the rocks. We walked up and down the beach. On our stroll we stumbled across an elephant seal laying on the beach. We kept our distance and it was hard to tell if the seal was okay, or not. On our way out we reported the sighting to a Park Ranger so they could check it out. We loved Pfieffer Beach it is truly stunning. The weather added to the natural beauty. When we arrived it was fairly clear, but by the time we left some ocean fog had settled in the area creating an ethereal look. 

After the beach our next stop was McWay falls. This 80-foot tall waterfall drops water right onto the beach or ocean if the tide is high. McWay falls is located in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park. This particular state park is currently closed, due to damage caused by the wildfires in California. There is a view area above the falls that is currently accessible. This view area is probably the best way to experience the falls anyways. The views of the waterfall is quite striking, especially given the clarity and color of the ocean water. We stood there for quite a while to take it in. I also was glad I had my drone to fly around the area and get a few other viewpoints. 

After McWay falls we continued driving south down State Route 1. We were trying to soak in the beauty all around us. We wanted to stop at Limekiln State Park to do some hiking through redwood trees, but it was also closed due to damage caused by the wildfires. We continued on our way stopping at many of the pull offs to enjoy the stunning ocean views. We drove nearly to San Simeon, which is considered the end of the Big Sur area and then we turned around and drove back. On our way back to Monterey we stopped and took pictures of the Bixby Creek Bridge. This bridge is famous for its elegant design and the way it fits into the grandiose landscape. This area was quite busy so we parked a decent ways off and flew the drone over to get views of the bridge. We are doing everything we can to avoid crowds on this trip. 

When we were done driving around Big Sur we headed north toward Capitola. We accomplished everything we wanted to do around the Monterey area so we decided to spend the rest of the afternoon/evening in the Capitola and Santa Cruz areas. I have a lot of fondness for these areas because this is the last place I served during my mission. I lived near Capitola for 6 months. As we were leaving the Monterey peninsula we stopped at a fruit stand and bought some fresh California oranges and strawberries. This area has great produce. 

I love driving Capitola and Santa Cruz. I have many good memories from the time I lived here. We headed to the downtown area. This is a quaint area right on the ocean full of shops and restaurants. We found a place to eat right on the ocean. We enjoyed seafood with views of Soquel Cove. This restaurant had a unique starter the Beach Blanket Breadalon, which was a sourdough bread bowl covered in melted smoked gouda, mozzarella and garlic - it was tasty. After lunch we wandered around the shopping area and made our way to Capitola beach. We sat on a ledge near the beach and enjoyed the ocean breeze. 

When we were done in downtown Capitola we drove around Santa Cruz. We explored a few of the beaches until after the sun went down. Then we called it a night.