Big Sur with Kids: Best Things to Do on a Family Trip

Big Sur is famous for being beautiful. But if you Google it, one photo shows up again and again: McWay Falls, the 80-foot waterfall dropping into the sand inside a turquoise cove. That’s the image most people picture when they think of Big Sur (cover image of this post).

What actually makes this stretch different is the mountains, not just the water. The Santa Lucia Mountains rise straight out of the Pacific here. Cone Peak climbs to nearly a mile above sea level just a few miles from shore – the steepest coastal terrain in the contiguous US.

Highway 1 winds along cliffs cut directly into that drop. Much of the land around it is protected from development by design. You won’t find strip malls or high-rises breaking up the view. That combination – steep elevation change, redwood forest, and undeveloped land packed close together – is what separates Big Sur from the rest of the coast. It’s also where the name comes from. Spanish settlers in Monterey called this wild, unmapped land to their south “El Sur Grande,” the big south.

This post takes you through the attractions that run along Highway 1 roughly north to south. That way you can hit these in order whether you’re coming from Carmel/Monterey or heading up from the south. Plan on 2-3 hours of actual driving time for the full stretch – more like a full day once you factor in stops.

Before you go: There’s almost no flat land between the mountains and the water here. That’s why Highway 1 is carved directly into the cliffside, often hundreds of feet above the ocean. It also means the road is prone to closures from landslides and storm damage. Always check Caltrans QuickMap before you drive down, especially in winter. Cell service is patchy to nonexistent for long stretches, so download offline maps ahead of time.

How Many Days Do You Need?

A single day trip through Big Sur is doable if you’re just hitting the highlights. But it’s a rushed, in-and-out-of-the-car kind of day with young kids. Two to three nights lets you actually get out and hike, without racing the sunset to your next stop. If you’re deciding where to stay, I’ve got separate posts on 🛌Big Sur hotels and ⛺Big Sur glamping, depending on what your family’s into.

Bixby Creek Bridge

Best for: a quick photo stop, not much for kids to do beyond looking

This is the bridge you’ve seen in a hundred California road trip photos. It’s worth the two minutes it takes to pull over. There’s not much to occupy kids here beyond the view itself, so treat it as a stretch break rather than a destination.

Practical notes:

• No entrance fee
• Parking is limited and fills up fast on nice days. You can park on both sides of the road at the north end of the bridge
• No restrooms or facilities

Andrew Molera State Park

Best for: an easy hike, condor spotting, and a beach that’s usually less crowded than Pfeiffer’s. A quintessential northern California park.

This is the park I’d pick first if my kids needed to burn energy. The Beach Trail is flat and easy, following the Big Sur River out to a beach. It sees noticeably fewer people than Pfeiffer Beach down the road. If you’re visiting between Memorial Day and Labor Day, the Ventana Wildlife Society runs a Discovery Center here with free condor tours and presentations. It’s a good way to get kids invested in the giant birds they might spot circling overhead later in the trip.

Practical notes:

• $10 day-use fee covers this park plus the others in the Big Sur State Parks system
• Beach Trail is about 2 miles round trip and mostly flat
• Condor Discovery Center open Memorial Day-Labor Day only – check the schedule before you go
• Horse rides available in summer for an extra fee

Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park

Best for: redwoods, a river to splash in, and a home base if you’re staying nearby

This park does double duty as a hiking spot, and (if you’re staying at Big Sur Lodge) your actual home base. The Redwood Deck is an easy, flat walk if you just want to stand under enormous trees for a few minutes. For more of a hike, take the Pfeiffer Falls Trail to the fork, then head toward Valley View Overlook rather than the falls themselves. The payoff is better: wide views over the Big Sur River Valley that kids can actually appreciate.

Walks through redwoods are just magical.

Practical notes:

• $10 day-use fee (same pass covers other Big Sur state parks same day)
• Pfeiffer Falls/Valley View Trail is a short, moderate hike with some elevation
• The Big Sur River has calm spots for wading in summer
• No day-use reservation needed; camping reservations book out 6 months ahead

Pfeiffer Beach

Best for: purple sand and dramatic rock formations – not for swimming

The purple sand is real, though it’s more scattered patches than a solid purple beach. It shows up best after rain. Keyhole Rock is the other draw (or the main draw) – the arch lines up with the sunset most dramatically around the winter solstice. Set expectations with your kids before you go: the waves here are rough and this isn’t a swimming beach. There are small wading pools they’ll like exploring, though.

Practical notes:

• $12-15 parking fee, often cash only – bring cash just in case
• Access is a narrow, winding 2-mile road (Sycamore Canyon Road) off Highway 1 – drive slowly
• Parking fills up fast; arrive before 11am if you can
• Beach closes to new arrivals once the lot hits capacity
• Basic restrooms only

McWay Falls

Best for: an easy walk to one of the most photographed spots on the coast

This is the 80-foot waterfall that drops onto the beach below – one of the few in California that does. The walk from the parking area is short and flat. That makes it one of the easier wins on this list for younger kids. One thing to manage expectations on: you can’t actually go down to the beach or the falls. This is a look-don’t-touch stop.

Practical notes:

• $10 day-use fee for Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, or free roadside parking if you can find a safe spot
• Trail is about 0.6 miles round trip, mostly flat
• Beach access is closed – viewing only, from the overlook
• Watch for California condors roosting in the eucalyptus trees along the trail

Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery (a bit further south)

Best for: guaranteed wildlife with zero hiking required

This one’s technically past Big Sur proper, near San Simeon. But it’s a natural add-on if you’re continuing south toward Hearst Castle or staying near Ragged Point. You view the elephant seals from a boardwalk right along the highway – no hike, no fee. Docents are usually on hand to answer questions. It’s one of the easiest wins on this whole list for kids who are done with hiking by this point.

Practical notes:

• Free, with boardwalk viewing – no reservation or hike required
• Best viewing: late January (pupping season), early May (molting), late October (juveniles return)
• Friends of the Elephant Seals maintains a kids zone and educational resources online

Other California Coast Destinations for Families

👉 Deciding where to stay? Best Family Hotels in Big Sur and Big Sur Glamping with Kids cover the lodging side of things.

👉 Basing yourself further north instead? Best Hotels in Carmel-by-the-Sea and Family Hotels in Monterey both make easy jumping-off points.