Yeah! A vista point along the Pacific Coast Highway in Big Sur that a fellow yelper already…read morecreated a business entry for, that I can just tack onto. The Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park Vista Point was our lucky thirteenth stop (09:49), and it had the easiest on/off of all the scenic points during our trip. The large paved parking lot is accessed through a side road from the main highway, and is big enough to handle RV parking. The entrance to this side road has a dedicated left turning lane for northbound traffic, so is easily accessible (in/out) from both directions. We visited a lot of places with the Pfeiffer family name this day. Specifically, Julia Pfeiffer Burns, the daughter of the original couple that were one of the first European settlers of the region. Julia took over management of the family ranch, and was an influential figure of the region in the early 1900's.

I wish I knew the exact address to this place but this place was absolutely gorgeous. Along the way…read morenorth or southbound Highway 1, there are so many different Vista Points to see but I have to say that this is one of my favorites. Here are some of the reasons why this is one of my favorite Vista Points on Highway 1: - There is a dedicated parking lot for this vista point that is completely blocked off Highway 1 with ample parking. - There are quite a bit of different signs that have various information about the area. One of which is about condors which made me look out for those majestic birds which I was able to see quite a few. - There's a pretty unobstructed view of the rolling mountains heading straight into the sea. I love that the California coastline is in full view. - The point at which the vista point is located is pretty high so you can see the seemingly never-ending ocean and watch the sunset. Overall, I love this Vista Point and I can't wait to go back to see all of its beauty.

This is a privately owned home so there is no tour. It sold to a new owner I believe in 2023. You…read morecan see the exterior from the road. It is worth a visit if you are a Frank Lloyd Wright fan. You can park nearby for free and walk over and see the exterior of the home overlooking the water. It is a pretty area. Hard to rate when you are unable to see the interior. So it is worth seeing but the experience isn't ideal since there is no interior access nor tour. Glad I saw though.

You can see the house from the street through the gate, but also from the beautiful white sand…read morebeach. It's a lovely neighborhood and no problem parking and the beach is BIG. Prepare to walk a lot if you want to see more of the house. It's on a promontory rock, and you have to walk out to the water to really see it. I walked all through the neighborhood--there's a historic home from a famous poet among other things. A nice trip even if you cannot get a tour because it's a private home. I also recommend the drive down the coastal highway. Makes a great stop on a scenic drive. I drove all the way down to the Esalen Institute where the road was barricaded about a mile further down and it was worth driving down there for the smell alone, let alone the absolutely stunning scenery and views. Just a tip!

These enchanting homes, often called the Comstock cottages, are a hallmark of Carmel's unique…read morecharacter. They were designed and built primarily in the 1920s by Hugh Comstock--initially to showcase his wife Mayotta Brown's popular "Otsy‑Totsy" rag dolls. One of the most famous ones is Hansel and Gretel, created in 1924, and located Torres Street, between 5th and 6th Avenues. Enthralled by the first cottages, Carmel residents began commissioning Comstock to build similar homes. Over time, this blossomed into a small architectural movement--by the late 1920s and into the 1930s, around 21 Comstock cottages had been built across the town. Absolutely stunning!!! Suggested route -- and the route we took is: 1.) Go to the Carmel Visitor Center on Ocean Avenue between Junipero Street & Mission Street. Park your car nearby and do a self-guided walking tour. 2.) Pick up a map at the Visitor Center, take a "fairy-tale cottages" handout or take a picture of the handout. 3.) The walking tour is about 1-1.2 miles only. Very enjoyable walk. Small elevation. Wear comfortable shoes. Enjoy!!!

While in Carmel by the Sea we did a nice stroll into the neighborhood looking for the Hansel and…read moreGretel Cottages. I am giving 4 stars for the peaceful and scenic walk away from the hustle and bustle of the main street tourist area. I would give the walking tour 3 stars as the houses are not clearly marked and difficult to determine what we were looking at. That being said the cottages we stopped to look at were beautiful and very well maintained. Its worth the effort and time to go on this adventure. There are a few dramatically modern homes built in the neighborhood as well which seem out of place considering we were looking for fairy tale cottages. The walk is a bit hilly so plan accordingly. Nice and peaceful, be considerate as people do live in these adjacent homes.

The Soledad Mission is a beautiful place to stop and explore CA history. I especially enjoyed the…read moregardens and old trees. The ruins in the back were fascinating. My only suggestion is that they clean the fountain and add water plants so that the koi fish can survive. The Santa Barbara Mission did that with their koi fountain and it looks beautiful & healthy.

I really enjoyed my visit Mission Soledad. Although this mission is much smaller than many of the…read moreother missions in California, there is still plenty of beauty to see along your visit. I also wanted to mention that the two women that worked the gift shop works extremely welcoming and treated my wife and I and our son like family. The view surrounding the mission was also breathtaking hills and mountains of luscious California farmland. It definitely made me proud of being born and raised right here in the central Valley of California.

