Hiking is an ideal way to experience the natural beauty of Big Sur—and the area's size easily allows you to find total solitude. Numerous hiking trails run through Big Sur, from a gentle coastal walk past redwoods and the 80-foot (24-meter) McWay Falls in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, to the mountainous terrain of Los Padres National Forest. Other attractions along the way include the Bixby Bridge, Big Sur River Inn, and the famous Nepenthe Restaurant.
This area is world famous and inspired such artists and writers as Ansel Adams and Jack Kerouac, and is still home to a large artistic community. The Henry Miller Memorial Library hosts a varied schedule of special events, including readings, workshops, concerts, and film screenings.
Big Sur tours depart from Monterey Bay and San Francisco and drive all or part of the stretch of coastline. Some group and private tours also stop at nearby popular attractions like Morro Bay, Hearst Castle, and San Luis Obispo, which lay south of Big Sur, and Carmel and the Monterey Peninsula, to the north.