Hello, Sur!

Big Sur is home to numerous fantastic beaches and coves, so which one do you choose? Go for the beach that's quintessential Big Sur (and dog-friendly!). Pfeiffer Beach in Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park recently re-opened, and its signature lilac-colored sand is waiting for your feet! The turnoff to the beach is poorly marked, so you have to look for it. Then it's a winding two-mile road down to it, but the effort is worth it. There's plenty of room to roam the purple-tinged sand, so stay and stroll a while. Two giant sea stacks dramatized by gaping keyholes are favored by both serious photographers and those who just want to gawk at the mass of waves forcing their way through the keyholes in a spectacle of surly splashes. Make like Ansel Adams and catch a poster-worthy sunset here. Bring layers and your camera to capture the fire in the sky.

From Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, go south on Hwy. 1 for 1 mile, and turn right on Sycamore Canyon Rd. Drive 2 miles to the beach. No dogs on hiking trails, but Pfeiffer Beach is dog-friendly!