10 Fun Things To Do With Kids In Big Sur

Big Sur is the rugged and ridiculously beautiful stretch of coastline between the towns of Carmel and San Simeon in central California. You can do it as part of a road trip between San Francisco and Los Angeles, but the region is a stunning destination in its own right.

It’s a great place for nature-loving families to unwind, slow down and enjoy the view.

Stop and stay awhile at Nepenthe, a restaurant that can legitimately lay claim to the best view in the world, hike to a waterfall and find out why so many authors and artists were drawn to this unique place.

Visit Hearst Castle

Located just outside the town of San Simeon, at the southern end of Big Sur, Hearst Castle is the unique home of media magnate William Randolph Hearst.

Inspired by the Old World architecture he visited on trips to Europe, Hearst collaborated with architect Julia Morgan to create a one-of-a-kind home halfway between San Francisco and LA. The First World War was a shopping opportunity for Hearst, and he snapped up many pieces from across Europe in the aftermath.

Kids are welcome as long as they can stay reasonably quiet during the guided tour. The hour-long Grand Rooms tour is the best option, as it packs in a lot of information without being overly long.

Tickets can be purchased in advance from the website: as of May 2021, adult tickets cost $25 and children aged five to 12 cost $12. Under fives go free.

Hearst Castle is currently closed due to COVID-19 but plans to reopen soon.

Get up close with Elephant Seals

Head north for eight miles from San Simeon to Ragged Point, where you will find Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery. The colony can be found here year-round but activity peaks in January, May and October. 

The Elephant Seal is an extraordinary creature: the males, with their large noses that resemble an elephant’s trunk, weigh as much as an SUV. They spend most of their time in the ocean, diving to depths of 5,000 feet searching for fish and squid, but haul themselves onto this beach to molt and mate.

It’s an opportunity to see these amazing wild creatures doing their thing, just off the roadside.  Check out Friends of the Elephant Seal’s website for more information and a live webcam.

Sunset cocktails at Nepenthe Restaurant

Driving down Highway 1 back to LA after a trip to San Francisco in 1944, Hollywood couple Rita Hayworth and Orson Welles spotted a little wooden cabin with amazing views and fell instantly in love. They found themselves a realtor that day and bought it on the spot.

Unfortunately, the two divorced before they ever made it back to enjoy their romantic hideaway, but fortunately for the rest of us they sold it to the couple who created Nepenthe.

For such a romantic spot – perched on a cliff top overlooking the ocean – Nepenthe is very family-friendly, with a children’s menu and welcoming staff. The atmosphere is laid-back, a place where tourists and locals gather to admire the sunset, sip a cocktail or two and enjoy the Mediterranean-inspired fare on the outdoor terrace.

If you can’t make dinner, Nepenthe is also open for lunch. 

Wildlife scavenger hunt

California Parks has an activity sheet you can download, print off and give to your kids to fill in as you drive or walk around the region.

Due to its remoteness, Big Sur has a lot of wildlife to spot. Look up for the California Condor, which is now flourishing after near extinction, a conservation success story.

If you look out to the ocean, you may spot California’s most adorable creature: sea otters. They like to hang out just off shore and are easy to see from the beach, bobbing about in the surf.

Further out on the horizon, you might spot migrating blue, gray and humpback whales and orca. From a roadside pull-off, you can also spot dolphins and sharks, which call the marine sanctuary home.

On land, you might encounter a wild turkey, deer, foxes, or even a bobcat. Black bears are also about, although you are less likely to encounter one.

Wildlife you need to be cautious about is poison oak and ticks. It’s best to wear long pants, preferably tucked into socks, when hiking to avoid encounters with either species.

In spring, the wildflowers put on an amazing show. With such a diverse number of habitats, including coastal, mountain and forest, you can see almost every type of flower California has to offer.

Take a dip in a natural pool

Big Sur River Gorge is a natural swimming hole located in Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park. Popular in the summer months, this is an area of the river where you can jump into the crystal clear water from surrounding boulders and cool off.

Day trippers can access the gorge from Lot 3 by taking the River Gorge trail, a half-mile trek out to the gorge.

The trail starts out paved but then ends at an out-of-action bridge. At that point, you have to head off trail to scramble over some boulders to get down to the river. Once at the river, you can either walk in the water or find a path by the side to get down to the gorge.

It’s best to attempt this between May and September, as the river could be too high in the winter to be safe (and too cold). Campers at Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park can also access the trail from the northeast end of the campsite, between sites 111 and 112.

Ice cream at an art gallery

COAST is an art gallery in a converted water tank, offering the road-weary soft serve ice cream on its rooftop terrace cafe. Drinks and small plates are also available, to be enjoyed either in the sunny Zen garden or on the roof, under shady umbrellas.

