TRAVEL

Central Coast Destinations A Day Trip to Pfeiffer Beach

Being in a global pandemic, I’m not comfortable traveling yet. So this will be the summer of outdoor adventures and day trips. To start off summer break we headed on a day trip to Big Sur. Our original plan was to hike out to McWay Falls but the trail to the vantage point is still closed due to COVID-19, so plans changed. It’s a good thing you can never go wrong when traveling to Big Sur. Everywhere you look is beautiful! The views, hiking trails, beaches, roadside cafes, if you like the outdoors Big Sur is about as perfect as it gets. We ended up at Pfeiffer Beach for the day with quick stops at Nepenthe and The Big River Inn.

Pfeiffer Beach is known as one of the most beautiful beaches in Central California.

It definitely lives up to its reputation. The rock formations are gorgeous and there is an abundant amount of sea life in tide pools on the left side of the beach. We saw purple starfish, crabs, sea enemies, and tiny fish in the tide pools.

I wouldn’t recommend swimming at Pfeiffer Beach. The water is a bit rough and there are too many rocks.

The sand is an unusual purple color in some parts of the beach which is pretty incredible. I’d never heard of a purple sand beach until exploring Pfeiffer Beach.

How to get there?

To get to Pfeiffer Beach type Sycamore Canyon Road, Big Sur into your GPS. If you type in Pfeiffer Beach it won’t take you to the correct location. If you aren’t using GPS take from CA Highway 1 to Big Sur and get off on Sycamore Canyon Road. The long narrow road will eventually dead-end into the beach parking lot. Park and walk down the trail about 3 minutes to the beach. There is a fee to park that varies, we paid $12 on 6/20/2020, and the parking lot isn’t huge so get there early or you’ll be turned away by the rangers.

Recommended kid-friendly places to eat nearby:

Nepenthe has beautiful views, outdoor seating, fancy food, and a funky gift shop. Be prepared to spend a little extra, the food is a bit pricey but it is a great place to stop.

The Big River Inn is one of my favorite places to hang out. The food is good, and they have amazing bloody mary’s! I actually prefer the virgin bloody marys but both are super good. But more than the food, the atmosphere is the reason we love The Big River Inn. You can get your food and drinks and sit in large wooden chairs right in the river. Enjoy lunch while watching the kids play in the water and sit and relax for a few hours.