The destination organisation is urging visitors to plan around a 12-month parking ban near Bixby Bridge, placing safety and stewardship at the centre of the journey.
See Monterey is asking visitors to approach Big Sur as a journey rather than a single photographic stop, following Monterey County’s implementation of a 12-month parking ban near Bixby Bridge. The organisation’s appeal, issued on August 6, 2026, encourages travellers to plan ahead, follow local regulations and respect the landscape, communities and wildlife along Highway 1. The announcement matters because it links a specific access restriction with a broader effort to manage how visitors experience one of California’s most heavily visited coastal routes.
The release says travellers should expect delays during summer, described as the region’s busiest season, amid high travel demand and multiple Caltrans improvement projects on Highway 1. Visitors who can travel midweek or outside peak periods may encounter lighter traffic, while those travelling at busier times are advised to build extra time into their day. See Monterey also highlights illegal roadside parking and U-turns as traffic-law issues that visitors should avoid while moving through the area.
The guidance forms part of The Right Path™, described by See Monterey as a commitment to protecting, supporting and respecting Monterey County’s people, environment and wildlife. Its recommendations include following visitor guidelines, making sustainable choices, supporting local businesses and leaving no trace. The organisation also points travellers towards alternatives with designated parking and visitor amenities, including Andrew Molera State Park, Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park and Sand Dollar Beach, while noting that lodges and restaurants have long welcomed visitors.
The announcement shows how destination marketing is being used to shape visitor behaviour as well as attract trips. Rather than treating the Bixby Bridge parking restriction as an isolated inconvenience, See Monterey presents it as part of a more deliberate travel pattern across Big Sur and the wider county. Its suggested itinerary extends beyond the bridge to redwood groves, beaches, restaurants and other communities, positioning responsible movement and local participation as part of the destination experience.
See Monterey describes itself as a 501(c)(6) non-profit organisation that drives tourism for Monterey County through a partnership between the hospitality community and local governments. The release says tourism is the county’s second-largest industry and that the organisation aims to generate community prosperity through responsible growth of the tourism economy. Against that remit, the Big Sur guidance gives the organisation’s sustainability message a practical focus: visitors are being asked not simply to arrive, but to plan their route, respect restrictions and spread their time across the places that make the region accessible.
