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.
9:00 am start in Washington, DC
drive for about 3.5 hours
12:34 pm Roanoke
stay for about 1 hour
and leave at 1:34 pm
drive for about 7 hours
8:24 pm Franklin (Tennessee)
stay overnight and leave the next day around 11:00 am
day 1 driving ≈ 10.5 hours
find more stops
11:00 am leave from Franklin (Tennessee)
drive for about 3.5 hours
2:21 pm Memphis
stay overnight at Peabody Hotel
leave the next day around 10:00 am
day 2 driving ≈ 3.5 hours
find more stops
10:00 am leave from Peabody Hotel
drive for about 7 hours
5:02 pm Oklahoma City
eat at Kitchen No. 324
stay overnight at The Skirvin Hilton Oklahoma City
leave the next day around 10:00 am
day 3 driving ≈ 7 hours
find more stops
10:00 am leave from The Skirvin Hilton Oklahoma City
drive for about 4 hours
1:58 pm Amarillo
stay for about 1 hour
and leave at 2:58 pm
drive for about 4 hours
7:06 pm Albuquerque
stay overnight at Los Poblanos Inn & Cultural Center
leave the next day around 10:00 am
day 4 driving ≈ 8 hours
find more stops
10:00 am leave from Los Poblanos Inn & Cultural Center
drive for about 6.5 hours
4:25 pm Phoenix
stay overnight at Pointe Hilton Tapatio Cliffs Resort
leave the next day around 11:00 am
day 5 driving ≈ 6.5 hours
find more stops
11:00 am leave from Pointe Hilton Tapatio Cliffs Resort
drive for about 5.5 hours
4:20 pm Los Angeles
stay overnight at Shutters On the Beach
leave the next day around 11:00 am
day 6 driving ≈ 5.5 hours
find more stops
11:00 am leave from Shutters On the Beach
drive for about 5.5 hours
4:39 pm arrive in Big Sur
stay at Fernwood Resort
day 7 driving ≈ 5.5 hours
find more stops
Roanoke (26 answers)
questions about Roanoke:
What is your favorite restaurant in Roanoke?
Franklin (Tennessee) (12 answers)
Radnor Lake Natural Area and Wildlife Refuge (2 mentions)
Memphis (140 answers)
Beale Street (9 mentions)
Graceland (9 mentions)
National Civil Rights Museum (8 mentions)
Memphis Zoo (7 mentions)
Mud Island (6 mentions)
restaurants around Memphis:
Central BBQ
Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken
Charlie Vergos Rendezvous
Payne's Bar-B-Q
Cozy Corner Restaurant
hotels around Memphis:
Peabody Hotel
questions about Memphis:
What's the best neighborhood in Memphis for a first time visitor?
What are the musts of Memphis, y'all?
Must sees in Memphis TN?? Hidden gems places to eat??
Best blues clubs in Memphis?
Good Food and Fun With Kids
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
hotels around Oklahoma City:
The Skirvin Hilton Oklahoma City
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
Phoenix (164 answers)
Piestewa Peak (3 mentions)
Dreamy Draw Recreation Area (2 mentions)
Phoenix Art Museum (2 mentions)
Bunky Boutique (2 mentions)
Frances (2 mentions)
restaurants around Phoenix:
Chelsea's Kitchen
SunUp Brewing Co
The Parlor Pizzeria
The Clever Koi
Crudo
hotels around Phoenix:
Pointe Hilton Tapatio Cliffs Resort
The Clarendon Hotel and Spa
questions about Phoenix:
What is your favorite restaurant in Phoenix?
Food and things to see in Phoenix and Tucson
Best restaurants in Phoenix?
Popular neighborhoods to stay in Phoenix?
Best hiking around Phoenix?
Los Angeles (648 answers)
Santa Monica Pier (70 mentions)
Griffith Observatory (63 mentions)
Venice Beach Boardwalk (62 mentions)
Abbot Kinney (56 mentions)
Third Street Promenade (55 mentions)
restaurants around Los Angeles:
Gjelina
Perch
Bottega Louie
Grand Central Market
Bestia
hotels around Los Angeles:
Shutters On the Beach
Hotel Erwin
The Standard Downtown LA
Ace Hotel Los Angeles
The Huntley Hotel
questions about Los Angeles:
Where are the top 5 places to see a celebrity in L.A.?
What's your favorite burger in L.A?
Free things to do in Los Angeles?
Area an hour away from LAX airport
What are the top 3 beaches in Los Angeles?
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!