Here's a sample itinerary for a drive from Washington, DC 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 Washington, DC
drive for about 7.5 hours
5:44 pm Pigeon Forge
stay overnight and leave the next day around 11:00 am
day 1 driving ≈ 7.5 hours
find more stops
11:00 am leave from Pigeon Forge
drive for about 5.5 hours
4:36 pm Jackson (Tennessee)
stay overnight and leave the next day around 8:00 am
day 2 driving ≈ 5.5 hours
find more stops
8:00 am leave from Jackson (Tennessee)
drive for about 8.5 hours
4:29 pm Oklahoma City
stay for about 1.5 hours
and leave at 5:59 pm
drive for about 4 hours
9:57 pm Amarillo
stay overnight and leave the next day around 11:00 am
day 3 driving ≈ 12.5 hours
find more stops
11:00 am leave from Amarillo
drive for about 4 hours
3:07 pm Albuquerque
stay overnight at Los Poblanos Inn & Cultural Center
leave the next day around 11:00 am
day 4 driving ≈ 4 hours
find more stops
11:00 am leave from Los Poblanos Inn & Cultural Center
drive for about 5.5 hours
4:24 pm Sedona
stay overnight at Enchantment Resort
leave the next day around 9:00 am
day 5 driving ≈ 5.5 hours
find more stops
9:00 am leave from Enchantment Resort
drive for about 7.5 hours
4:31 pm Bakersfield
stay for about 1 hour
and leave at 5:31 pm
drive for about 4 hours
9:41 pm arrive in Big Sur
stay at Fernwood Resort
day 6 driving ≈ 11.5 hours
find more stops
Pigeon Forge (24 answers)
Great Smoky Mountain National Park (8 mentions)
questions about Pigeon Forge:
what is here to do there besides Dollywood
Good ma and pop places to eat or visit?
Amtrak stations nearby
Jackson (Tennessee) (6 answers)
questions about Jackson (Tennessee):
rv camp grounds
Closest beach
Oklahoma City (60 answers)
Boathouse District (4 mentions)
Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum (3 mentions)
AT&T Bricktown Ballpark (2 mentions)
Science Museum Oklahoma (2 mentions)
Stockyards City Main Street (2 mentions)
restaurants around Oklahoma City:
Kitchen No. 324
Big Truck Tacos
Waffle Champion
Cheever's Cafe
Museum Cafe
questions about Oklahoma City:
What's the best neighborhood in Oklahoma City for a first time visitor?
Breakfast Restaurant in OKC
What sort of hands-on things can I experience in OKC?
Amarillo (43 answers)
questions about Amarillo:
THING TO SEE
Hotels
Albuquerque (117 answers)
Old Town Albuquerque (3 mentions)
New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science (2 mentions)
Explora! (2 mentions)
Nob Hill (2 mentions)
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta (2 mentions)
restaurants around Albuquerque:
Frontier Restaurant
Standard Diner
Frontier Restaurant
hotels around Albuquerque:
Los Poblanos Inn & Cultural Center
questions about Albuquerque:
What is your favorite restaurant in Albuquerque?
Affordable hotel in Albuquerque for the International Balloon Fiesta?
Temporary home!
Where to stay
Sedona (95 answers)
Chapel of the Holy Cross (4 mentions)
Slide Rock State Park (4 mentions)
Oak Creek Canyon (3 mentions)
Bell Rock Trail (3 mentions)
Devils Bridge (3 mentions)
restaurants around Sedona:
Elote Cafe
hotels around Sedona:
Enchantment Resort
questions about Sedona:
Best things to do in Sedona besides hiking?
Nature Lover in Sedona
Vortex Hike/ Sound healing
Best hikes and natural swimming holes
Going on a roadtrip to Sedona, AZ. Is taking I-10 better route?
Bakersfield (23 answers)
questions about Bakersfield:
Best free things to do in Bakersfield?
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 Washington, DC 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 Washington, DC to Big Sur. Or get a full Washington, DC 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 Washington, DC well, please help your fellow travelers and answer their questions about Washington, DC!
More info on this route: