Big Sur

[Bullet]

I'm finally going out to Big Sur! Never been on the West Coast before, so just wondering if anyone had any Big Sur-specific travel/squatting/destination tips or stories. Anything at all is helpful. I don't know a single thing about the physical place and have no contacts out there, but I'm looking forward to exploring! Thanks

 

[CdCase123]

piss easy camping. piss easy hitching. worry-free scenery. hearst beach on the southern portion of big sur has an outside shower and little grills with plenty of firewood lying around, and surfers listening to aphex twin. towns are cute. go explore the trails. big sur is a breaze. i love that place

 

[Bullet]

Nice. I finally ran into someone who has been there and said basically the same thing. I can't wait!

 

[Angela]

piss easy camping. piss easy hitching. worry-free scenery. hearst beach on the southern portion of big sur has an outside shower and little grills with plenty of firewood lying around, and surfers listening to aphex twin. towns are cute. go explore the trails. big sur is a breaze. i love that place

Ditto, go enjoy!

 

[stove]

i hitched through there earlier this summer, and while I was initially a bit despondent trying to hitch out early morning (LOW traffic volume in the offseason), it was, as everyone said, piss-easy once cars actually start to drive by.

I didn't get a chance to see it, but a friend whom was headed up there as I was leaving mentioned some hot springs about 10 miles INLAND. It's a bit of a hike, but if you ask around you should be able to get directions to the trail to get up there. Enjoy!

 

[freepizzaforlife]

big sur is one of my favorite places to hitch through, and I always make it through there every time I go to the west coast. I love hitching highway 1 in general. its way easy to get rides, spange, find places to sleep, etc etc. right before you go through big sur going south in carmel, there is a safeway grocery store, made about 50 bucks in 30 minutes spanging there, needless to say I got really drunk that night. you shouldn't have problems finding places to sleep.

 

[Bullet]

Nice. Looks like I'll be hitching out within the next couple of days.

 

[stove]

oh yeah, and if you'[re going southbound, at the same said safeway, about 100 yards south, you can sleep under a pretty long bridge to stay out of the rain (if there is any). Just something I remembered.

 

[freepizzaforlife]

yeah, I slept under the same bridge, its really big. and you stay dry. made a fire under there, which wasen't the best idea, but we were cold. met some nice canadian lady inside, who had been living in her van in the parking lot, she bought me and my road dog at the time squirrel a carton of reds, gave us 50 dollars each, and 2 coffees before we left the next morning. still stay in contact with her. one of the nicest people ive ever met traveling.

 

[Bullet]

wow! that's amazing! what an angel.

 

[freepizzaforlife]

yeah, for some reason. ive gotten some pretty rediculious kickdowns. shit I shouldn't of even gotten.

 

[CdCase123]

met some nice canadian lady inside, who had been living in her van in the parking lot, she bought me and my road dog at the time squirrel a carton of reds, gave us 50 dollars each, and 2 coffees before we left the next morning. still stay in contact with her. one of the nicest people ive ever met traveling.

doesn't sound like the richest person either. funny how some of the poorest people [usually] tend to be some of the most generous

 

[freepizzaforlife]

yeah, ive also noticed this. shows there are still REAL human beings out there.

 

[Bullet]

Just wanted to update y'all on what's going on up in the Big Sur area. If you happen to pass through here, there is a place called WhaleWatchers (resort or restaurant, or something) South of Big Sur about 50 miles (?) that is pretty fancy looking, but the kids there are awesome. You can travel through here and work for a couple of weeks if you want to make some money. They give you a shack for free with a million dollar view in addition to pay. If you're in the area I recommend stopping by and being nice to those guys. There's no way you would want to pay for anything there, because it's all hella expensive, but they gave me some free beer and partied with me.
I didn't end up camping in the Big Sur woods area. It was surprisingly cold and I hitched out to Monterey instead of staying there.

 

[Bullet]

Just wanted to update y'all on what's going on up in the Big Sur area. If you happen to pass through here, there is a place called WhaleWatchers (resort or restaurant, or something) South of Big Sur about 50 miles (?) that is pretty fancy looking, but the kids there are awesome. You can travel through here and work for a couple of weeks if you want to make some money. They give you a shack for free with a million dollar view in addition to pay. If you're in the area I recommend stopping by and being nice to those guys. There's no way you would want to pay for anything there, because it's all hella expensive, but they gave me some free beer and partied with me.
I didn't end up camping in the Big Sur woods area. It was surprisingly cold and I hitched out to Monterey instead of staying there.

 

[compass]

Where is this place? Ragged Point, Gorda, Lucia, or further north?

 

[Bullet]

I just looked it up. It's in Gorda Springs, which is South of Big Sur proper. It's right on Hwy 1. Don't even try to buy anything in the cafe there, it's crazy expensive...but there is a general store next door. Here's their website: Gorda Springs Resort
I was just reading reviews on the place from "travelers" who stayed in the rooms, and it seems that everyone thinks the place is gross and has "outdated furniture". Oh horrors...I slept in a broken down RV with a sweet little traveling kid and had more than a great time.

 

[Mouse]

sounds liek some great tips. once I get baack on the road I want to hit that area up. I convinced my boyfriend (who is a bit weary of my travling ways and isn't sure if he can hack it) that we can go to big sur and he can get a job in the naitonal park as seruity so he can say he worked the same job hunter s thompson had years ago. he's eye lit up a lil when I mentioned this. he seems to think my traveling only consists of being wasted and not bathing lol. I gots PLANS

 

[Bullet]

hahaha, that's hilarious.

 

[Calea Spots]

big sur is one of the most beautiful places i've ever been, i hitched through there with a buddy in the spring and we got stuck there for a day and a half... best wait ever! got smoked out three times and a surfer kid pulled over to give us both shots of rum before driving off. after spending the day buzzed and hanging out on one of the many scenic view shoulders we headed into the hills and found an abandoned stable to sleep. til the mice woke us up climbing all over our sleeping bags. so we decided to hike all night down the highway. beautiful hills to the left, vast ocean to the right, stars up above, and the sea lions "howling" (for lack of a better word) at the full moon!