Big Sur drive...how scary is it?
 

My husband and I have stayed at Highland Inn in Carmel 3 different times in 5 years and love the drive down from San Fran. But the minute we try to drive south thru Big Sur, he goes into a panic attack when he lays his eyes on Bixby Bridge. He has a true fear of "high, mountain driving". I just want to know what is beyond that bridge...and how dangerous it is..I have no fear and want to drive for us..but not if other drivers are driving too fast, etc. <BR>Any stories will be appreciated. We've also stayed in Santa Barbara 3 times,and driven up to San Simeon...then turned around and came back. Will I ever see BIG SUR?

I took my rental car and drove south out of Monterey during a February trip last year. It was a Sunday, rainy and raw. I was a bit nervous on the road at first but quicky got used to it. I found there were not too many drivers that insist on going fast, and there are plenty of safe places to pull off the road and enjoy the view for 5 miutes or so. Big Sur was fantastic. After driving that overpriced, overhyped 17-mile drive in Pacific Grove, the FREE drive south of Carmel through Big Sur provided me with the most memorable scenery of my trip. That sure is a beautiful part of our country!

The drive is GLORIOUS. Yes, the road winds, and dips, and goes high into the sky, and sometimes it does get lost in the fog. But, ah, the sights you see. Having dinner at Nepenthes makes the drive worhtwhile in and of itself. Sit out on the deck overlooking the ocean at twilight. Wow!!! Stay at Post Ranch Inn for a great escape. It's perched high on a hill directly over the ocean. Double wow. Get out of the car and hike through Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park and/or the Andrew Molera State park. <BR>I'd suggest you do the driving. Most other drivers are considerate, and there are places to pull off to let the jerks pass. You DO need to see the area. Have fun!!!!

I've been on roads in North Carolina that are much more scary! I agree that you should do the driving--but scare your husband by letting him know you <BR>re taking in the scenery too. <BR> <BR>There has been debate about whether the 17-mile drive is worth it--IMO yes, but just once.

Just one note. I made that drive once in the morning and ran into patches of fog, which made the ride a little hairy. So, in summary, it's a nice ride, but try to do it on a sunny afternoon.

One good tip we received was that if you're at all nervous about it, do the drive from south to north rather than the other way around -- that way there's always another lane of traffic between you and the "edge." To be honest, the drive didn't bother me at all, but my boyfriend was a little uncomfortable at a few places. I thought it was gorgeous.

One note on that above tip: if you do it that way you'll have to cut across traffic to park on the many scenic overlooks, and cut back across to get going again. And believe me, you are going to want to pull over from time to time, so the driver can properly enjoy the view. Also, to respond to Jim, I also did the drive on just such a morning, and will agree that it would be better if the weather was nice- but don't decide not to go just because of a little rain and fog (if it is your only chance). I only had one free day during my trip, and almost decided to loiter around the Monterey waterfront all day because of the bad weather. I am glad I decided to take that drive!

I'm not being facetious when I say that the only reason either of you would have to be scared is if you're trying to look a scenery more than the road! My advice to people making this trip is to stop and get out of the car often to appreciate the surroundings. This has the added advantage of letting the driver concentrate on driving, and feel as wellas BE safer.

Just completed this drive earlier this week (my third trip). A couple of comments/suggestions: <BR> <BR>1)Do the drive from south to north (we did Pismo Beach to San Simeon to Monterey). By driving from south to north, your car is on the "inside" of the road, as opposed to being on the ocean side. <BR> <BR>2)As others have suggested, do it on a nice sunny day -- this past week was glorious. I don't think the fog goes down that way too often -- but, if it does, plan your trip for mid- to late afternoon. We left San Simeon around 5:15pm and got to Monterey by 7:45pm, I believe. <BR> <BR>3) Do the drive during the summer, when the sun is out longer and you can leave later in the afternoon. <BR> <BR>4) The road north of San Simeon has quite a few decent straightaways. Make your time (go significantly faster) on these areas, and obviously slower on the windy areas. <BR> <BR>5) Drive on a weekday rather than a weekend. There were few cars on the road on a late Monday afternoon, so there was little pressure to drive fast. <BR> <BR>Have fun -- it is a beautiful ride. <BR> <BR>John

Scary? Frankly, it never entered my mind to be scared when we drove Big Sur. It's so beautiful, who has time to be scared? Good point, 2 posts up that if you're not paying attention to where you're driving then you might be scared. Also good advice to plan to stop often to take in the view so the driver can enjoy the scenery safely too. <BR> <BR>I will say that we never drove the highway much south of Big Sur, so I'm unfamiliar with whether or not that stretch down toward LA is "scary." <BR> <BR>Nepenthe IS worth the stop - great outdoor seating with spectacular views. The sign for it comes up quickly, so know approximately where to look for it ahead of time.

