Big Sur was one of our most anticipated destinations on our list. “The Greatest Meeting of Land and Sea” seemed like it would be a perfect place for us. It did not disappoint. Big Sur is located on Scenic Highway One and every turn around a bend was a treat for our eyes.

Whether it was the Santa Lucia Mountains or the Pacific Ocean, we were mesmerized. The name Big Sur was derived from the unexplored wilderness area on the coast south of Monterey.

We base a lot of what we do on recommendations and every single one of them in Big Sur was breathtaking. The crystal, blue waters at the remote beach of Julia Pfeifer State Park reminded us of being on an island.

We drove down to Sand Dollar beach and decided to have lunch there. It’s a mile hike into a huge hidden cove with hula hoopers, surfers, paddle boarders, kids playing and adults soaking up the sun and having picnics.

 We fell in love with this gem and stayed there for a few hours.

 We pulled up a road across the street from Kirk Creek and drove about a mile until we noticed Scarlet was getting a little tired. We saw a trail on the way back down, pulled in, and hiked Mill Creek until almost sunset. The smell of the redwoods, flowers, and other plant life danced into our nostrils each time the wind blew. We met a kind family of four and we all got excited when one of the boys caught a little fish in the creek. We decided it was time to find a place to stay. Unfortunately, all of our recommendations for campgrounds were full. We headed out to watch the sunset and remembered a place we passed on the way up.

 When we pulled in, an older couple in an RV, Cathy and Ed, who have been traveling since October, greeted us excitedly. The other couple, Ashley and Travis, from Ohio, had a little dog in tow. The Canadian, Alan, was on a motorcycle and is planning to hit each state. We shared our food with them as we told them our story. They shared with us stories and insights on travel, free places to camp, and their experiences. Cathy even told us a secret place to find jade. Ashley called it, “ single serving friends.” We laughed, but it was true. Sometimes people you meet and spend a short time with have more of an impact on you than some people you have known your whole life. We watched the sunset while the moon and stars began to glow and knew it was meant for us to be there at that very moment. We woke with the back of Scarlet open, to the sound of the ocean and sea lions. We headed down the trail Cathy suggested to dig for jade. We continued north in agreement with the famous author Henry Millers quote on Big Sur “the face of the earth as the Creator intended it to look.”