Southern Redwood Botanical Area

Salmon Creek Falls is a 120-foot (36 meter) waterfall in the southern Big Sur region of Monterey County, California. The falls are located along California State Route 1 about 2.9 mi (4.7 km) northwest of Ragged Point and lies within the Monterey Ranger District of the Los Padres National Forest and Silver Peak Wilderness.

Manchester (sometimes known as Mansfield) was a mining town in the Los Burros Mining District in the southern Big Sur region of Monterey County, California from about 1875 to 1895. The town was reached by a 20 miles (32 km) road from King City to Jolon. From Jolon travelers could ride or take a stage or wagon to the Wagon Caves, followed by a difficult 14 miles (23 km) trail over the steep Santa Lucia Mountains to the site, about 4 miles (6.4 km) inland of Cape San Martin. Prospecting began in the area in the 1850s. In the spring of 1887, after 10 years of varied success, William Dugay Cruikshank discovered lode gold at the head of Alder Creek. He opened the Last Chance Mine, later known as the Buclimo Mine. The Last Chance mine produced about $62,000 (or about $1,135,000 today) in gold ore. The mines were not very productive, and most mining activity ceased by about 1895. Renewed attempts at exploiting the ore in the early 1900s failed. Cruikshank lived on the site of the town until his death in 1937.

Gorda (Spanish for "Fat") is a hamlet in Monterey County, California. It is located 3 mi (4.8 km) south of Cape San Martin, at an elevation of 148 ft (45 m). It is one of the three small settlements of filling stations, restaurants, and motels located along State Route 1 on the Big Sur coast. The ZIP Code is 93920, but mail must be addressed to Big Sur, and the community is inside area code 805.

The Silver Peak Wilderness is located in the southwestern corner of Monterey County in the Santa Lucia Mountains along the Central Coast of California. It southern boundary largely follows the Monterey County/San Luis Obispo County line. Its eastern boundary is defined by Ft. Hunter Liggett, while on the west it follows closely along Highway 1 and the Big Sur coastline. It is one of ten wilderness areas within the Los Padres National Forest and managed by the US Forest Service. The wilderness was created by the U.S. Congress as part of the Los Padres Condor Range and River Protection Act of 1992 (Public Law 102-301) which set aside approximately 14,500 acres (59 km2). The same legislation also established the Chumash, Garcia, Machesna Mountain, Matilija, and Sespe Wilderness areas. On December 19, 2002 the Big Sur Wilderness and Conservation Act of 2002 added 17,055 acres (69.02 km2) to the existing wilderness. The Wilderness is in two separate units, divided by the Willow Creek drainage and the fire roads to Alder Creek. The wilderness terrain rises steeply from near the Pacific Ocean to Silver Peak itself at 3,590 feet (1,090 m). Vegetation in the forests includes California sycamore, the big leaf maple, and red alder. Open slopes are dominated by ceanothus, manzanita, coastal live oak, and gray pine. There is also an isolated stand of coastal redwoods, the world's southernmost stand of redwoods. The wilderness also encompasses a rare grove of Sargent cypress, gray pines, and Santa Lucia fir. In the spring when the creeks fill, some of the steeper canyons feature waterfalls. Salmon Creek Falls, just off CA-1, is a very popular attraction, and the Salmon Creek Trail is a popular access point to the Wilderness. Views on clear days extend to the Big Sur coastline to the north, the Pacific Ocean to the west, and the Salinas Valley to the east. Recreation includes backpacking, horse camping, and day trips. As with all wilderness areas, motorized and mechanized vehicles (including mountain bikes) are prohibited everywhere except the forest service roads.

San Carpóforo Creek flows through San Carpóforo Canyon and into the Pacific Ocean in a small bay 20 miles (32 km) north of San Simeon on the Central Coast of California. The creek is generally considered to be the southern border of the Big Sur region of Central California.

Ragged Point is a headland on California's Central Coast. It is located at the southern end of Big Sur in northern San Luis Obispo County. The Ragged Point Inn and Resort is located in the area, which, as with much of Big Sur, features seaside cliffs, beaches, and hiking trails.

The Big Sur Jade Festival is an annual three-day event held in southern Big Sur in Monterey County, California. It is organized by the non-profit South Coast Community Land Trust. The availability of high-quality nephrite jade at Jade Cove spurred the start of the annual festival in 1989. Before regulations limited how much jade could be removed, divers floated large boulders of jade to the surface. They were carved and polished into unique and rare jade specimens. The three-day festival is held at the Pacific Valley School north of nearby Gorda, California. Artists who work jade and other lapidary arts from all across the US, Canada, and New Zealand show their wares each year. The 2019 festival featured 51 vendors, music and food. There is no entrance fee. Proceeds from booth rental and food sales at the festival fund local education and organizations. In May 2005, the organization contributed to construction of a combination classroom/community center at the Pacific Valley School. They have funded summer educational opportunities for Pacific Valley students, including trips abroad. They have also bought a vehicle and other gear for the Big Sur Volunteer Fire Brigade.

Sand Dollar Beach is a .5 miles (0.80 km) long beach in Big Sur, California, one of the longest publicly accessible beaches on that coast. It is within the Los Padres National Forest. The beach is 3.7 miles (6.0 km) north of the small commercial center of Gorda and 38.5 miles (62.0 km) north of Cambria. It is 25 miles (40 km) south of Big Sur Village on Highway 1.

Jade Cove is located in the southern area of Big Sur on the California central coast. It contains the only concentrated underwater deposit of quality nephrite jade in the world. Individuals are permitted to collect as much jade as they can personally carry using hand tools up to 90 feet (27 m) deep offshore.

Piedras Blancas State Marine Reserve (SMR) and Piedras Blancas State Marine Conservation Area (SMCA) are two adjoining marine protected areas that lie offshore of San Luis Obispo County on California's central coast. The combined area of these marine protected areas is 19.68 square miles (51.0 km2). The SMR protects all marine life within its boundaries. Fishing and take of all living marine resources is prohibited. Within the SMCA fishing and take of all living marine resources is prohibited except the commercial and recreational take of salmon and albacore.

Piedras Blancas Light Station is located at Point Piedras Blancas, about 5.5 miles (8.9 km) west by northwest of San Simeon, California. It was added to the California Coastal National Monument in 2017.

Kirk Creek Campground is a USFS campground located near Lucia, California. Near the campground is an archaeological site dating to the Middle Period of the Big Sur coast in California. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 31, 1974.