Open Thursday to Monday, 11am-4pm, the art gallery showcases the work of the local artists, who continue the tradition of creativity found along this stretch of coast.

Henry Miller Library

The wild and lonely Big Sur coast drew many of the writers who shaped American literature in the mid 20th century. Author Henry Miller was Big Sur’s most famous resident. He lived in the area from 1944 to 1962, and his writing inspired other artists of the time to visit the area.

Jack Kerouac, of On The Road fame, wrote his semi-autobiographical novel Big Sur in a cabin owned by fellow Beat poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti back in 1961.

Hunter S. Thompson, the legendary gonzo journalist, was also intrigued by Big Sur and worked as a security guard at Slates Hot Springs (now Esalen Institute), where he started to write The Rum Diary. 

Although Thompson was fired after he got drunk and shot up his cabin (not the relaxing environment the resort owners were looking for), the article he wrote about the bohemian counterculture he found in Big Sur was his first published magazine piece.

To find out more about the artists of Big Sur – past and present – check out the beautiful Henry Miller Library, which is part-museum, part bookshop. Henry Miller Library also hosts some amazing bands in the summer: past performances have included the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Arcade Fire and Fleet Foxes.

Become a Junior Ranger

Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park has a Junior Rangers program, where kids can earn badges by learning about nature. If you don’t get the opportunity to attend a presentation, your children can fill in the activity sheet I linked to earlier and show a ranger, who will then give them a badge.

At the time of writing, California State Parks has cancelled all events due to COVID-19. However, keep an eye on the events page, as California is re-opening and activities may start up again soon.

Search for purple sand

The deposits of Manganese garnet found in the cliffs at Big Sur cause striking purple-hued sand to be scattered across the beaches in the area. You can spot purple sand at Pfeiffer Beach and we also saw the pretty plum shade at Andrew Molera State Park Beach.

Both beaches are fun to explore. There is driftwood, sea shells and interesting pebbles to investigate; plenty of sand to play tag or build sand castles, and rock formations to climb.

As the beaches can be tricky to access, they are less crowded, which is a bonus. You reach Pfeiffer Beach by a short trail through the woods from a car park, for which there is a $12 fee to use.

Finding the car park is the difficult part: the road from Highway 1 – Sycamore Canyon Road – is a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it turn off between the ranger station and the post office. It is about one mile south of the entrance to Big Sur Pfeiffer State Park.

If you visit this beach in the late afternoon, stay to watch the sun set and you might catch the last rays shining through Keyhole Rock, a rock formation just offshore. 

Andrew Molera State Beach is better signposted, with the car park located just off Highway 1. However, the beach is about a mile from the car park, along a flat track, through fields and woods.

You have to cross a shallow stream and in the summer there is a little footbridge. However, you will have to take off your shoes to cross if you want to reach the ocean during the rest of the year! Water shoes (I like Keens, available on Amazon) are a good call if you are visiting in springtime.

Take a kid-friendly hike in Big Sur

With forests, mountains, rivers and beaches, Big Sur has plenty of trails, many of them easy to walk even with young children. Here are my favourites.

Big Sur Pfeiffer State Park

Parking is $10 for the day and you can get something to eat at Big Sur Lodge, the park’s cafe and gift shop.

Nature Trail 

Stroller friendly: Yes

Distance: 0.7 mile loop

Trail start: Lot 2

The Nature Trail is a good place to start. The short loop is on a boardwalk, with signs pointing out interesting features.

River Path

Stroller friendly: Yes

Distance: 0.6 mile loop

Trail start: Lot 2

On the other side of the car park, you will find a paved path taking you over a footbridge and along the river. It’s another nice easy loop, on which you can also take dogs.

Valley View and Pfeiffer Falls Trail

Stroller friendly: No

Distance: Two miles, there and back

Trail start: Opposite Big Sur Lodge

Start the trail in the Redwoods before climbing up a hill. In spring, this is a great hike for wildflowers and the landscape is bursting with color. At the fork, turn left to continue up for a view across the valley, or go right to descend back into the forest. 

As of April 2021, the right turn – Pfeiffer Falls Trail – was closed due to fire damage. If it is open, you will find a stunning, 60ft tall waterfall at the end.

Big Sur River Gorge

Stroller friendly: Partially

Distance: 0.5 mile there and back paved section: two miles to swimming hole

Trail start: Lot 3

As described earlier in this post, the trail is paved up to a point. After that, head into the trees to scramble over rocks, roots and boulders until you get to the swimming hole. Great place to cool off in the summer – don’t attempt this one in the winter, when the water is too high and strong.

Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park 

Named after a pioneer woman, this park is famous for McWay Falls, probably the most photographed Big Sur feature after Bixby Bridge. 

