A sea of calla lilies stretched out before us, standing tall and proud. Yet they moved gently with each catch of the breeze, swaying with a softness that didn’t quite match their sculptural charm. The entire coastline was exhaling.

It was the evening of our arrival for our weekend in Big Sur and despite the peaceful and remote scenery, my partner and I weren’t alone. Calla Lily Valley, a park situated along California’s Big Sur coast, had become a bit of a phenomenon in March due to the vibrant spring blooms.

A large family was taking turns standing in the lilies for group photos, laughing and calling out to one another between shots. Nearby, a wedding photographer was also posing a couple for engagement photos among the blooms, the bride-to-be in white, framed by white. And a bit further away, a professional photographer in knee-high rain boots had staked out a spot in the mud, carefully adjusting his tripod to make sure his camera wouldn’t slip. We had stumbled into moments that felt private and fleeting, even though they clearly weren’t.

Behind us out west, the sun had started its descent toward the ocean. The light brushing everything in warm, golden tones as the air cooled and the wind picked up for the evening. I wandered as far as I could into the little valley, my Madewell jeans picking up a few splatters of mud here and there while my trusted Dolce Vita flats struggled to hold firm to the damp ground. Despite wearing one of my favorite tried-and-true adventure outfits, I had severely underestimated the terrain.

We finally found a spot in the valley that felt open and calm, far enough from the clusters of families and photographers to make it our own. The muddy ground didn’t squish so much under our shoes here, allowing us to take in the scent of wildflowers mixed with sea air before our journey back to the car. I made a quiet promise to come back one day, this time with rain boots and utility pants or leggings, ready to explore further.

From there, we drove a ways down the coast toward Big Sur’s famous Bixby Bridge and joined the line of cars pulled off to the side of Highway 1. The dramatic concrete arch has stretched across the canyon since the 1930s, and it doesn’t need a plaque to tell you it matters. You can feel it as soon as you see it.

That evening, we circled back to Monterey to check on Max, my partner’s dog, before dinner at Stokes Adobe. The restaurant is housed in a historic building filled with warm light and a gentle clatter of silverware and low conversation. They modified the cavatelli pasta dish for me (dairy-free, but still cozy and rich!), with a flavor that reminded me of roasted butternut squash. But the surprise standout here was the citrus salad. Just a few simple ingredients, impossibly fresh, and somehow better than anything I could make at home.

The next morning, after a slow start and a bit of a lazy breakfast, we started our “official” (full day) Big Sur drive from the north, working our way down the coast. Our first stop was Point Lobos. Here, we followed the South Shore, the Sand Hill and Sea Lion Point Trails from our car toward the State Reserve’s popular Cypress Grove Trail. Along the way, a volunteer named Ellen had set up binoculars along the trail so visitors could spot seabirds nesting along the cliffs! She let us look through her setup and even pointed us toward one bird in the middle of building its nest. A lovely treat we hadn’t expected!

The Cypress Grove Trail was mesmerizing in that quietly cinematic way Big Sur is known for. Below us, waves slammed into the rocky shoreline, sending up mist that couldn’t quite reach our height along the cliff. Overhead, the Monterey cypress trees twisted into dramatic shapes, sculpted by decades of coastal wind. And along the path, spring announced itself in color: purple irises blooming beside low-growing yellow wildflowers, delicate white bulbs peeking out from the underbrush, and streaks of red moss clinging to the lower cypress tree branches like something out of a fantasy forest.

We found Point Lobos to be one of the easiest spots to explore along our Big Sur route, with several small parking lots and clearly marked trails, though it was also one of the most crowded! And despite that, it was still just as rugged and remote as you’d hope for Big Sur. In fact, we even passed a lone coyote, calm and alert, walking along the road as we exited the park.

Secret Tip: Bring layers. It’s colder than you expect near the water, but there are also some sunny pockets where it feels like someone cranked up the thermostat!

Having spent the morning mastering the trails, our next order of business was grabbing a bite to eat. We stopped at Big Sur River Inn for lunch. Inside, a stained glass fireplace glowed softly, while outside a quiet creek flowed past a set of wooden chairs that seemed tailor-made for hot summer afternoons. I ordered an Arnold Palmer (partially because I wanted one, and partially because Arnold Palmer himself owns a nearby golf course) and an easy chicken salad, something I knew would fill me up without giving me a food coma before our full afternoon ahead.

Grabbing some ice cream and treats for later from the General Store next to the restaurant, we hit the road again with our sights set on Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park.

We were able to re-use the state park day pass from Point Lobos, so entry into and parking at Pfeiffer Big Sur was a breeze. With no major aims in sight, we surveyed the large park map in the parking lot and agreed that a trip to the Nature Center and Pfeiffer Falls were in order.

We followed the River Path Trail under a small redwood grove and over the park’s bridge to Ewoldsen Memorial Nature Center. The nature center was unfortunately closed during our visit, so we changed course toward Pfeiffer Falls via the Valley View Overlook Trail. The Pfeiffer Falls Trail had also been closed during our time in the park (an unfortunate side-effect of traveling just after the winter “off-season”), so this was our alternative. It was steep and a bit sweaty at times, but totally worth it if you’re looking for a challenge. If not, I’d skip this one in favor of a hike that’s a little more friendly on your knees! We caught our breath at two benches near the bottom of the falls and ended our journey to Pfeiffer State Park with our General Store snacks and a view!

Once back at our car, we took a winding side road into the nearby Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park. It narrowed for a couple miles before leading us straight into a parking lot next to the beach. Where the soil from the forest and sand from the beach met, we spotted wildflowers beginning to bloom, this time a lovely shade of pink.

The wind had picked up by the time we reached the beach, gusting so strongly that it stole our voices with it. The pink-hued sand was being thrown this way and that, and we had to wear sunglasses to protect our eyes from the flying projectiles. We made it as far out as the famous Keyhole Arch and watched as the waves violently slammed through the opening in the rock. It’s a funny thing how Mother Nature can be so beautiful and dangerous at the same time. On a calmer day, we might have stayed for a beach picnic just so we could have taken in all the sights around us, but that’ll have to wait for next time.

McWay Falls was our final stop before dinner. It’s a short walk to the overlook, and even with most of the trail closed off, the view was spectacular. A thin ribbon of water spills directly onto the beach below, untouched and quiet. It was the perfect end to our daylight hours!

As the sun began to set, we made our way toward dinner at Deetjen’s, a historic fairytale inn nestled into the Big Sur forest. Candlelit tables, creaky floors, and a dining room that feels like it’s always been there were suddenly all around us. Sitting beside a vintage fireplace, we each enjoyed a glass of red wine and plates full of pasta and gnocchi, vowing to one day return and experience the magic that Big Sur offered again.

Read more about my Deetjen’s experience on Substack

On our last morning, with a few hours left to spare, we took Max for a walk around the shops in Carmel-by-the-Sea, stretching our legs before the long drive back to LA. We stopped at the 5th Avenue Deli for the most wonderful sandwiches (the Thanksgiving and finished our trip with a scenic drive along Pebble Beach’s 17-Mile Drive, one last look at the Pacific before heading south and back home.