The bad news for drivers is that this section of CA 1 is a somewhat narrow two-lane road that incessantly turns, following the contours of the coastline. Gawkers, curves and frequent stops to appreciate the scenery conspire, resulting in a drive that may yield more photographs per mile than miles per hour.
See It Now: Photo Tour
Here are a few tips and ideas to make your drive its most pleasant:
- Check your gas gauge. There no gasoline available in the 40-mile stretch of highway south of Big Sur Center.
- Allow plenty of time. Assume you will average about 30 miles per hour (45 kph). This means that a round trip between Hearst Castle and Big Sur can take most of a day.
- If anyone in your party suffers from motion sickness, be prepared. If that party is an adult, let them drive.
- If you are driving only one way through Big Sur, try to drive from south to north. You will be driving on the insides of the curves and views are clearer toward the north.
- If you are driving both ways (making a round trip to Hearst Castle from Big Sur, for example), avoid crossing traffic to see things on the opposite side of the road. Save them for the return trip instead.
- If you are driving on the outside of the curves with a nervous passenger (and no cars coming toward you), drive on the "turtles" in the middle of the road. The noise they make will reassure your anxious rider that you are well away from the edge of the pavement.
- CA1 is prone to landslides during rainy winters. Check its condition before you go.
It's always good practice to follow these safety tips, but they become even more important along this busy highway:
- Drive defensively
- Buckle up!
- Pull over if too many cars are following you (but only when you can do so safely)
- Don't pass where there are double yellow lines
