Why You Should Visit Big Sur, California, in 2019

The Pacific Coast Highway, photo by MONK/Relaximages

California’s Highway 1—a.k.a. the Pacific Coast Highway—runs about 1,050 kilometres from San Francisco to Los Angeles. Its incredible Pacific views and place in popular culture has made it the site of epic road trips since the late 1920s. Nearly a kilometre of the highway was destroyed after a landslide in May 2017, making access to towns, such as Big Sur, difficult or, in some cases, impossible. Last July, after 14 months of work, the highway fully reopened and the area is welcoming visitors.

Here are three spots to visit around Big Sur

1. Ventana Big Sur, an Alila Resort

Formerly the Ventana Inn, access to this hotel was nearly cut off following the slides. As a result, the owners took time to refresh the property, updating the 59 rooms, suites and villas, and adding 15 glamping tents.

ventanabigsur.com

2. Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park

The majority of the park’s trails have reopened; take the Buzzard’s Roost Trail and wander alongside the Big Sur River, past towering redwood trees, up to a ridge that offers killer views.

parks.ca.gov

3. Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn

Surrounded by a redwood forest, this rustic property is on the National Register of Historic Places. A few of the rambling resort’s cabins remain closed, but the onsite restaurant serves up one of the best breakfasts around.

deetjens.com

Read more: 26 Reasons to Travel in 2019, From ‘A’ to ‘Z’

[This story appears in the January 2019 issue of WestJet Magazine]

Salvation Mountain, photo by Richard Wong/Alamy

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