Hidden gem for sure. The beach is beautiful and the purple sand is awesome. My husband and i got there early so we beat the crowd. The beach is hard to find so we went around a couple of times. Luckily, we found a ranger that gave us the direction and lead us to this place. FYI: the place is hard to find. Once you get to Big Sur info center its the second right. First you will pass the mailbox and a gate, then the you make the second right. There’s a yellow sign that says one way narrow road, you make a right. Slow down bc you might just pass it. Once you get to the narrow road and its about 2 miles but watch out for the upcoming vehicles. The road is very narrow but there are a few turnouts. The parking is $ 10 and very limited. I recommend to come early esp on wkends! Pfieffer beach is very confusing but once you find it, it’s worth it. The scenery on hwy 1 is beautiful and you will enjoy the view.
George L.
Place rating: 4 Goleta, CA
Getting there: One Highway 1, look for a one way dirt road because THEREARENOSIGNSTHATWILLHELPYOU to get to this beach. In addition, keep a map with you on the several miles of dirt road. Also, pay $ 10 at the parking lot. Once you’re in: We came on a windy day. Be sure to wear long pants or the sand will hurt your legs a LOT. However, pictures can’t do this place justice. This place is BEAUTIFUL. There are two archways on the big rock in the middle of the beach. Purple sand made the place quite interesting. The beach has a layout where there is one little harbor when you first walk in, then a BIG rock, to the right, then more beach. The big rock has two arches, one on the left and one on the right. The one on the right is more iconic, of course. I don’t know what you’ll see. I saw my buddy get sloshed by the big waves as he got too close to the first arch haha. Spending time here was an absolute blast. The lack of signs, dirt road to get here, and the $ 10 parking for what I’d consider«minimal» maintenance is what bumps this off by 1 star. Still, the views are worth it!
Olivia M.
Place rating: 5 San Ramon, CA
I came to Big Sur last year and with no cell service or knowledge as to where Pfeiffer Beach was, went home without experiencing it. This year, I did my research and found this hidden gem with no problems. Sycamore Canyon Road is a sharp turn off of Highway 1 and the one-lane road will lead you 2 miles down to the beach parking lot. Parking is $ 10 and once full, they will close the lot. I got here around 8:30am on a Saturday and it was practically empty. The beach itself is gorgeous and the purple sand is awesome. The tide was coming in but we enjoyed exploring the beach and taking pictures in front of the keyhole arch. If you’re planning to check out Pfeiffer Beach, get here early to avoid the risk of parking filling up or the beach closing. However, weekdays when it might not be as crowded could be better for those looking to come at sunset.
