Here's a sample itinerary for a drive from Las Vegas to Big Sur. If you're planning a road trip to Big Sur, 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.
10:00 am start in Las Vegas
drive for about 2.5 hours
12:21 pm Barstow
eat at Del Taco
stay for about 1 hour
and leave at 1:21 pm
drive for about 2.5 hours
3:58 pm Solana Beach
stay for about 1 hour
and leave at 4:58 pm
drive for about 2 hours
7:01 pm Santa Monica
stay overnight at Shutters On the Beach
leave the next day around 8:00 am
day 1 driving ≈ 7 hours
find more stops
8:00 am leave from Shutters On the Beach
drive for about 1.5 hours
9:37 am Santa Barbara
stay for about 4 hours
and leave at 1:37 pm
drive for about 1.5 hours
3:13 pm San Luis Obispo
stay for about 3 hours
and leave at 6:13 pm
drive for about 3 hours
9:08 pm arrive in Big Sur
stay at Fernwood Resort
day 2 driving ≈ 6 hours
find more stops
Barstow (13 answers)
restaurants around Barstow:
Del Taco
questions about Barstow:
What's the best neighborhood in Barstow for a first time visitor?
Where to sleep RV trailer
Solana Beach (14 answers)
Torrey Pines State Park (16 mentions)
Black's Beach (6 mentions)
Self-Realization Fellowship (6 mentions)
Torrey Pines Gliderport (5 mentions)
Swami's Beach (5 mentions)
restaurants around Solana Beach:
Swami's Cafe
La Costa Resort & Spa
Green Flash Brewing Company
A.R. Valentien
Vivace
questions about Solana Beach:
Graet day time things to do in Solana Beach?
Santa Monica (225 answers)
Santa Monica Pier (70 mentions)
Venice Beach Boardwalk (62 mentions)
Abbot Kinney (56 mentions)
Third Street Promenade (55 mentions)
LACMA (50 mentions)
restaurants around Santa Monica:
Gjelina
Urth Caffe
The Apple Pan
Joan's on Third Cafe
Gracias Madre
hotels around Santa Monica:
Shutters On the Beach
Hotel Erwin
The Huntley Hotel
Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows
Hotel Casa Del Mar
questions about Santa Monica:
Drinks in SM?
Fun things to do in Santa Monica?
Fun Santa Monica hotels under $400/night?
Good breakfast spot for a business meeting?
Avoiding sticker shock in Santa Monica
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?
San Luis Obispo (122 answers)
Bishop Peak (4 mentions)
San Luis Obispo Mission (3 mentions)
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (3 mentions)
Edna Valley (2 mentions)
F. McLintocks Saloon and Dining House (2 mentions)
restaurants around San Luis Obispo:
Firestone Grill
Novo Restaurant & Lounge
Bello Mundo
Splash Cafe
Avila Valley Barn
questions about San Luis Obispo:
What is your favorite restaurant in San Luis Obispo?
Lodging
Exploring SLO in March to scout moving there - what should I check out?
Where to stay outside of San Luis Obispo for Cal Poly graduation
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 Big Sur.
If you're looking for a quick answer, you can check out Fernwood Resort, which was mentioned 3 times on Trippy.
Here are some more hotels people talk about:
Want to research more popular hotels in Big Sur? Click the blue button below.
Need some recommendations on somewhere to get food?
Trippy members suggest Nepenthe, which was mentioned 33 times.
Here are some more restaurants people talk about:
Want to research more popular restaurants in Big Sur? 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 Big Sur. Click on any question to see answers from the community!
Carolyn from Detroit asked:
Whats the best hike in Big Sur? Best beach? (4 answers)
Shawn from Presidio asked:
First-come, first-serve camping sites in Big Sur? (1 answer)
Jennifer from asked:
how far is the drive to sequoia national aprk (1 answer)
Click the button below to explore more questions and answers related to Big Sur.
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 Big Sur to Las Vegas 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 Las Vegas to Big Sur. Or get a full Las Vegas to Big Sur 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 Las Vegas well, please help your fellow travelers and answer their questions about Las Vegas!