[Travel Saturdays] See Big Sur the Best Way Possible

The View from McKay Falls: Worth the Misty Walk

A few weeks ago, I convinced my camping-virgin friends to allow me to show them Big Sur from the only side I've seen of it, and that's not the side overlooking the ocean from wraparound windows at a bed and breakfast (I wish). It's the side where you eat at a cozy picnic table and sip tea around a fire, then retire on a sleeping pad and wake up in the middle of the night to hear skunks rustling around outside your tent. Sigh. So beautiful.

Anyway, they drove from LA and I drove from San Francisco and we met pretty close to halfway. We had a really quiet campsite at the end of the campgrounds, where we set up our tent and sleeping gear. Since I had planned the occasion, I gave them the responsibility of bringing most of the food. So they brought some hot dogs and we threw them on top of the grill along with some buns and called it a well-rounded meal.

The next day, we went on a hike to Pfieffer Falls. It only took about 15-20 minutes to get there, and then we turned around to do the Valley Walk, which offers 360° views of the entire valley. It was too foggy for us, but you can usually also see the ocean from there. This is what we saw instead:

Then we ate lunch at Nepenthe, which is a family-run, locally-sourced restaurant on Highway 1. My friends had the Ambrosia burger and I had a veggie burger, but I wasn't that impressed (especially not after the $25 price tag with tax and tip). I like the idea of Nepenthe though, but you're paying 50% for the view, 25% for the atmosphere, and 25% for the food. The french fries are a good investment for your belly though. Farther south down Highway 1, you run into signs for McKay Falls, which you can't miss if you go to Big Sur. You'll see all the other tourists there, but there's certainly a good reason for its popularity.

It started pouring rain by the time we got there, so we turned around pretty quickly and ran back to the car. Then we ate cup of noodles and s'mores for dinner. I mean, we're total health-freaks, in case you couldn't tell.

Overall, I'd say the weekend was a success. But I don't need to say that; this face says it all.

Until the next adventure!