Carmel & Big Sur, California

Oh, what a magical place. When thinking back on our mini-moon to Carmel and Big Sur, I can’t help but feel all the feels. Yes, we were coming off the high of our wedding weekend, but this is also a very, very special place for any point in your life.

DAY ONE: CARMEL

We flew into San Francisco and booked our “rental car” through Turo, which was seriously the easiest process in the world. We picked out the exact convertible we wanted, and the owner brought it to our gate at the airport and handed over the keys. It took a total of 2 minutes and we were on our way!

On our drive from San Francisco to Carmel, we made quick pit stops in Santa Cruz, and grabbed lunch at the Ritz Carlton in Half Moon Bay. A few hours later, we arrived at the Barnardus Lodge in the Carmel Valley. At this point, we were pretty exhausted so spent the rest of our afternoon walking around the property (they have so many beautiful gardens), relaxing in the hot tub, ordering in room service for dinner and falling asleep at - I kid you not - 7PM! We were exhausted!

DAY TWO: CARMEL

The next morning, we stopped by Lafayette Bakery for the most incredible pastries before our hike at Point Lobos. I’d highly recommend coming here on a week-day (not weekend), and arriving before 9AM to get a parking spot. We parked at the small Whaler’s Cove lot & started our hike up a small staircase on the lots north end. You’ll be almost immediately rewarded with incredible views of Carmel Bay. We hiked along the gorgeous water for a few hours before heading back to our lodge.

We quickly freshened up before driving to the famous “17 mile drive”. We entered on San Antonio Street and stopped at a few stops along the way: Spanish Bay, White Sand Beaches & Bird Rock Cove, and The Lone Cypress. For lunch, we grabbed salads and beers and sat outside at The Bench, overlooking the 18th hole of Pebble Beach. I’ve also heard having a picnic at Spanish Bay is so lovely (you can grab sandwiches from a well-known nearby deli, 5th Deli).

That evening, we went into the charming and adorable town of Carmel for shopping and dinner. Unfortunately, this town closes down quite early, so almost every single shop was closed by the time we got there around 5PM. So, don’t do what we did and make sure to come here during the day! :) We grabbed pizza at La Bicyclette for dinner, which was delicious! I received a few recommendations for Mission Ranch, which we were unable to get a reservation at — but great spot for drinks and dinner.

DAY THREE: BIG SUR

We’ve all heard the quote by Ralph Emerson, “Its the not the Destination, It's the journey.” — That’s certainly true for Big Sur. Part of the fun, is getting there. We woke up early, grabbed some coffee and croissants to go, and made our way through the winding roads and hills, with a LOT of stops along the way. At almost every corner, I wanted to pull over and take photos. It’s unbelievable. The most famous photo op is probably Bixby Creek Bridge. We pulled over on the side of the road to get a glimpse of this incredible bridge built between cliffs.

For lunch, we stopped at Nepenthe, which you’ll see highly recommended from every article that talks about Big Sur. To be honest, we weren’t impressed. The views are incredible, don’t get me wrong. But the food wasn’t that great, and in Big Sur, you’ll see incredible views at every twist and turn. They do have these cute rails, which would be the perfect spot to grab a quick drink. They open at 11AM and usually have a line waiting outside, so make sure to get there early.

That afternoon, we checked into our glamping site at the Ventana. Jonathan has always wanted to go camping, so this was our compromise. The biggest benefit of glamping here is that you get access to all of the amenities — like the spa, pool, restaurant and grounds at the Ventana, which are incredible. And the glamping site isn’t too shabby either. Our adorable set up was beneth the tallest redwood trees I’ve ever seen, and our “tent” was well-equipped with a bed, nightstands, lamps, running water, lanterns, a fire pit and s’mores kit.

After settling into our new home, we walked up to the Ventana property for an afternoon at the pool, complete with massages (which were gifted to us at our bridal shower!) We grabbed margaritas at the pool, relaxed, and went back to our campsite for a bbq dinner followed by lawn games and s’mores. The perfect day!

DAY FOUR: BIG SUR

We started our morning with breakfast at Big Sur Bakery. Super cute place, and the perfect stop for a quick bite before hiking. A friend recommended the Bluff Trail at Andrew Molero State Park, and I’m so glad they did because it was an absolutely amazing hike — difficult, yet beautiful with ocean views almost the entire way. It took us around 3+ hours start to finish. On our way back to the Ventana, we stopped by McWay Falls within Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park. This ½-mile trail is VERY easy, and worth a quick stop to see the beautiful waterfall overlook. I’ve also heard Ewoldsen Trail is a more strenuous hike in the area.

That evening we went to the Sierra Mar at the Post Ranch Inn for a tasting menu. They gave us the best seats in the house, and we watched the sunset over the ocean while eating our 5-course dinner. Definitely worth a reservation!

DAY FIVE: TRAVEL DAY

Our time in Carmel and Big Sur ended far too quickly than we would have liked. On our way back to San Francisco we stopped at Monterey Bay Aquarium, showcasing the habitats and sea life of one of the world's richest marine regions. We then grabbed Chinese food in downtown San Francisco before boarding our afternoon flight back to NYC.

We could have easily spent a few extra days in Carmel and Big Sur, so we will certainly be back (but it seems I always say that — vacations never last long enough!)

Restaurant Recommendations in Big Sur:

Sur House — The Restaurant at the Ventana. The views are amazing! They have great lunch and dinner options, make sure to sit outside if you can.

Big Sur Bakery — Great spot for a quick breakfast before hiking (and I’ve heard the dinner is awesome, too!)

Nepenthe - Stunning views, but mediocre food. I recommend coming here for an afternoon drink/beer and snagging a spot on the rails overlooking the ocean!

Sierra Mar – Restaurant at Post Ranch Inn, you can come here for the lunch or dinner tasting menu, make sure to snag a reservation ahead of time and pray for a sunny day, the views are incredible!

River Inn – We didn’t stop here, but a friend said it’s a super casual spot on the “river”, which is the stream running along route 1. They have a bunch of Adirondack chairs set up in the waters so you can take your shoes off and have a drink with your feet in the river. If you can nab a couple of those in the sun, it would be a nice place to hang for a few hours.