As a kid, I remember driving to places like Monterey, Morro Bay, and Pismo Beach with my parents and grandparents. Now that I’m an adult, I enjoy taking trips up to these places, as well as Carmel and Big Sur, because it allows me a chance to get away from the hustle and bustle of a city and just enjoy some fresh air. Of course, I wish I could visit this coastal area more often, but I try to make the drive when I can. I mean truly, Monterey, Carmel, and Big Sur are the gems of California, in my opinion!
A three day weekend is plenty of time to get up to Monterey, Carmel, and Big Sur, as these three locations are very close to one another. According to Google Maps, Monterey is only a 10-15 minute drive from Carmel-by-the-Sea (Carmel’s official name). A little further away (but honestly still so close) is Big Sur. Big Sur is approximately 40 minutes from Carmel and 45 minutes from Monterey. So as you can see, it is quite doable to spend roughly a day in each place if you visit during a three day weekend. Mind blown!
This is an especially easy trip to make if say you were visiting the San Francisco area for the weekend and wanted to spend one or two day(s) in either Monterey, Carmel, or Big Sur. In fact, last Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, I went up to the SF area to visit my friend Andee. We spent a day in San Francisco (I will likely do a different blog post on this since I actually lived in San Francisco for a year), and then the following day we made the one and a half/two hour drive to Carmel. Here are some photos from our trip!
Whether you have one day to spend in each place or perhaps you decide to visit one or two of these locations, I think it would be helpful to list some fun activities to do.
Monterey, CA
Top attractions in Monterey:
- Monterey Bay Aquarium
- Old Fisherman’s Wharf
- Cannery Row
- Monterey Peninsula Recreational Trail
- 17-Mile Drive
Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA
Top attractions in Carmel:
- Carmel Beach
- Scenic Road Walkway
- Ocean Avenue
- Carmel Plaza
- Carmel Bakery
- Pebble Beach
- Carmel Mission
- Tor House
- Point Lobos State Natural Reserve
Big Sur, CA
Camping Spots:
Top attractions in Big Sur:
