5 days in Big Sur & Monterey County Itinerary

On the 4th (Wed), immerse yourself in nature at Andrew Molera State Park, stroll through Point Sur State Historic Park, then stroll through Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, and finally view the masterpieces at Coast Gallery Big Sur.

To find reviews, more things to do, maps, and other tourist information, read our Big Sur online travel planner.

Chicago to Big Sur is an approximately 6.5-hour flight. You can also drive; or do a combination of train and taxi. The time zone difference moving from Central Standard Time to Pacific Standard Time is minus 2 hours. Plan for little chillier temperatures traveling from Chicago in July, with highs in Big Sur at 69°F and lows at 55°F. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 5th (Thu) early enough to drive to Monterey.

Your day by day itinerary now includes Gravity Garden, Monterey Bay, Cannery Row, and other attractions you added. Get in touch with nature at Pebble Beach Golf Links and Point Lobos. Get some historical perspective at Carmel Mission and Pacific Grove Oceanview Boulevard.

To find maps, traveler tips, where to stay, and other tourist information, refer to the Monterey trip builder tool.

Monterey is just a short distance from Big Sur. Expect a daytime high around 69°F in July, and nighttime lows around 55°F. You'll have a few hours on the 8th (Sun) to wrap things up before traveling home.