We had planned to take Hwy 1 up through Big Sur and on to San Francisco, but our plans changed when we learned that a chunk of CA-1 is closed after some rough winter storms that left Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge beyond repair. Also, mudslides to the south of it have caused some road closures. The bridge could be out of service for up to a year, which will prevent anyone from taking the coastal drive from Southern to Northern California. Right now, to get from Southern to Northern California, one has to get on Hwy 101 and drive around Big Sur, rather than take that fantastic scenic drive.
So, that’s exactly what we did. From Solvang, we got on the 101 and took the less scenic drive. We did do some backtracking and once North of Big Sur, drove South on CA-1 as far as we could go. We went from Carmel-by-the-Sea to just before Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, which we knew was closed. Several restaurants to the north of Big Sur are closed, so we were ecstatic to find that the Big Sur River Inn was open, and we happily went inside for a bite to eat. If this had not been the case, Jayden probably would have had a melt down. We were low on snacks, and she was running on empty.
Along the way, we stopped to see the harbor seals at Point Lobos State Reserve. It is pupping season, so we were excited to see the seal pups napping next to their mothers on the beach. We also let the girls check out some of the beaches on the way, and we took at peek at the Big Sur River, once we stopped to eat.
We were a little disappointed that we couldn’t camp in Big Sur, since Ray and I used to do some tent camping there, and it is probably the most beautiful place where I have ever gone camping. But, we at least got to drive part of the way and see some of the beauty in that area of California.
Here are some photos from the drive:
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