Road trip to Big Sur in Monterey County – stunning coastlines, views and wild California
There’s nothing like taking a road trip down the coastal highway in Monterey along the scenic coastline to Big Sur on this fantastic California road trip. It’s a pleasant drive along Highway 1 – one of the most stunning coastlines along California’s central coast. With drop dead views of sheer cliffs with rocky promontories and sandy beaches below, the views just take your breath away.
Probably the most popular spot for taking a picture of Big Sur always include the Bixby bridge – a perfectly arched bridge set with a panoramic backdrop. The bridge and the Big Sur landscape is regularly featured in many car commercials and driving related movies – making the bridge such an iconic brand on your Big Sur road trip. On this particular spot an artist set up his easel to spend a lovely afternoon painting plein air with the bridge as a backdrop – I wish I could have done the same all afternoon long.
If you’re coming up north from a road trip to San Luis Obispos, then this is the next perfect destination to travel to and explore in Monterey County.
Big Sur – a sandy beach cove and stream bed
Painting plein air in fronting Bixby bridge
Hot pink ice plants blooming at Big Sur
It’s always nice to have a delicious lunch at any of the wonderful lunch spots around Big Sur. One of the newest and popular lunch destination is The Big Sur Roadhouse – a retro modern cafe serving contemporary California style with a Cajun twist.  It’s a very comfortable and colorful dining space with plenty of indoor and outdoor lounging and dining, so right for the relaxing California cuisine and lifestyle. The menu is eclectic with huge salads including Kale caesar salad,  Mediterranean salad with olives, artichoke heart, red peppers and mixed greens and Cajun rice and beans. Classic sandwiches like Mufulleta and club turkey sandwiches are huge, piled with a thick layer of various meats. The food is nicely presented, generous in portions and a real hit considering the unusual pairing of Cajun style with California fresh ingredients.
The Roadhouse at Big Sur
The Roadhouse outdoor seating
Roadhouse – Kale caesar salad
Roadhouse – delicious California,Cajun style eats
Cajun, California style at the Roadhouse in Big Sur
Driving back to Monterey, we stopped at a few more vista points and took some more photos of the stunning panoramas. It’s easy to spend a whole day enjoying those endless views at Big Sur and even better if you can stay overnight and enjoy a delightful dinner and sunset views.
Scenic coastal views of Big Sur
What to see more of Monterey and Carmel?
Enjoying a day in Monterey and Pacific Grove
Exploring Moss Landing in Monterey
Weekend getaway to Carmel by the Sea
Conclusion to visiting Big Sur
You’ll love exploring all the fantastic attractions, natural landscapes and parks and fun outdoor activities around Big Sur, hope you get to visit and explore this area soon!
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I received a complimentary lunch at the Big Sur Roadhouse, and transportation to and from Big Sur, with the Monterey County Visitors & Convention Bureau, all opinions and writing are my own.
My roommate told me the other night that one of her daydreams is to look at a mountain while standing on another mountain. After looking at your pics, I can see why she often daydreams of such landscapes…
Also — UPDATE US! I want to see that finished painting!
Your photos are fabulous. Next time I do this trip – one of the best drives in the US, I think — I’ll make sure to stop at the Roadhouse. The food looks amazing, bet it was absolutely delicious!
Thanks for linking up, Noel!
The California coast is simply spectacular! I’ve driven from San Francisco to Monterey and was blown away by the beauty. Now I wish I’d kept driving south!
Stunning photos as usual. I’m quite hungry after reading this post 😉 The photo of the beach and pink flowers is gorgeous!
The food is just as gorgeous as the scenery! I’m drooling!
Love the food shots! I wish I was there for lunch today. 😉
Me to Elaine, I could go for any of those salads again. thanks for connecting.
wow, such a beautiful place and stunning photos. I never did the Big sur or highway 1 while staying in California but hope to be able to some day.
Having lived in California for 33 years, we’ve made that drive more times than I can count and it never disappointed. Your photos really capture the beauty of the landscape and Big Sur is always so much fun. Thanks for the flashback memory!
That kale salad and those panoramic views are enough to inspire me to take up driving and hit the open road to Big Sur!
These photos are absolutely gorgeous, especially the views. We went to Monterrey and Big Sur many years ago (mid 1990s), but we were blown away by it all.
I’ve heard great things about driving through Big Sur and it’s on my list of places to go when I do a road trip back in the states. No wonder it’s popular look at that scenery and food…yum!
Oh wow. Gorgeous and luscious images. My family used to picnic in the Big Sur area when I was a kid. Miss it.
Noel, those are really beautiful and delicious photos! It has been many, many years since I did a road trip along highway 1 as well and your images bring back a lot of great memories. Thanks for sharing your impressions… 🙂
Great photos Noel! Doing this drive is probably in my top 5 things I want to do in the next few years. I love a road trip especially one that takes me along the coast.
I’d love to do a road trip in California – it looks gorgeous. And all that food looks incredible!
I love your coastline and food photos. So pretty. Were they taken in spring?
Gorgeous photos Noel…what a magnificent landscape. Love all the range of blues! If I could choose to live anywhere in the US, it would be near the Pacific coastline for sure – to see the mountains and sea at once, just lovely 🙂
Still so many places to visit in California. Just came back this weekend from vineyards around Amador County (Calif) where highway 49 of the Goldrush runs through.
The beach coves look stunning. That whole area looks prefect to do some plein air painting:) If I come there I’ll for sure try the Cajun style eats!
Cajun plus California sounds like a good combination with me. I’ve only done this drive one time and would definitely like to revisit it with lots of stops to get out and look around. I wonder if that painter frequents that view often or is he just passing through. I once saw a little kit to make postcard-sized watercolor paintings while traveling. My family barely has enough patience for me to pause for photos. I bet they’d have an apoplectic fit if I set up an easel and paint. Plus, I have no painting skills.
Beautiful place 🙂
I’m dying to make this road trip again – only spend more time next time. 2 days was not enough! Beautiful pictures and that food looks amazing 😉
I’ve been recovering from four different kinds of heart surgery, so it was nice to see your beautiful pictures again. Winter hasn’t entire loosed its grip on us yet so they are particularly appreciated. Sunshine, beaches, flowers, blue skies. Sigh.
The Big Sur coastline is impressive and would be fantastic to drive along. On the food front the Mediterranean Salad has my name written all over it. 🙂
Wow, that coastline is breathtaking indeed.I’d love to go on a road trip down that spectacular coastal highway myself. Great shots, especially the one with the painter.
And the food shots? Divine!! Scenic drive + glorious food? Sign me up.
gorgeous scenery and road trip. It reminds me a little of the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, Australia.
Beautiful place! and what amazing food! Looks ideal for a road trip, hope I’ll have the chance to visit one day.
I love the colours in these photos! Oh, and the food looks delicious too! 🙂
This is one of my favorite parts of California and the coastal scenes are always spectacular. Beautiful photos but I really love all that food. Th food looks delicious and I like the Cajun twist. I will have the Big Sur Roadhouse in mind during the next road trip.
So incredible photos! I’d love to experience such a picturesque road trip. 🙂
How many ways can one say gorgeous?