Your Big Sur CME conference.

Big Sur after your study day

Study days finish at 2:00 PM Pacific time. For an easy afternoon, choose one outing near where you stay: the redwoods and river at Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, the meadows and river mouth at Andrew Molera State Park, or the waterfall lookout at Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park. Leave time for slow coastal driving, and plan to finish before dark, because the state parks listed here are day-use areas that close at sunset.

Travel, lodging and park entry are arranged separately. Your conference is built around your specialty and interests; Big Sur is simply the setting you choose for it.

Redwoods and the river valley

Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park is on Highway 1 about 26 miles south of Carmel, near mile marker 47.2. The park lets visitors experience the region’s coast redwoods and has a Redwood Grove Boardwalk and a River Path. When the park page was checked, some trails, including the routes to Valley View and Pfeiffer Falls, were closed for recovery after a fire, so check current status before choosing a walk. The Big Sur River enters the park at a gorge beneath peaks that tower above it. Dogs are allowed only on the River Path and Warden’s Path.

The park has no beach or ocean access. Pfeiffer Beach is a separate site that is not part of the state park, with its turnoff on Highway 1 about a mile south of the park entrance.

Coastal stops along Highway 1

Garrapata State Park lies about 18 miles north of Big Sur and 6.7 miles south of Rio Road in Carmel. Its Soberanes Canyon Trail runs about 1.25 miles to the back of the canyon, and the park says gray whales pass close to shore during their yearly migration. Sea lions, harbor seals and sea otters also frequent the nearby waters, and a short climb of about 50 feet leads to a viewpoint over the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. The park warns visitors to take extreme care when parking and crossing Highway 1, because of the high volume of visitors.

Andrew Molera State Park is 20 miles south of Carmel and covers almost 5,000 acres, with about 15 miles of trails, beach access and the mouth of the Big Sur River. It also holds Cooper Cabin, which the park calls the oldest building in Big Sur, and a condor discovery center. Dogs are not allowed, and neighboring ranch land is private, so stay on park trails.

Point Sur State Historic Park centers on a light station on a 361-foot volcanic rock. It can be seen only on a docent-led tour, offered on set days and not by reservation, and the lightstation tour is described as about three hours and strenuous, with steep, unshaded paths. Compare the tour days and start times with your 2:00 PM finish, and call the park to confirm, since tours can be cancelled in bad weather.

McWay Falls

Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park is known mainly for McWay Falls, an 80-foot waterfall that spills onto a beach. The park is clear that there is no beach or ocean access at the falls and that the cliff areas beyond the fences are off limits, so plan on looking rather than descending. Dogs are not allowed.

Guided outings and longer hikes

The Big Sur chamber describes numerous day hikes of all difficulties, plus multi-day backpacking in the Ventana Wilderness. It also points to guided hiking, vehicle and van tours, including condor-watching tours, and a calendar of local music, whale watching and festivals. Book any guided outing ahead and compare its schedule with your 2:00 PM finish. The chamber also lists beaches, hot springs and restaurants with ocean, redwood or river views.

When to visit Big Sur

Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park says summer brings foggy mornings that usually burn off by midday, with daytime highs typically in the 70s to 80s°F. In winter, daytime temperatures can range from the low 50s to the mid 70s°F and nights can fall into the 30s to 50s. The Big Sur chamber advises bringing layers because an afternoon can be sunny while the evening turns very cool, and it notes that evenings can offer clear skies.

Shift’s milder travel months here are May–June and September–October. Highway 1 is the only access to Big Sur, so check current road conditions before you drive.

Getting to Big Sur and your study setting

The Big Sur chamber describes the area as a 90-mile stretch of rugged coastline south of the Monterey Peninsula, reached only by California Highway 1, which hugs the coast along the Santa Lucia mountain range. Monterey Regional Airport lists rideshares, taxis and buses for arriving passengers. Because the highway is the only road, check how far your lodging is from the places you want to visit.

The map shows straight-line distances from Shift’s designated center. These are orientation distances, not driving distances or travel-time estimates. Check your exact address against the conference’s check-in area before booking.