I would definitely do the drive starting in the north on a good day, preferably during the week. After the Bixby Bridge, the road actually turns inland a bit and is quite tame through the town of Big Sur. The really dramatic part starts then through Pfeiffer State Park. After Lopez Point, the drive actually tames down quite a bit and when you reach Ragged Point, pull over for your last look at Big Sur because south of there it's smoothly low coastal driving with beaches on the right.Reassure your husband that you'll take it easy and stop frequently and if you're returning to Carmel, you'll cut across and come back up 46 and 101 if he needs to. It's about 98 miles--plan on taking 3-4 hours and lots of film.

I will be driving from Santa Barbara to the Monterey Peninsula area and have a few days to wander. Can anyone tell me the road to take to go through Big Sur and what a nice, quaint, non-commercial place to stay would be in that area. Basically, I am leaving Santa Barbara on a Tuesday morning early and need to be on a plane from L.A. Thursday evening and am looking for a nice, beautiful way to spend 2 days. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Restaurants, lodging, roads to travel, things to see etc.. THANKS

Hi, <BR> <BR>One Man's opinion... From Carmel Highlands south to Big Sur the road has few hazards or narrow spots.. it is an easy drive and mostly inland and not on "the edge" Fog can be a problem though that could require care late evening/early morning. Do stop at Rocky Point for dinner as the sun goes down.!!! Going down or coming back from Big Sur or Rocky Point should pose no problems .After Bixby Bridge I recall no more high bridges either <BR> <BR> However.. After Big Sur, on south to San Sim is another story. Going south IS dangerous and often on the verge of going off the mountain. If you have to drive that stretch do it from south to north and that will keep the other lane between you and the edge. If anyone in the car is frightened this is not a fun drive and there is no place between Big Sur and San S to cbange your mind and cut inland.. North of big sur, as I said, is both easy driving and well worth the trip, and spend some time at Big Sur.. <BR> <BR>Good Luck.

Hello. I'm not sure if you have left on your trip yet, but I feel compelled to confirm everyone's responses and to say YES, YES, make the drive, it's wonderful. <BR>I say this as someone who suffers from vertigo and is VERY scared of heights/high mountain driving, and especially bridges, though I hate to admit it in a public forum. Tell your husband he will survive it and be fine. <BR>I certainly would avoid doing the drive at night, but then you'd also miss the view. I have done parts of the coast drive south, and north, of SF three times, once alone. Actually, alone was better, since I had to focus on driving and not on the height! <BR>On my first trip I asked the manager at my hotel if the drive really was scary, and he said "yes, don't do it if you are afraid of heights". Luckily, I ignored him and did the drive anyway (alone) and was SO glad that I did not heed his warning. <BR>Luckily--if you are driving--your husband can just NOT LOOK at the bridges....take it from me, there's nothing to be ashamed of if you have to put your jacket over your head! Not the driver, only the passenger. <BR>Stop at the turn-outs to let faster drivers pass and to check out the view and take photos. <BR>Definitely plan to stop at Nepenthe and eat on the terrace (nice gift shop, too!). My friends had to drag me away from the view. <BR>Now, if I can just brave the Eiffel Tower on my upcoming trip to Paris........... <BR>Enjoy!

Can anyone recommend any website's that have pictures of the drive? <BR> <BR>Thanks.

Here's one -- although no photos do justice to the real thing. There are more links from this site too. <BR>http://jrabold.net/bigsur/bigs_rc.htm

This one has better photos -- and one that really shows the Bixby Bridge: <BR>http://www.pelicannetwork.net/hwy.one.bigsur.htm