los angeles to san francisco things to do in big sur
Los Angeles, West Hollywood AND DISNEY
The City of Angels, LA, Los Angeles, home of Hollywood, whatever you know this star-filled city as, Los Angeles is home to over 4 million people, but ‘Los Angeles’ is often used to collectively describe the neighboring parts of the Greater Los Angeles region such as Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Pasadena, Long Beach, Anaheim, Calabasas, and Malibu. Rich in diverse cultures, with its warm and balmy weather, Los Angeles is one of the most popular tourist destinations as it gives you the opportunity to see mountains, deserts, and the ocean all in one trip. Getting around LA is easy; if you are moving from one area to another e.g. Santa Monica to Sunset Boulevard (a 30 min drive without heavy traffic), a car or cab is best, but if you’re staying in the same spots, e-scooters, e-bikes are an easy way to get around and are readily available in places like Santa Monica and Venice.
Landing at LAX, we spent a few days at the Andaz West Hollywood, dining and drinking at the nearby Mel’s drive in and Skybar at The Mondrian Hotel. If you want to stay further out and be closer to the ocean, the DoubleTree Suites in Santa Monica is a good alternative. We had to finish our LA stop by visiting Mickey Mouse at Anaheim’s Disneyland, the only theme park designed and built under the watchful eye of Mr. Walt Disney himself.
LA has something for everyone:
- People watch the boho way of life at Abbott Kinney and Venice Beach. This pedestrian ocean front boardwalk filled with arts, crafts, fortune tellers, bodybuilders, and skateboarders. Abbott Kinney is also where you’re likely to find hip labels and up and coming designers. Venice is famed for its man-made grid-shaped canal network.
- Absorb some culture at the hillside Getty Center and villa – run by the Getty Trust, is home to a museum that houses paintings by Rembrandt and Van Gogh, a library, all surrounded by landscaped gardens. With over a million visitors a year, this is one of the most popular museums in the U.S.
- Shop like the rich and famous on Rodeo Drive (who remembers the infamous shopping scene from the 80s classic Pretty Woman?) or at the more affordable The Grove, located next to the historic Farmers market which still operates today offering tasty treats from around the world.
- See some Hollywood stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and famous hand and footprints by the TCL Chinese Theatre, the location for the Academy Awards (the Oscars) in the 1940s. So how did this tradition of printing hand and footprints start? Well, all stories agree that it was just an accident, a shoe print into some unset concrete and the tradition was born.
- See real stars at the Griffin Observatory (featured in the 2016 movie La La Land). See exhibits, look through telescopes or just enjoy the views of Los Angeles and the Hollywood sign
- Take a hike to see the notorious Hollywood sign up close and personal. The sign can be seen from the popular with celebs, Runyon Canyon Hike which offers views of the city too.
- If it’s old Hollywood you’re after, a stay at West Hollywood’s Chateau Marmont or at Los Angeles oldest still operating hotel, The Roosevelt Hotel, where the first Oscars were held in 1929.
Santa Monica TO SOLVANG
Pacific Coast HIGHWAY, CAMBRIA AND BIG SUR, POST RANCH INN
Built in the 1930s, the mostly two-lane, Pacific Coast Highway is one of the most popular road trips in the U.S. as it runs from San Diego to San Francisco, via Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Solvang, Morro Bay, Big Sur, and Santa Cruz. This rugged road is over 650 miles (~1000 kilometers) long, which, to put that distance into context, is about the length of the United Kingdom.
Open up the windows and let the salty ocean breeze in and in an hour and a half from Solvang you’ll find the quiet seaside village of Cambria, where time has almost stood still. It can get quite lively at the Friends of The Elephant Seal Visitor Center in San Simeon, (just outside of Cambria) as this is where elephant seals migrate from Alaska to breed.
Once you’ve got your seal photos, it’s just under two hours to the Big Sur and you’ll see some of the world’s most breath-taking views of redwood trees, mountains, ocean, and endless blue skies. You might notice the temperature drop the further north you drive so wrap up.
Big Sur is famed for its rugged coastline and dramatic waters and what makes this section so special? The fact that it is underdeveloped and with limited light pollution, you can see nature uninterrupted both in the day and at night. The waters of Big Sur are there to be admired, but not sampled as its cliffs are jagged and its waters cold and wild. Not surprisingly, this stretch of road is one of California’s most popular tourist destinations, be warned in peak time this can lead to heavy traffic.
As Big Sur is so underdeveloped, real estate is at a premium and so you’ll see that reflected in some of the hotel’s price points. Very much in the spirit of when in Rome, we opted to stay at one of the world’s greatest hotels, the adults-only, Post Ranch Inn. This eco-resort is nestled on the clifftop and is set in 150 acres of lush green grounds home to many local species, including providing a safe haven for endangered butterflies and frogs.
The hotel is made up of a series of wooden cabins and treehouses, which are rustic and sympathetic to the landscape and either face the woodlands or the ocean. The ocean rooms have sweeping and uninterrupted views of the Pacific Ocean and even the beds are positioned so you can watch the nighttime shooting star show. A handful of the rooms also have outdoor bathtubs, perfect for a dip with a glass of wine. Naturally, local wines are another leading lady in this show.
The ethos at The Post Ranch Inn is to switch off and enjoy nature and whilst tech is not banned, this is the place to put the phone to one side and take a walk instead.
The Award-winning Sierra Mar restaurant is a glass box that appears to be suspended above the cliff and serves locally sourced fine dining Californian food and wines. There is an outdoor bar too if you want to watch the sunset outside.
This luxurious and unique resort is romantic, restorative, and exclusive. Whilst the uniqueness of this resort is reflected in the price tag, The Post Ranch Inn offers some of the best views of the Big Sur, daily yoga, guided nature walks, meditations, tours of the chef’s garden, and stargazing as you’ve never seen before, all included when you stay. Take a peek of their views from the live webcam.
Bixby Bridge
Heading north on the Pacific Coast Highway from The Post Ranch Inn, you’ll arrive at Bixby Creek Bridge, just before Carmel by the Sea and Monterey (Monterey is famed by the 2017 TV series Big Little Lies).
Built in 1932, the Bixby bridge offers ocean views and prime sunset viewing and has featured on countless TV shows, commercials, and movies. You’ll awe at the architectural brilliance as Bixby bridge connects two cliff edges and stands tall over the valley below.
San Francisco
If you liked this trip, you might also like this cycling adventure across Central America.