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Big Sur
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One of the most spectacular - and photographed - coasts in the world, Big Sur doesn't disappoint (except perhaps when summer fogs roll in, shrouding the views). Extending almost 100 miles south from Carmel, the coast is marked by rugged mountains rising sheer from the Pacific Ocean. Waves crash against rocky stacks and promontories. And sheltered coves provide havens for sea-lions and elephant seals. Inland, majestic redwood forests cast shadows in narrow mountain valleys. The most impressive is Pfeiffer-Big Sur State Park, protecting massive stands of redwoods in the Big Sur River valley. A de rigeur stop (visits by reservations only) south of Big Sur is Hearst San Simeon Historical Monument, a 127-acre mountaintop estate and Mediterranean-Revival castle built in the early 1900s by media magnate William Randolph Hearst. Filled with priceless art, it also features the Neptune Pool reflecting a Greco-Roman temple. Highway 1 runs along the wild shore, sometimes hanging precipitously above the ocean. It is nowhere more photogenic than at Bixby Creek Bridge, one of the ten longest single-span bridges in the world.
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Christopher P. Baker has authored guidebooks to Costa Rica, California, and various Caribbean islands for Frommer's, Lonely Planet, and National Geographic, among others.
Christopher P. Baker has authored guidebooks to Costa Rica, California, and various Caribbean islands for Frommer's, Lonely Planet, and National Geographic, among others.
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Big Sur Must See/Do
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Big Sur See It Next Time
- Fog often rolls in during summer
When to Visit Big Sur
Spring and autumn are best, but summer days can be spectacular
Discover Great Trips
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Big Sur Maps
Big Sur Events
- October, Halloween Ball Masque
- January, Weekends Whale Watching, Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park
- March, Annual Big Sur Writing Workshop
- October, Annual Big Sur Jade Festival
- April, Big Sur International Marathon
- April, Birdathon Countdown and Dinner
- February, Big Sur Chanterelle Cook-Off
More Big Sur Info
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