Carmel Mission Basilica (formal name 'San Carlos Borroméo de Carmelo') is one of six minor…read morebasilicas in the state of California (five being former Spanish missions). It is the oldest one, founded in 1770, and elevated to basilica status by Pope John XXIII in 1960. My wife, her mom, and I visited it during a late Sunday afternoon during our first day in Carmel, and found it to be a great, worthwhile experience, especially if one is Roman Catholic. The basilica is still a working parish, so parking during non-mass hours was easy to find. A ticket booth was set-up at the visitor entrance, with cost of $15 per adult ($13 for senior). There is an adjacent gift shop that doesn't require admission and sells all the various religious items that one would expect from a religious tourist attraction. We ended up spending about 90 minutes here (there is a lot of information here, along with a lot to see). -- Founding priest was Junipero Serra ("Apostle of California"). He was canonized by Pope Francis in 2015, and his shrine/remains are interned here. -- Only U.S. church visited by a pontiff during a papal visit: Pope John Paul II in 1987. He paid homage to Father Serra, and laid flowers at the tomb. This visit is clearly commemorated. -- the Munras Family Heritage Museum is worth going to, to see a short movie about the prominent Monterey family, along with early California artifacts from the family. -- the Nativity scene was one of the most intricate -- the large courtyard is a good place to stop and admire the architecture of a California Spanish mission, along with a thick trunk Cork Oak tree By the time we were leaving, the ticket office had closed (last call is at 16:30, to allow everyone to have enough time before official close at 18:00).

My friends took me to the Basilica and we enjoyed walking around the grounds and visiting the…read morevarious Chapels within the site. It is also the final resting spot of Saint Junipero Serra, the Founding Father of California. Pope John Paul II visited here in 1987 and is recognized in the Our Lady of Bethlehem Chapel, which is a beautiful, small chapel with a confessional from years ago. The Mission Cemetery is the final resting place for some members of this Parish. It also includes a symbolic cemetery representing the hundreds of indigenous people buried here and the surrounding area. These grave sites are adorned with abalone shells as an honorary recognition of their cultural presence to the area. There are several museums on site, beautiful artwork and religious artifacts as well as an extensive courtyard to wander around. Finally, there is a display of the final resting place for Saint Junipero as well as reproductions of other parts of the Basilica back in the day. The price of $15 for adults/$12 for seniors may be a little steep for families, but it is worthwhile to explore the history of the renowned Basilica.

I wrote several emails to this Chamber letting them know about the dishonest business practices of…read morea business in their community offering services not offered on their website. I told them that they need to revoke the business license of Signature Day Spa because I was charged close to $700 and never got deep tissue massages nor the services I made my reservations for. I was told to contact Monterey County DA's Office and nothing was done to protect consumers who have complained about this woman. I will post my email to them so others are warned.

Carmel's Visitor Center - Chamber of Commerce staff couldn't have been more gracious and helpful in…read moregiving us the information we need to make our Easter vacation in this lovely little town much more pleasant and budget friendly. They have detailed maps of downtown and an assortment of brochures and literatures which will give you a good idea of places to hit and see. I personally asked for the "Wine-Walk" map which showcases the many emerging wineries of the area. The Chamber also have the Wine-walk vouchers which allows you to hit all the participating wineries at a very reasonable cost (9 vouchers for $65.00) You could also use these vouchers to waive the corkage fee in participating restaurants in the area. We had a great experience and a big help from the Chamber of Commerce - Visitor center staff. I highly suggest paying them a visit prior to exploring this picturesque little town. Enjoy!

So many communities have libraries - I love to take a look on my travels! Some are all new, some…read morehave 3D printers or "reading caves" for kids.... THIS Library is a gem- beautiful with a fantastic selection, new books quiet reference areas and so well-kept. It has a large reference section and the top floor is fiction. Built in 1923, a memorial for Judge Harrington. WOW! It has a working fire place! A calm place to learn and centrally located.

First time there. Didn't know there was a separate library for young kids and teens. Now we do. We…read morehappened to pick the week that the kids library was closed for whatever reason and would reopen the following week. So we decided to stay. It was close to 5:30 pm so we thought we would have a good half hour before they closed at 6pm. At 10 minutes to 6 some person walked by and said the library was closing and within seconds turned the lights in the room off. It wasn't completely dark but enough to not be able to see writings clearly. It would have been nice to get a 10 min or so warning that they would be turning the lights off so we could wrap up what we were doing. That's so rude! Our local library is the Monterey Library but since we were in Carmel we thought we would save commute time and use it at the Carmel library. Turns out that was not the case. Our local library gives a 30 min, 15 min, then a 10 (or 5?) min notice of closing time and then even at closing time does not turn the lights off on anyone . I guess the Carmel library staff are all very anxious to get home. Just know if you go there near closing time that you will be rushed out the door very rudely and treated like you are taking up their precious time.

I have had a P.O. Box at the Big Sur Post Office for over 18 years. Postmaster Andrew and his…read moreassistant Andy are a "treasure" and among the nicest people you will ever meet. This post office has enormous and unusual challenges with the road conditions and road closures on Highway 1. Somehow, Andrew has managed to "get the job done" -- often going so much out of his way to serve the travelling public and the residents of Big Sur. Andrew and Andy are very fine people and I cannot overstate their value to the community.

I, Tom, from The Villages, Florida, just want to say how pleased I was with my first experience of…read morecustomer service at Big Sur post office. On June 6, 2025, I mailed, outgoing, nine envelopes (bills). When I handed these envelopes to Andy, I asked him when mail will leave the post office. He replied, mail is picked up by 4:00 p.m. Then I asked him again when I returned to make sure they were to go out. He was so assuring that these mailing would go out at 4 p.m. To my surprise, one of the mailings addressed to The Villages, Florida arrived and was posted Monday, June 9th. This means it arrived to the addressee on Monday and yes, was processed the same day. My point is, this mailing addressed to Florida, 3,000 miles, over a weekend and how quickly it was received. I want to commend Andy for being so patient with my concern and providing great customer service. Andy, has a wonderful personality and I ask that he be commended for his professional service. Andy, represents the U.S. Post Office with exceptional customer service and willing to provide one assurance of ones mail being in good hands. As a side Bar: Trying to convivence Andy to move to a post office in the tax-free Republican State of Florida.