Waterfall Overlook Trail

Stroller friendly: Yes

Distance: 0.5 mile, there and back

Trail start: Parking lot

The short trail to the falls is easy, taking you through a tunnel under the highway and back out to the beautiful view. The trail continues beyond the scenic stop but is currently closed. You can park in the small car park for a $10 fee, or find a spot on the road.

Partington Cove Trail

Stroller friendly: No

Distance: one mile, there and back

Trail start: Highway 1 turnout, about two miles north of park entrance

A gravel road (for hikers only) leads down from a green gate off the highway. It’s about a mile down to the ocean from here. At the fork, keep going downhill to the north, to find a small rocky beach. On the way back, take the other route to go through a tunnel carved out of the mountain to find a scenic overlook.

Andrew Molera State Park

This state park has a lovely beach to visit. Parking is $10 in the large lot but there is often parking available on the road too.

Creamery Meadow Trail

Stroller friendly: No

Distance: two miles, there and back

Trail start: Parking lot

From the parking lot, head towards the ranch to pick up this easy trail to the ocean. During the summer months (mid-June to end of October) there is a footbridge in place to cross the Big Sur river. For the rest of the time, you will need to take off your socks and shoes to cross. Small children may need to be carried.

The rest of the walk is straightforward, bringing you through a sunny meadow, through the trees and out to the beach.

Big Sur kid-friendly hotels

Big Sur Lodge

Stay right in Big Sur Pfeiffer State Park at Big Sur Lodge. The accommodation is simple cabins, fairly basic but in a beautiful location, away from the road and in the forest.

Family rooms can sleep up to four, with one bedroom plus a living area with another bed. Don’t expect any WiFi but there is a pool and restaurant on site. During the summer season, a room for four costs between $300-$400 a night at the weekend.

Big Sur River Inn

This motel is a great choice for families. The on-site restaurant serves good-quality food on a deck with a view of the river, which runs through the property. Big Sur River Inn offers free WiFi in the rooms and an outdoor swimming pool.

Like Big Sur Lodge, family rooms have a separate living area to the bedroom, so parents can sleep separately to their kids. Rooms cost around $450 per night.

Fernwood Resort

There are plenty of accommodation options at Fernwood. Stay in a cabin with a kitchen and separate living area, a motel room, or in a tent. Cabins start at $290 a night, so they are pretty good value for the area. During summer weekends, the bar and grill hosts live bands.

VRBO Cabin

Monterey County restricts the number of rentals available so there are only a handful of cabins along the coast available for short-term stays. This secluded cottage, with its own sauna and outdoor bathtub, sleeps five guests and costs from $225 a night, with a two-night minimum. It’s a great option for families who want some privacy, or who want to bring their pet.

Big Sur camping – or glamping 

Camping is a lot of fun: I love falling asleep to the sounds of nature, cozy in my sleeping bag. It’s nice for the kids to have lots of space to run around in and of course, toast marshmallows on the fire.

Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park campground is the biggest in the area. It has been recently renovated, with individual bathrooms and showers. Although the campground is large, there are enough facilities that we never needed to wait for a bathroom and they were all spotlessly clean.

It’s a popular place and gets booked up fast during the summer, so reserve your spot as soon as sites become available – six months in advance. 

Further down south is Kirk Creek Campground. This spot has amazing views overlooking the ocean and is five miles north of Sand Dollar Beach. It is quite basic, however: expect vault toilets and be sure to bring your own water.

If you are looking for a real off the beaten path camping adventure, try to nab a spot at the hike-in campsite in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park. The campsite, one mile south of McWay Falls, has just two spots for tents, so if you can book both you will have the entire place to yourself. 

If you don’t have the gear or prefer a little more comfort when you camp, Big Sur has several family-friendly glamping spots.

Fernwood Resort has Tent Cabins and Adventure Tents on site. The Tent Cabins are basic, with beds for four, a picnic table and a fire ring, but no extras. The Adventure Tents feature a queen bed, towels and an electric heater but with only room for two people.

Ventana, Big Sur’s luxury adult-only resort, offers Tent Cabins to families for the ultimate glamping experience. Currently, glamping guests cannot access the resort’s facilities but do get a real bed, towels, hot and cold running water and their own fire pit. Lanterns and Adirondack chairs are also provided.

Prices are from $240 a night. Pets are welcome.

Big Sur weather

Big Sur is beautiful in any season. During the winter months, between November and March, expect rain and cool temperatures. In the springtime, the region warms up but night times are still cold. Summer starts mid-June and continues into October.

The end of the summer is best for clear days and less of the fog but this is also fire season in California, so heed all warnings and be prepared for a sudden change of plans if wildfires sweep through.

For more adventures along the northern Californian coast, check out my guide to the best place to see the Redwoods, or visit kid-friendly wineries in the famous Napa Valley.