Big Sur Quick Guide + Photo Journal, Big Sur, California

It's Friday, which means wedding week has finally come to an end (sighhh). In case you missed them, here are my posts on The Dress, The Ceremony and The Reception! If the wedding photos got you all wanderlust-y and craving a trip to California's central coast, you're in luck: today I'm sharing my advice on how to spend a perfect day in Big Sur. We were treated to some epic sunsets during our stay for the wedding, making this one of my favorite photo journals yet.

Fuel up with breakfast at Deetjen's. Start your day with a hearty breakfast in the cozy restaurant of the main house at Deetjen's Big Sur Inn. Do yourself a favor and order the huevos rancheros!

Take in the splendor of Big Sur on a hike. Two of my favorite trails start from the same parking lot in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park. Bypass the $10 fee for the lot and park your car for free along the west side of Hwy 1. You won't find an easier hike or a better payoff than the McWay Waterfall Trail. Stroll the flat, half-mile path to McWay Falls, an 80-foot waterfall that cascades onto a sandy beach below (the reason I've dubbed Big Sur as the 'Hawaii' of the mainland). The more challenging Ewoldsen Trail is a 4.5-mile loop that's scenic to the Nth degree, with majestic redwood forest, awe-inspiring canyons and panoramic ocean views. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).