Notable beach · Monterey, California
Big Sur
Big Sur is a beach in Monterey, California.
Big Sur: crowds and conditions
Typical pattern: moderate; weekends busier. Been there recently? Post today’s status and it shows here for the next traveller.
Status options for this beach: Open, good conditions · Very crowded · Approach road bad · Closed / not accessible.
Best time to visit Big Sur
Season: October to March; rough seas and lifeguard warnings June to September.
Busiest days: Weekends and long holidays.
Crowd: Moderate; weekends busier.
Typical week: Mon light · Tue light · Wed light · Thu light · Fri light · Sat busy · Sun busy.
How to reach Big Sur — distance from nearby cities
Coordinates: 36.10000, -121.60000. Road distances are estimates; the road-trip planner uses real routes and adds stops worth the detour.
Places to visit near Big Sur
- Landels-Hill Big Creek Nature Reserve · sanctuary · Monterey · ~4 km · Must-see
- John Little State Natural Reserve · sanctuary · Monterey · ~5 km · Must-see
- Big Creek State Marine Reserve · sanctuary · Monterey · ~5 km · Must-see
- Anderson Peak · viewpoint · Monterey · ~12 km · Must-see
- New Camaldoli Hermitage · church · Monterey · ~13 km · Must-see
- Cone Peak · viewpoint · Monterey · ~13 km · Must-see
- Limekiln State Park · sanctuary · Monterey · ~14 km · Must-see
- Junipero Serra Peak · viewpoint · Monterey · ~21 km · Must-see
- Sand Dollar Beach · beach · Monterey · ~29 km · Must-see
- Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park · sanctuary · Monterey · ~29 km · Must-see
- Ventana Double Cone · viewpoint · Monterey · ~30 km · Must-see
- Pfeiffer Beach · beach · Monterey · ~31 km · Must-see
- Andrew Molera State Park · sanctuary · Monterey · ~36 km · Must-see
- Pico Blanco · viewpoint · Monterey · ~39 km · Must-see
- Mission San Antonio de Padua · church · Monterey · ~41 km · Must-see
- Point Sur State Historic Park · sanctuary · Monterey · ~44 km · Must-see
- Point Sur Lighthouse · sanctuary · Monterey · ~44 km · Must-see
- Rana Creek Ranch Preserve · sanctuary · Monterey · ~50 km · Must-see
Other beaches & coast near Big Sur
- Sand Dollar Beach · beach · Monterey · ~29 km · Must-see
- Pfeiffer Beach · beach · Monterey · ~31 km · Must-see
- Piedras Blancas Light Station · beach · San Luis Obispo · ~70 km · Must-see
- Carmel Beach · beach · Monterey · ~73 km · Must-see
- William Randolph Hearst Memorial Beach · beach · San Luis Obispo · ~79 km · Must-see
- Point Pinos Lighthouse · beach · Monterey · ~83 km · Must-see
- Salinas River State Beach · beach · Monterey · ~97 km · Must-see
- Sunset State Beach · beach · Santa Cruz · ~111 km · Must-see
- Seacliff State Beach · beach · Santa Cruz · ~126 km · Must-see
- Capitola Beach · beach · Santa Cruz · ~127 km · Must-see
Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA) · Overture Maps Foundation (CDLA-Permissive-2.0)
Frequently asked
Is Big Sur safe to swim today?
No visitor has reported the sea & crowd status for Big Sur yet. Typical pattern: moderate; weekends busier. Busiest: Weekends and long holidays.
What is the best time to visit Big Sur?
October to March; rough seas and lifeguard warnings June to September. Moderate; weekends busier.
What are the places to visit near Big Sur?
Nearby: Landels-Hill Big Creek Nature Reserve (sanctuary, 4 km), John Little State Natural Reserve (sanctuary, 5 km), Big Creek State Marine Reserve (sanctuary, 5 km), Anderson Peak (viewpoint, 12 km), New Camaldoli Hermitage (church, 13 km), Cone Peak (viewpoint, 13 km).
Is Big Sur worth visiting?
Big Sur is listed as a notable beach in California on Spotwander.