One of the prettiest drives I have ever made is the coastal Highway 1 from Monterey south through Big Sur. Driving the van on the curvy one lane road is awesome tucked into a spiral sea shell.
Camping can be at a premium especially on summer weekends but if your can find a spot, nab it. The coastal views are stunning so take a few days to linger longer than the average day-tripper.
This stop we were lucky enough to find a walk-in site overlooking the “big blue” at Sand Dollar Beach, west of the one.
Surfing, beachcombing, or just kickin’ back and enjoying the perfect day is the way to spend time here. We happened to find our own private cave. A shady retreat for Carlos and a trove of treasures for Hali. For me, it was the perfect way to spend a summer Sunday, months before football-in my own man cave watching the surf.
And, as its name implies, Sand Dollar Beach lives up to the token treasures buried in the sand. If you find a sand dollar, nab it. Otherwise the next beachcomber will cash in.
An R&R stop here for us definitely paid off.