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All 20 Big Sur Attractions »

Pfeiffer Big State Beach

Highway 1, Big Sur, CA
831-667-2315
Ranked #1 of 14 attractions in Big Sur
4.5 of 5 stars 94 Reviews
Type: Beaches
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94 reviews from our community

Visitor rating
    79
    11
    2
    0
    2
Date Rating
Beachmuse63
Senior Contributor
39 reviews 39 reviews
Reviews in 18 cities Reviews in 18 cities
8 helpful votes 8 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed May 25, 2012 NEW

Love this area of Cali but to windy and cold to stay long. Coming back in August. More

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See 4 more reviews by Beachmuse63 for Big Sur
Senior Contributor
42 reviews 42 reviews
Reviews in 13 cities Reviews in 13 cities
13 helpful votes 13 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed May 25, 2012 NEW

There isn't a huge sign off the Pacific Coast Highway and then down a single lane to this state park. but if you are lucky enough to find it, you will be blown away by the natural beauty. The weather is very erratic in this part of California. If you go in the morning, chances are that you will encounter... More

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Los Gatos, California
Reviewer
4 reviews 4 reviews
5 of 5 stars Reviewed May 24, 2012 NEW

Grab a sandwich and a beer at the Big Sur Deli and head out for the day.... More

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See 3 more reviews by Philippe B for Big Sur
Greenbrier, AR
Contributor
14 reviews 14 reviews
Reviews in 6 cities Reviews in 6 cities
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
5 of 5 stars Reviewed May 22, 2012 NEW

My wife & I went there 1 day on our honeymoon & it was amazing. I wish we could've stayed until sunset. It was very windy & the sand is pretty rough but it was worth it. The views are awesome. More

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Columbus
Senior Contributor
25 reviews 25 reviews
Reviews in 7 cities Reviews in 7 cities
2 helpful votes 2 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed May 21, 2012 NEW

Amazing beach!! It's a bit of a drive from Monterey but the drive is gorgeous. I wish we had left sooner with plans to spend the day there. The beach was beautiful, the water fun, especially the large tidal pool, and the giant sand dune was fun too!! Sadly we were only there for an hour or two.... If you're... More

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Dana Point, California
Reviewer
3 reviews 3 reviews
2 helpful votes 2 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed May 20, 2012 NEW

It is very windy there but the lavender sand was amazing! Some people didn't seem to mind the wind, shirtless and playing frisbee but I, on the other hand, had my hoodie zipped all the way up and was shielding my eyes from sand. Try getting down there, it is a one lane, two might steep drive down to the... More

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See 2 more reviews by Rebecca S for Big Sur
2 reviews
5 of 5 stars Reviewed May 19, 2012

Overall beautiful location. We came mid morning on a Saturday. There were not a ton of people here yet which made for a nice time walking around and admiring the beauty of the place. With the wind, it's definitely not your laying out type of beach but it was still a very enjoyable visit. I can imagine it would be... More

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syracuse
Reviewer
3 reviews 3 reviews
5 of 5 stars Reviewed May 19, 2012

Just amazing, its a great experience to see a waterfall meeting the ocean! More

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delaware
Senior Contributor
30 reviews 30 reviews
Reviews in 18 cities Reviews in 18 cities
17 helpful votes 17 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed May 17, 2012
1
person found this review helpful

Entrance to the beach is unmarked, between the Pfeiffer state park entrance and US Post Office (closer to the later), going downhill to the west for two miles. Admission is $5. You will find sand beach mixed with exotic looking huge rocks, purple sands mixed with regular sands. A few fresh water creeks flowing into the ocean. The best time... More

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See 2 more reviews by nanoDelaware for Big Sur
Mount Vernon, Ohio
Senior Reviewer
7 reviews 7 reviews
Reviews in 4 cities Reviews in 4 cities
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
5 of 5 stars Reviewed May 16, 2012

This beach is amazing. The rocks and mountains make it very picturesque. We had no issues with high winds and there was hardly anyone there when we went, except some surfers. Highly recommend this gorgeous beach! More

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