Big Sur
A cool experience with 6 to 10 mile hikes
Driving to and sleeping at a campground
Ideal for first-timers
Trip · 3-day camping trip
For · Romantic partners
Vibe · Moderate and fun
Reservations · Yes, reserve a site at Ventana Campground
Drive · 3 hours from SF
Ideal dates · April to October
Pets · Welcome at camp, but not on most trails
Big Sur is a 90-mile stretch of land that hugs California's Central Coast. Its breathtaking beauty and foggy wonders has drawn famous writers like Henry Miller and Jack Kerouac for good reason. Dotted with a number of state parks, beaches, and hiking trails, Big Sur is an idyllic camping destination. Watch dramatic sunsets, meditate to rhythmic waves, and taste the ocean air. Reconnect with yourself and loved ones in this glittering gem next to the Pacific Ocean.
Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park Website
Andrew Molera State Park Website
Main image credit: Jeremy Bishop
Each campsite comes with a:
Tucked into a 40-acre redwood canyon, Ventana Campground is for campers who want a touch of lux. Sleep beneath the stars while having access to bath houses, showers ($2 for every 5 minutes), and a general store on site that sells firewood and ice. This private, tent-only campground has glamping tents and campsites, but both can sell out fast, especially during the summer. Two pets are allowed at each campsite, but doggos aren't allowed on most trails in Big Sur.
Check-in: 4 PM · Check-out: 11 AM
View Ventana Campground Map
Nightly Fee: $80
John Pfeiffer sold 700 acres of his family's land to CA in 1933. The state named Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, and more, after him.
Esselen and Rumsien people were the first inhabitants in Big Sur about 8,000 years ago.
The Spanish used to call the area "el país grande del sur," the big country of the south. Thanks to English settlers, it became Big Sur in 1915.
You won't be saving money, but you'll save space and weight with these camp sandals.
Clothes
Sleepover! This is a tent you can stand up in and have plenty of space for air mattresses, doggos, and more.
Shared Gear
A reliable, popular, and relatively affordable dual-burner camping stove that is fairly heavy, but performs well.
Kitchen
It's pricey, but the New York Times' Wirecutter recommended this attachment as a way for wheelchair users to navigate uneven terrain.
Essential Items
Instead of transporting stuff on your lap, use this storage bag to easily store items underneath your wheelchair.
Essential Items
Never dig around your pack to find some hand sanitizer. Instead, hang this one on the outside of your pack.
Personal Stuff
If you're an experienced backpacker, this is the lightest full-size, full-featured, frameless pack made.
Essential Items
Add a little magic to your experience by hanging these twinkling lights around your tent every night.
Shared Gear
Sometimes you just want a camp chair that gets the job done. Nothing glamorous or fancy. Well, this is it.
Shared Gear
The more you backpack the lighter your shelter becomes, and the lighter it is, the more expensive it can be.
Shared Gear
Camp underneath the stars and watch glorious sunrises in Joshua Tree National Park, the second largest national park in California.
