After the past two ridiculous Minnesota winters, I told Nick the only way I could continue living here was if we escaped at least once to warmer weather. And while this year’s trip to Big Sur wasn’t tropical, it was warmer (no snow!) and included two of my favorite things: the ocean and a bit of beach time. Neither of us had been to Northern California before, and it didn’t disappoint – it’s definitely a place we’ll visit again and again (and I maybe even love it more than southern California!).
We lucked out and left before the COVID-19 madness started, and I’m while I’m incredibly grateful for this trip, a part of me wonders if it was selfish of us to go. What if we unknowingly came into contact with it during our brief time at SFO and brought it back to Minneapolis, asymptomatic? I can’t even think about that awfulness had it happened (we’re fine, no symptoms, and have been staying home). By the time we flew back to Minneapolis Tuesday, March 10, things were changing quickly. Because we’d been in San Francisco – one of the hotspots in the U.S. – my company recommended any employee who’d traveled somewhere with an uptick in cases voluntarily work from home for 14 days. So that’s what we did – and we basically haven’t left the house since.
Anyway, back to our lovely five days in Big Sur!
what we did
We spent our first day as tourists in San Francisco, hitting all the local touristy spots: the Painted Ladies, Lombard Street, the Palace of Fine Arts, a drive-by of the Full House house, lunch at Tartine Manufactury, browsing at Heath Ceramics (now I want new dinnerware… ha!).
After that, it was off to Big Sur for three fantastic days (we wish we’d had one more). It rained our first day – making the coast even more magical – but that didn’t stop us from checking out the beach in Carmel by the Sea, picking up our rented road bikes from Work Horse Bicycles in Monterey, playing the Big Little Lies theme song – Cold Little Heart by Michael Kiwanuka – at Bixby Bridge, and stopping for a short hike at Garrapata State Park.
The rainy weather cleared Sunday – perfect timing for a bike ride south along Highway 1. I was a little anxious about riding here, mostly because tourists are terrible drivers and there aren’t really shoulders along the road. But it turned out to be one of my favorite rides ever. I felt safe – drivers were courteous (likely because you have to drive slow anyway) – and the scenery… just wow. The Coast Ride has long been on my bucket list, but it just got moved to the top.
The Big Sur area is surrounded by spectacular state parks. We watched a cloudy sunset at Pfeiffer Beach (along with a bunch of other folks, including several photo sessions and #influencersinthewild). If you’re here the right time of year, you can watch the sunset directly in the keyhole(!). I’ll forever remember this beach for two reasons: because it’s beautiful, and because it’s the place I likely lost my favorite Maui Jim sunnies (they fell out of my jacket pocket, and it’s the last place I remember having them) 😩
We also spent a sunny afternoon at Andrew Molera State Park. To get there, you cross a knee-deep stream and then walk about a mile. The beach itself is lovely and quiet – there’s even purple sand!
Finally in Big Sur, we checked out Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park and McWay Falls. Other than looking at the falls, there wasn’t much to do here because the overlook was closed, and there’s no hiking down to the actual falls or the beach. But still stunning.
And on our last day – a half-day since our flight home was at 4p – we drove back to San Francisco where we said a quick hello to friends Hailey and Mark and then drove across the Golden Gate Bridge for an hour or so at Marin Headlands. Pure magic, and I can’t wait to get back to explore this area more (and go to Muir Woods!).
where we stayed
We spent our first night catching up with our friends Sam and Emma and their two little girls in Los Gatos. Once in Big Sur, we stayed at Glen Oaks. We loved this place – it’s secluded and cozy – and highly recommend staying here when you visit Big Sur. By the time we booked our stay, rooms were only available in the Adobe Motor Lodge. And while we loved our room – complimentary wine, board games (I smoked Nick in Scrabble twice!), heated floors, a fireplace – we’re excited to stay in a Little Sur Cabin next time. Glen Oaks bonus: delicious homemade donuts and coffee every morning at the roadhouse. We enjoyed ours one morning as we walked through and forest bathed in their peaceful redwood groves – and saw Big Sur’s second-largest redwood! – and sat creekside for some lovely morning quiet.
where we ate
It’s not a trip to Big Sur without breakfast and dinner at Big Sur Bakery. You can’t go wrong with anything on the menu, but definitely get pizza – it’s delicious. And then the next day, get an oat milk latte and almond croissants for breakfast. Be sure to make reservations for dinner, too.
It’s also not a trip to Big Sur without a sunset dinner at Nepenthe. Sit on the patio overlooking the Pacific and order the Famous Ambrosiaburger.
We also brunched at Glen Oaks’ restaurant, Big Sur Roadhouse. Fresh, delicious food for brunch or coffee before the day’s adventures.
Coffee is also a must in Northern Califonia. We got oat milk lattes at Tartine Manufactory in San Francisco – along with lunch, a loaf of bread, and treats, obvs – as well as at Captain + Stoker in Monterey (twice!). I wish we’d had more time in San Francisco to check out Sightglass… next trip for sure.
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