Right Beaches › California › Big Sur
Pfeiffer Beach
4.6★ · 1,239 Google ratings · Big Sur, California
✓ Parking✓ Short walk✓ Restrooms
At a glance
Parking
On-site lot · 250 yd away · fills up
Walk
180 ft · under a minute
Restrooms
Yes · 300 yd away
Water
62°F · modelled, no buoy nearby
Length
0.5 miles of shoreline
Sand
250 yd from the water to the back
Water quality
Good · all 10 samples clean · 2025
Crowds
Quietest Mon 8am
Map of Pfeiffer Beach
Guide
Good to know
Visit for dramatic scenery and tide pools
The rock formations, keyhole arch, purple-hued sand, and accessible tide pools with starfish and sea urchins reward the effort.
Arrive before 10am or after 4pm
The parking lot holds only 50 vehicles and fills quickly, especially on weekends and summer days.
Prepare for the narrow access road
The 2-mile approach is a winding one-lane dirt road where you must yield to oncoming traffic and possibly back.
Bring cash for the entrance fee
The fee is $10–$15 per vehicle, payable at a gate before the parking lot, and some reviewers note.
Conditions
How it is right now
Air
64°F · clear
Water
62°F · modelled, no buoy nearby
Waves
4.5 ft · 11 s apart
Wind
9 mph from the NW
Shelter
Cross-shore · wind running along the beach
UV index
7 peak today
Last updated Sep 4, 5:30 AM.
Crowds
When it gets busy
| 8a | 9a | 10a | 11a | 12p | 1p | 2p | 3p | 4p | 5p | 6p | 7p | |
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QuietBusy
Practical
Plan your visit
📍 9101 Sycamore Canyon Rd, Big Sur, CA 93920, United States
🅿 Parking 250 yd from the listing
🌊 Water 180 ft away, under a minute walk
🚽 Restrooms 300 yd away
Nearby
Other beaches close by
1.0 miles away
1.6 miles away
8.0 miles away · shorter walk
9.7 miles away
9.8 miles away
14 miles away
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Questions
Common questions
Where do you park at Pfeiffer Beach?
The nearest mapped parking area is 250 yd from the listed location. Positions come from OpenStreetMap, not from review text.
How far is the walk to the water at Pfeiffer Beach?
180 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 Pfeiffer Beach have restrooms?
Restrooms are mapped 300 yd from the listing.
When is Pfeiffer Beach least busy?
Google visit patterns put the quietest hour at Mon 8am and the busiest at Mon 3pm.
Measured from OpenStreetMap, public aerial imagery and live conditions data, and counted from visitor reviews. Every source, in full.
