Rancho Rico

Located along the Big Sur coastline, Rancho Rico Beach is a beautiful beach with light brown sand and a stunning Instagram-worthy backdrop of towering cliffs.  The beach is located below steep oceanfront bluffs. 

There are many attractions near Rancho Rico Beach.  Henry Miller Memorial Library is dedicated to the memory of the renowned author Henry Miller and also serves as a gallery and performance space, hosting many exciting events throughout the year (particularly between May and October) including film screenings, live music performances, open mic sessions, literary discussions, and the Big Sur International Short Film Screening Series. Seal Beach Overlook is an observation area that offers amazing views of the Pacific Ocean and the Big Sur shoreline.  Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park is located at the base of the Santa Lucia Mountains and it has a variety of hiking trails – these trails offer an amazing way to explore the vibrant landscape and biodiversity of the Big Sur region and you can see many kinds of animals in this state park including deer, racooons, skunks, kingfishers, and bobcats.  In addition to hiking, the state park also offers many other fun activities including biking, camping, and picnicking and it also has a nature center name Ewoldsen Nature Center – this center offers informative exhibits about Big Sur region’s plants and animals.  If you are looking for another attraction near Rancho Rico Beach, Pfeiffer Falls is located in the Los Padres National Forest – this 60-feet tall waterfall offers some great Instagram-worthy photos.

Unfortunately, the only access trail to the beach goes through private property and the general public is prohibited from walking on it.  While the Rancho Rico property earlier used to host private events such as weddings, such events are also forbidden on the property currently. The access road to the beach is located near 47320 Pacific Coast Highway.  However, it is currently gated off, preventing access to the public.  You can try to access the beach by boat.  However, there are no nearby public boat launches and this makes any attempt to reach Rancho Rico Beach through boat difficult.  If you are looking for a beach with unrestricted access, the nearby Pfeiffer Beach is a popular Big Sur beach that has purple-colored sand and a natural rocky archway just offshore.

There are many attractions near Rancho Rico Beach.  Henry Miller Memorial Library is dedicated to the memory of the renowned author Henry Miller and also serves as a gallery and performance space, hosting many exciting events throughout the year (particularly between May and October) including film screenings, live music performances, open mic sessions, literary discussions, and the Big Sur International Short Film Screening Series. Seal Beach Overlook is an observation area that offers amazing views of the Pacific Ocean and the Big Sur shoreline.  Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park is located at the base of the Santa Lucia Mountains and it has a variety of hiking trails – these trails offer an amazing way to explore the vibrant landscape and biodiversity of the Big Sur region and you can see many kinds of animals in this state park including deer, racooons, skunks, kingfishers, and bobcats.  In addition to hiking, the state park also offers many other fun activities including biking, camping, and picnicking and it also has a nature center name Ewoldsen Nature Center – this center offers informative exhibits about Big Sur region’s plants and animals.  If you are looking for another attraction near Rancho Rico Beach, Pfeiffer Falls is located in the Los Padres National Forest – this 60-feet tall waterfall offers some great Instagram-worthy photos.

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Rancho Rico Beach.  Sierra Mar is an upscale restaurant that offers a pleasant oceanfront dining experience and serves excellent gourmet dishes.  Additionally, the restaurant was awarded TripAdvisor’s Travellers’ Choice award in 2020 and has been praised in a variety of publications including the MICHELIN Guide and the Wine Spectator magazine – it is also a favorite of Randall Kaplan, the world’s foremost beach expert who is known as “Mr. Beach.”  Big Sur Taphouse has a casual ambiance and it also serves an excellent array of bar foods including sandwiches, tacos, burgers, cheese-steaks, and hot wings.  Big Sur Bakery features a homely dining area and it offers a range of delicious pastries, pizzas, salads, andsandwiches.  If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant near Rancho Rico Beach, the modestly priced Big Sur Deli offers excellent sandwiches that are served in generous portions.  

If you are looking for a hotel near Rancho Rico Beach, there are many great nearby options.  The 5-Star Post Ranch Inn offers many amenities including a restaurant, a fitness center, a swimming pool, a spa with two infinity pools, complimentary breakfast, car loaner facility, and complimentary classes for stargazing, yoga, and meditation.  Anotherupscale hotel is the 5-Star Alila Ventana Big Sur that offers many amenities including a restaurant, a clothing optional pool, a sauna, a fitness center, a spa , complimentary breakfast, wine-and cheese receptions, yoga and tai-chi classes, and arrangements for guided tours in the Big Sur region.  A more affordable hotel is the 3-Star Big Sur Lodge that offers many amenities including a pool, a bar, a general store, a coffee shop, and a restaurant.  If you are looking for a hotel near Rancho Rico Beach, the Fernwood Campground and Resort offers accommodation in a motel and log cabins and also offers sites for RV and tent camping.  The campground and resort offer a variety of amenities including restrooms, showers, a restaurant, and a general store.