Here's a sample itinerary for a drive from Big Sur to Los Angeles. If you're planning a road trip to Los Angeles, you can research locations to stop along the way. Make sure you check road conditions to double check the weather. Traveling with a dog or cat? Find pet-friendly stops. Camping along the way? Search for RV campgrounds. Find the best hotels, restaurants, and attractions based on the most talked about places recommended by Trippy members.
11:00 am start in Big Sur
drive for about 41 minutes
11:41 am Carmel By the Sea
eat at Passionfish
stay for about 1 hour
and leave at 12:41 pm
drive for about 2 hours
2:42 pm Paso Robles
stay for about 1 hour
and leave at 3:42 pm
drive for about 1 hour
4:44 pm Lost Hills
stay overnight and leave the next day around 11:00 am
day 1 driving ≈ 3.5 hours
find more stops
11:00 am leave from Lost Hills
drive for about 49 minutes
11:49 am Bakersfield
stay for about 1 hour
and leave at 12:49 pm
drive for about 2 hours
2:48 pm Universal Studios Hollywood
stay for about 1 hour
and leave at 3:48 pm
drive for about 17 minutes
4:05 pm arrive in Los Angeles
stay at Shutters On the Beach
day 2 driving ≈ 3 hours
find more stops
Leslie asked:
trip from los angeles to Big Sur and back (1 answer)
Louise from Los Angeles asked:
How Does One Get to Big Sur Via Train and How Does One Get Around? (4 answers)
Carmel By the Sea (72 answers)
Monterey Bay Aquarium (41 mentions)
Pebble Beach (21 mentions)
Point Lobos (9 mentions)
Point Lobos State Reserve (8 mentions)
17-Mile Drive (6 mentions)
restaurants around Carmel By the Sea:
Passionfish
Katy's Place
Epsilon Fine Greek Restaurant
Flaherty's Seafood Grill & Oyster Bar
Old Fisherman's Grotto
questions about Carmel By the Sea:
Romantic restaurant and hotel in Carmel
Things to do that'll interest 17-year-old brother
Paso Robles (51 answers)
Firestone Walker Brewing Company (6 mentions)
Villicana Winery (5 mentions)
Terry Hoage Vineyards (3 mentions)
Summerwood Winery & Inn (3 mentions)
DAOU Vineyards & Winery (3 mentions)
restaurants around Paso Robles:
Niner Wine Estates
Ecluse Wines
Pier 46 Seafood Market
Brecon Estate
ONX
questions about Paso Robles:
Good wineries in Paso Robles
Where should I eat in Paso Robles?
Casual eats near Paso Robles?
Favorite Wineries Near Paso Robles
Lost Hills
Bakersfield (23 answers)
questions about Bakersfield:
Best free things to do in Bakersfield?
Universal Studios Hollywood (52 mentions)
Are you going straight to a hotel, or looking for a vacation rental or Airbnb?
The best resource on neighborhoods, areas, and hotels is the Trippy page on where to stay in Los Angeles.
You can also see most people recommend as the best amount of time to visit. Find out how many days in Los Angeles to stay.
If you're looking for a quick answer, you can check out Shutters On the Beach, which was mentioned 36 times on Trippy.
Here are some more hotels people talk about:
Want to research more popular hotels in Los Angeles? Click the blue button below.
Need some recommendations on somewhere to get food?
Trippy members suggest Gjelina, which was mentioned 44 times.
Here are some more restaurants people talk about:
Want to research more popular restaurants in Los Angeles? Click the blue button below.
This section could be endless, so rather than trying to suggest every local activity or attraction, we'll leave it open-ended.
These are some of the places people talk about on Trippy:
Of course, Trippy is the perfect place to ask questions because there's an entire community of travelers talking to each other and sharing tips and advice. Trippy is where you can get answers personalized for your tastes, budgets, trip dates & more!
For example, here are some questions people have asked about Los Angeles. Click on any question to see answers from the community!
Michelle from Mesa asked:
Where are the top 5 places to see a celebrity in L.A.? (27 answers)
Maxime from Los Angeles asked:
What's your favorite burger in L.A? (26 answers)
Clement from Singapore asked:
Free things to do in Los Angeles? (24 answers)
Steph from asked:
Area an hour away from LAX airport (22 answers)
Bianca from Miami asked:
What are the top 3 beaches in Los Angeles? (20 answers)
Click the button below to explore more questions and answers related to Los Angeles.
Yes, even this step is optional, because if you're on vacation who wants the trip to end? It's okay, you can start planning your next trip!
Want to plan the trip back? Get the reverse directions for a Los Angeles to Big Sur drive, or go to the main page to plan a new road trip.
You can also compare the travel time if you're flying or driving by calculating the distance from Big Sur to Los Angeles. Or get a full Big Sur to Los Angeles flight plan.
Don't forget about exploring your own hometown with a staycation. You can also find some cool day trips or get away for a weekend. Maybe try typing in a faraway location like London, Hong Kong, or Sydney, and get inspired for your dream trip around the world.
And if you know Big Sur well, please help your fellow travelers and answer their questions about Big Sur!