Right Beaches › California › Big Sur
McWay Cove
4.7★ · 117 Google ratings · Big Sur, California
✓ Parking✓ Short walk✓ Restrooms
At a glance
Parking
Parking lot · 375 yd away · paid · fills up
Walk
180 ft · under a minute
Restrooms
Yes · 250 yd away
Cost
Paid parking
Water
63°F · modelled, no buoy nearby
Sand
175 yd from the water to the back
Crowds
Quietest Tue 7pm
Map of McWay Cove
Guide
Good to know
Plan for sunset viewing
Multiple reviewers describe sunset as magical and particularly breathtaking, making it worth timing your visit accordingly.
Short walk from the road
The viewpoint requires only a 5-minute walk with some stairs, making it accessible for most visitors despite.
Visit midday or after 3pm
Morning and late afternoon crowds are heaviest, but visitors arriving around midday or after 3pm reported seeing hardly anyone.
Park on Highway 1 to save
Free roadside parking is available, while the state park lot charges $10 and fills quickly on busy days.
No beach access possible
The cove beach is off-limits due to unstable cliffs and marine protection; you can only view.
Conditions
How it is right now
Air
65°F · partly cloudy
Water
63°F · modelled, no buoy nearby
Waves
4.5 ft · 11 s apart
Wind
3 mph from the NNW
Shelter
Cross-shore · wind running along the beach
UV index
7 peak today
Last updated Sep 4, 5:37 AM.
Crowds
When it gets busy
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QuietBusy
Practical
Plan your visit
📍 Big Sur, CA 93920
🅿 Parking 375 yd from the listing, Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park
🌊 Water 180 ft away, under a minute walk
🚽 Restrooms 250 yd away
Nearby
Other beaches close by
300 ft away
1.7 miles away · shorter walk
8.7 miles away
9.7 miles away
11 miles away
20 miles away · shorter walk
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Questions
Common questions
Where do you park at McWay Cove?
The nearest mapped parking area is 375 yd from the listed location. Positions come from OpenStreetMap, not from review text.
How far is the walk to the water at McWay Cove?
160 ft in a straight line from the listing to the mapped shoreline, under a minute. Soft sand and dune make the real walk longer than the straight line.
Does McWay Cove have restrooms?
Restrooms are mapped 250 yd from the listing.
When is McWay Cove least busy?
Google visit patterns put the quietest hour at Tue 7pm and the busiest at Wed 8am.
Measured from OpenStreetMap, public aerial imagery and live conditions data, and counted from visitor reviews. Every source, in full.
