To
Point Lobos State Reserve—head 4 mi/6 km south to this beautiful area. The beaches there, like those in Big Sur, are dramatically beautiful. Plan to spend a day at Point Lobos, but be sure to go early—a limited number of people are allowed in at a time. If it has reached its capacity, you may have to wait for someone to leave before you can enter. The park's well-defined and paved walking trails capture the best of the entire region, passing rocky ocean cliffs. Take along binoculars to look for otters, sea lions and whales. China Cove's beach is one of the few places along the northern coast that is (relatively) free of dangerous riptides, and Whalers Cove is one of the safest places for scuba diving. If you plan to scuba dive, you need to make a reservation and pay a small fee in advance for weekend dives. No reservation is needed for weekdays. If you go into the water, don't disturb even a rock in the tidal pools—this is a delicately balanced (and protected) ecosystem.
Local Tours
Big Sur Tours (phone 831-657-9442) and Central Coast Cab Co. (phone 831-646-8294) offer private customized tours of the area.
