Waterfalls, Bluegrass and Lobster: Baby's First Trip to Big Sur

Bixby Bridge, Big Sur

Big Sur is one of my favorite places on earth. Luckily, it’s right down the road from my home Santa Cruz. Our new baby kept us from visiting rugged and isolated Big Sur over the past 16 months. Finally, this month we spent an entire weekend at Fernwood Resort and in Pfieffer Big Sur State Park. Having a baby limits what you can do in Big Sur, but not by much. Wilder was happy as a clam during our three day trip. 

Lupine in the meadow at Fernwood, where it meets Pfieffer State Park

Fernwood Resort - Fernwood is the party campground at Big Sur - not the obvious choice for a family with a baby. It (kind of) worked for us because our family friends were having a big birthday celebration at Fernwood, and we wanted to be close to the action. Unfortunately, Friday night the campsite across from us was party central. The wanna-be frat boys and girls drunkenly yelled into the wee hours. The baby slept right through it, but it kept me up. It’s the third time I’ve been kept up all night by noisy partiers at Fernwood. Seems to come with the territory.

Things I Wish I Knew Before Bringing Baby Camping

The marina at Pinecrest Lake Resort

Pinecrest Lake in the Stanislaus National Forest is a family camping dream, with movies in an outdoor amphitheater, food and supply stores, restaurant and coffee bar, not to mention a clear blue lake fully stocked with rainbow trout and ringed by Sugar Pines, Redwoods, and granite. Kimo and I felt confident in our camping skills until we brought our 6 month old baby to Pinecrest on a two-night camping trip. Even with grandpa’s borrowed camper van we were overwhelmed at times.