Here's a sample itinerary for a drive from Big Sur to Malibu. If you're planning a road trip to Malibu, 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 3 hours
1:58 pm Cambria
stay overnight and leave the next day around 10:00 am
day 1 driving ≈ 3 hours
find more stops
10:00 am leave from Cambria
drive for about 2 hours
12:10 pm Santa Barbara
eat at McConnell's Fine Ice Creams
stay for about 4 hours
and leave at 4:10 pm
drive for about 1 hour
5:22 pm arrive in Malibu
eat at Nobu Malibu
stay at Malibu Beach Inn
day 2 driving ≈ 3.5 hours
Cambria (57 answers)
Hearst Castle (86 mentions)
Moonstone Beach Dr (3 mentions)
Burton Inn (3 mentions)
San Simeon State Beach (2 mentions)
Ball & Skein & More (2 mentions)
restaurants around Cambria:
Lombardi's Pasta Familia
Sebastian's General Store
Wild Ginger Cafe
Santa Barbara (189 answers)
Butterfly Beach (7 mentions)
Bacara Resort & Spa (6 mentions)
Hendry's Beach (4 mentions)
Stearns Wharf (4 mentions)
The Funk Zone (4 mentions)
restaurants around Santa Barbara:
McConnell's Fine Ice Creams
La Super-Rica Taqueria
The Lark - Santa Barbara
Boathouse at Hendry's Beach
The Palace Grill
questions about Santa Barbara:
Favorite restaurants in Santa Barbara?
Bachelorette Weekend Getaway in Santa Barbara
Best Beach in Santa Barbara?
24 hours in Santa Barbara, what do I have to see/eat/do?
How far from santa barbara to palm springs and PS to Phoenix?
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 Malibu.
If you're looking for a quick answer, you can check out Malibu Beach Inn, which was mentioned 6 times on Trippy.
Want to research more popular hotels in Malibu? Click the blue button below.
Need some recommendations on somewhere to get food?
Trippy members suggest Nobu Malibu, which was mentioned 15 times.
Here are some more restaurants people talk about:
Want to research more popular restaurants in Malibu? 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 Malibu. Click on any question to see answers from the community!
Courtney from Los Angeles asked:
Places to eat in Malibu? (8 answers)
Andrew from Manhattan Beach asked:
Lunch recommendations near Getty Villa - Views? Kid Friendly? (4 answers)
Laura from San Francisco asked:
Wine tasting in Malibu? (3 answers)
Click the button below to explore more questions and answers related to Malibu.
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 Malibu 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 Malibu. Or get a full Big Sur to Malibu 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!