Having had our fill of the tourist trap that is Monterey, we were keen to continue our journey south to Big Sur. It is no exaggeration to say that this section of Central California has some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. You could stare at the jagged cliffs and the cerulean sea for the rest of your life and never tire of the view.
Getting there, however, was a challenge. Torrential rain last winter resulted in massive mud and rock slides, closing large sections of US-1 in and around Big Sur. It wouldn’t be California without natural disasters. The state has done a remarkable job repairing the damage, but the section near Mud Creek remained closed, meaning a long detour to get to our destination, The Ragged Point Inn (‘inn’ being a stretch; it’s more like a motel). This meant driving east to the 101 (it seems that in California all freeway designations are prefixed by ‘the’), then back west to US-1, then north to the inn which was just south of the blockage. Frustrating for sure, but this is a road trip.
Nacimiento-Ferguson Highway
The recommended detour would have taken us completely around the park, missing much of the scenic vistas that make the drive enjoyable. Another less frequented route is the Nacimiento-Ferguson Road, listed as one of the most dangerous roads in America. The road is very steep, winding, one-and-a-half car lanes wide, has no guard rails, and boasts thousand-foot drops into a canyon. All of the locals we asked either had never heard of the road or had never driven on it. Those who had any information wouldn’t recommend it under any circumstances. For us this was catnip. We cast off with nary a second thought.
The drive was not nearly as treacherous as we were led to believe, although our top speed was probably no more than 25 mph and my hands remained at 10-and-2 for the entire journey.
Ragged Point Inn
Beer and Sunset
Big Sur View
Money Shot
Blocking the View
More Natural Beauty
Seals in Repose
More Happy Seals
No trip to Big Sur is complete without a visit to Hearst Castle. Wikipedia and the photos below pretty much sum up the experience. As luck would have it, we toured the estate on the birthday (plus one) of the world’s most famous Hearst.
The Castle
The View
Roman Pool
Kelly at the Roman Pool
A Different Kind of Pool
Dining Room
Art and Fireplace in the Great Room
And one parting comment. All of our accommodations on this trip have been first-rate, with the Ragged Point Inn being the one disappointment. As I mentioned above, it’s really a motel with a very good restaurant and stunning views. The rooms, however, look as if they haven’t seen an update since the Ford administration. While there are not many places to stay in Big Sur, there are better, albeit more expensive options.