Please critique this Big Sur itinerary
 

Day 1 - Start from San Jose around 10 am, first stop Monterey Aquarium; then onto Point Lobos for a picnic lunch; drive down Highway 1 stopping at Pfeiffer beach, and other vista points, then onto Ragged point inn for the night

Day 2 - start the day (typically 11 am when we are on a holiday) with a stop at the Elephant seals rookery in Piedra Blancas, then a visit to Hearst Castle, stop for lunch maybe at Ragged Pt restaurant, drive to Julia Pfeiffer park to the falls, stop at Cafe Kevah for drink/snacks, back to Ragged pt for the night. Is this too packed?

Next day 8 am we drive to Santa Barbara to catch a flight.

How does this sound? Is this schedule too packed? Will we be rushing from point to point?

Let me know your thoughts..

If you spend a couple of hours at the aquarium, you will be having a late lunch. And is this on the weekend? By the time you get to Monterey (11: 20 to 30), there will be a long line at the aquarium. I personally would leave San Jose by 9 am if possible.

It's doable, but it's a bit of a drive from Ragged Point to Big Sur proper. You'll be driving south to see the Elephant seals than back north 50 miles. It's a slow 50 miles too.
Hearst Castle takes quite a bit of time. You won't be out of there until at least 2 o'clock.
I'd try to leave San Jose a little earlier and do your stops in Big Sur on your way down the coast. Skip the beach. Stop for a bit at Nepenthe, stop at the overlook to the falls. You can't access the beach there btw.
That way you can enjoy your time in the southern half of the Big Sur coast on your 2nd day.
The Elepahant Seals are a blast to watch. Love them.
Give yourself plenty of time to get to Santa Barbara as well.

You're going to arrive in Monterey at 11:30. You're planning to picnic after touring the aquarium? You might want to dine at the restaurant at the aquarium.

There is really no way you can leave SJ around 10:00, tour the aquarium and get to point Lobos for lunch. Even getting to a restaurant rightg next door on Cannery Row by lunch time would be tough.

You will not be parked and into the Aquarium until at least noon.

I would leave SJ by about 0800. 0830 at the latest.

If you leave San Jose at 10:00 you won't be IN the Aquarium until 12:00 at the earliest. Give yourself 2 hours in the Aquarium. If you've already brought lunch with you, you won't be settled in at Pt. Lobos (which shouldn't be missed) until close to 3. If you leave Pt. Lobos at 4:00 you won't get to Big Sur until close to 5:00, than another hour and half at least to Ragged Point. Try to leave San Jose earlier.

Realistically 9 am is the earliest we can hope to leave SJ...I would skip the aquarium and go straight to Point Lobos but I think my 3 yr old will really enjoy the aquarium visit...so we will try and keep it to 1 hr and then drive to Point Lobos. This should get us to Pt Lobos by 2 pm? I also plan to buy the aquarium tkts online which should save us some time.

Why are you backtracking on the second day back all the way up to Cafe Kevah/Nepenthe? This isn't a road to be going back and forth, you want to be going in one direction.

I'd suggest spending the first night in Monterey/Carmel.

Second night at Ragged Point.

You'll enjoy the trip a lot better than trying to zip up and down a mountain/seacoast road behind slow moving campers, etc.

Easytraveler has a good point. If you stay in Carmel you can relax and enjoy the Aquarium and Pt. Lobos. Carmel beach is beautiful too.
You can stop a bit in Big Sur on your way down, and do an afternoon tour of Hearst Castle.
Don't want to rain on your plan parade, but you're trying to cover a lot of ground in a short amount of time with a 3 year old.

Maybe we should get as far as Big Sur state park and stay at Big Sur lodge on Day 1 and then drive the rest of the distance on Day 2 with a stay at Ragged Pt Inn.

Generally I am the type to spend at least 2 nights in a location and do day trips rather than changing hotels each night, but in this case, I think it makes the most sense to spend 1 night in Carmel/Monterey/Pacific Grove and the next night at Ragged Point. Otherwise, as others have mentioned, there will be too much backtracking. Once you get there, you will understand why this is an issue. Although the mileage isn't a lot, the roads are slow. And if the driver isn't used to curvy roads, it will be very taxing. Even for those who are experienced with Big Sur, the driver basically drives while the passengers look at the scenery. It is a eyes-on-the-road type of place.

