Introduction
Where to eat
When to visit
How to get there
Where to stay
Hiring a car

Big Sur travel guide

Big Sur Tourism | Big Sur Guide

You're Going to Love Big Sur

With a population of 1,000, Big Sur is a must-see destination in California, United States.

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Where to Eat in Big Sur

If you’re looking for affordable options, The Sur House (48123 California One) and Sierra Mar - Post Ranch Inn (47900 State Highway 1) are great picks.

When to visit Big Sur

Big Sur in January
Estimated hotel price
$2769
1 night at 3-star hotel
Big Sur in January
Estimated hotel price
$2769
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to Big Sur in August, when the average temperature is 18 °C, and the highest can go up to 25 °C. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 6 °C, with an average temperature of 11 °C. You’re likely to see more rain in January, when precipitation is around 216 mm. In contrast, July is usually the driest month of the year in Big Sur, with an average rainfall of 0 mm.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to Big Sur

Plane

Although Big Sur doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Mineta San Jose Airport (SJC), which is located 122 km from Big Sur. The shortest flight to Big Sur from New Zealand departs from Auckland and takes around 12h.

Car

Another option to get to Big Sur is to pick up a car hire from San Francisco, which is about 176 km from Big Sur. You’ll find branches of Fox and Enterprise Rent-A-Car, among others, in San Francisco.

Plane

Although Big Sur doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Mineta San Jose Airport (SJC), which is located 122 km from Big Sur. The shortest flight to Big Sur from New Zealand departs from Auckland and takes around 12h.

Car

Another option to get to Big Sur is to pick up a car hire from San Francisco, which is about 176 km from Big Sur. You’ll find branches of Fox and Enterprise Rent-A-Car, among others, in San Francisco.

Airports near Big Sur

SBPSan Luis Obispo County
SFOSan Francisco
SJCSan Jose

Airlines serving Big Sur

Lufthansa
Good (8,000 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,517 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,979 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,452 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,366 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,945 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,216 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,588 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (915 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,711 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,572 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,726 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,777 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (11,034 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,190 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,393 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (407 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (2,250 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (1,329 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,439 reviews)
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Where to stay in Big Sur

Average rates range from around $597 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $4,154 and up for a 5-star experience.

Where to stay in popular areas of Big Sur

Hiring a car in Big Sur

Expect to pay $2.13 per litre in Big Sur (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between $25.47 and $33.95.

Expect to pay $2.13 per litre in Big Sur (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between $25.47 and $33.95.