17 Miles | 35 Minutes Drive (to Bixby Creek Bridge)

Hotel Near Big Sur and Bixby Creek Bridge

Stargazer Hotel sits right by Highway 1, which makes it an easy starting point for a Big Sur day trip. Head south through Carmel and the coast road soon reaches Bixby Creek Bridge, the classic first stop, with the Pacific crashing far below.

Farther south, Big Sur opens up into redwood groves, waterfalls, and hiking trails in parks such as Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park and Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park. Plan for a full day: the road is narrow and winding, and the views make you want to stop often.

Tips

• Check Caltrans QuickMap for Highway 1 conditions before you leave. The highway is sometimes closed by landslides or roadwork.
• Fill up on gas and download offline maps in Monterey. Services are spread out and cell coverage is patchy.
• Use the marked pullouts only, and never stop on Bixby Creek Bridge itself.

Caltrans QuickMap road conditions

Photo: John Dillenbeck, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.