When are you going? Big Sur Lodge books up early.

You can order aquarium tickets ahead of time to save standing in what can be very long lines. I do mine by telephone, not sure if you can do it online, but that would be worth a try.

Be sure to reserve your Hearst Castle Tour ahead of time as well.

Sorry, I didn't mean to sound so abrupt. Was in a hurry and wanted to get in a message before leaving.

Anyhow, everyone has given you very good input on here. Take their advice and book ASAP for Pfeiffer Big Sur Lodge. If you can't get anything for the date you want, then Carmel/Monterey is not that bad a fall-back. Besides Carmel Beach is really quite gorgeous.

Start out from San Jose no later than 8am and you will not have that bad a line at the Aquarium. You may want to have lunch there, kids love the place and you may be spending more time than you had anticipated. Afternoon to Pt Lobos, an easy hike for kids and they love the sound of the barking seals.

Dinner in Carmel, then, if there is still light, walk along Carmel Beach.

Overnight Carmel/Monterey.

Next day go down to Pfeiffer Big Sur and just do a short hike there among the redwoods. Pfeiffer Big Sur is inland and there will generally be sunshine. Maybe lunch at Nepenthe. Then down to Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park and do the short hike to McWay Falls. Then down to Ragged Point for the night.

Unless you have a real need to stay at Ragged Point, I would suggest staying as close to Santa Barbara as possible. Dont' know what time is your flight home.

I'm certain the other Fodorites will have better suggestions and will chip in.

Have a safe trip! :)

&quot;<i>Realistically 9 am is the earliest we can hope to leave SJ. . . . . .so we will try and keep it to 1 hr . . . </i>&quot;

I really think you need to re-consider this. The aquarium is fabulous and when I've been on my own, the fastest I've finished is 1.5 - 2 hours. And w/ kids along it has always taken 2+ hours.

Especially w/ all the kid-friendly exhibits - and the crowds you'll have to deal w/.

Maybe just this one day you can get moving earlier . . . .

just marking this thread for my stay in big sur. thanks for asking the questions.

One hour in our aquarium is not realistic, Kdd. Given your schedule, I think you ought to decide between the aquarium and Pt. Lobos. Being a mom, I'd choose the aquarium in a heartbeat. You're going to see plenty of ocean scenery on your next day. Pt. Lobos is close to redundant taking it all into consideration.

I'm really quick in museums and most aquariums (I bore easily!), and 1 1/2 hours in my shortest time at Monterey Aquarium. Yes, you go a little slower with kids.

Hi All,

I think I have found the solution...

I was lucky enough to find accommodation in Big Sur Lodge for May 20 (I guess it is not peak season as yet!)

So the itinerary now looks like this-

Day 1:
Leave SJ between 8:30-9, reach aquarium...you are right, I don't think we can spend less than 2 hrs in the aquarium...then pt lobos for a picnic lunch...stop at vista points enroute and get to Big Sur Lodge for the night.

Next day - go to Pfeiffer beach for a morning stroll...brunch in Cafe Kevah, drive down Big Sur with stops at Julia Pfeiffer and elephant seals rookery...stay the night at Ragged pt inn. I know we are going past the inn to see Elephant seals, but that is not too much of a backtrack.

How does this sound? Although I like to check in and stay in one place for 2 nights rather than check-in check-out for each night, I think overall this works better...

Hearst castle is out unfortunately...don't want to do the mistake of trying to see and do too much in one trip! We will keep the focus to gorgeous nature this trip.

Sounds great! Can I come? LOL.
I think you will have a much more relaxed time. Big Sur Lodge has a nice pool so bring some swimsuits.
Don't totally rule out Hearst Castle, you may be able to fit it in.
Right behind the Motel 6 in San Simeon you can see some of the zebras that used to be part of the zoo. It's pretty cool to see them grazing among the cows.
You'll love the Elephant seals too. You are so much closer to them at that rookery than the one at Ano Nuevo.
In Big Sur for dinner try The River Inn. It's casual and you'll feel comfortable with a 3 year old. Also the Big Sur Lodge has a nice family restaurant. Stay way from Ripplewood. It attracts a &quot;party&quot; crowd that might not be the best with a little one.

Sounds like a really good trip. You will see a lot and not be too rushed.

Great plan, kdd!

This way you'll really have time to enjoy your trip rather than spending the majority of your time in your car!

Terrific planning! Good for you! ((Y))

Have a great, enjoyable trip! :)

Hi all, thanks very much for providing such valuable feedback on the itinerary! Your comments have been most helpful. I feel so much better and relaxed about the current plan.

And of course - don't forget to come back and let us all know how the trip went :)

I so wish we could spend another day in Big Sur. When I initially planned the trip I thought 2 days was sufficient time, but now that I know more about the place, I know I can spend a week easily!

Now that I have my heart set on Point Lobos, I have begun to fret that we may be turned away because the park can onlt take a limited number of visitors? We will only get there by 1 pm on Sunday (May 20), what are the chances of getting turned away? I probably should mentally prepare myself for possible disappointment :(

Does anybody know if you can still park out on the highway and walk into the park?

We were there about a year ago, and there were people parking along the highway and walking into the park--whether this is legal or not, I can't say, but there were a good half-dozen cars out there.

That said, in my experience, there are &quot;shifts&quot; at Point Lobos: the morning crowd and the afternoon crowd, with very few people spending the entire day there. Since we're late risers, we usually arrived there to find a stream of cars exiting. kdd, I think your chances of getting in are pretty good. If you don't, try again a bit later, if possible, or ask about parking along the highway.

It is perfectly legal to park outside the fence at Point Lobos and walk in. Almost every state park in California has somewhere where you can park for free and walk into the park without charge. Point Lobos only limits the number of vehicles in the park, so even if that quota is met you can still park outside and walk in. It is only a mile to the ocean from the entrance gate.

Yes, people park outside the park all the time, and hike in. We're too lazy for that hike and inconvenience and would rather pay and park.

Kdd - have a good time.

Hi All,

Just returned from a awesome trip to the Big Sur.

Monterey Bay aquarium - is amazing. We spent 2 hours and had to tear ourselves away from there. Could have spent an entire day easily.

Point Lobos - is indeed a special place. We went upto China Cove, Seal Lion Point and Whaler's cove. Amazing views. We were lucky enough to see 4 seals playing in the waters in China Cove near the shore!!

I am so glad we decided to stop for the night a Big Sur Lodge. We got there by about 5:30 pm. Loved our cottage which was an accommodation for 6 people, complete with kitchen, dining table etc. Perfect for families with small children. Also loved the mountain and woodsy feel.

Next day we drove the rest of Big Sur upto Ragged Point inn with stops along the way. We stayed at the luxury rooms at the inn which offer gorgeous views.

Day 3 - we drove down to Santa Barbara. On the way we stopped to see the Elephant seals. They were all along the beach, and very active. It was real fun watching them.

Overall, a wonderful trip. All the advice I got from Fodorites was absolutely on the mark! Thanks so much.

kdd: Terrific trip report! All your good planning made for a great trip!

Did you ever get to Julia Pfeiffer Burns? Or Nepenthe?

Thanks so much for sharing! :) And come back again soon!

Thanks for posting--after giving advice, I always wonder how the trip went. I'm glad yours went well!

Yes, we did go to Pfeiffer Beach, Julia Pfeiffer Burns and also Nepenthe. All were well worth the effort.

I'm glad you had a good trip :) And now you can see why we are all so opinionated - I mean passionate ;) - about this area.

Hi kdd,
Thanks for your report. Now you see why my family loves living here! Heaven on earth, isn't it? I'm glad you followed my advice on the aquarium - it's the greatest. Our oldest had to tour the Long Beach Aquarium this weekend, for a class. She called me after her tour and whined at how poor it is in comparison to ours. We're lucky people. ((h))