Side by side
Big Sur vs York, Maine
Big Sur
11 positive (92%) · 1 mixed (8%) · 0 negative (0%)
Trust + time weighted: +94%
AI summary — not a quote
Big Sur is widely regarded by travelers as a premier scenic destination, often described as a "must-do" or "once-in-a-lifetime" experience. It is primarily celebrated for its spectacular coastal drive along Highway 1, where the journey itself is considered the main attraction.
Pros
- Spectacular and world-class coastal scenery
- Iconic road trip experience where the drive is the destination
- Accessible as a day trip from the San Francisco Bay Area
- Availability of bus and van tours for those who prefer not to drive
Cons
- Heavy coastal fog can completely obscure views, making the drive pointless for sightseeing
- Can be an exhausting and "really long" day trip if not breaking up the drive with an overnight stay
Top excerpts
Big Sur is right there too if you want a scenic drive day.
From the SF Bay Area: Big Sur (2 hours), Lake Tahoe (4 hours), Mt Shasta (vastly under appreciated, 5 hours), Santa Barbara (I grew up there and still have family I can stay with, six hours).
Big Sur
Big Sur, on the other hand, is perfectly doable, even on a long day, because the drive itself is part of the journey.
A day trip from San Francisco to Big Sur is doable, but that is a REALLY LONG day. ... This drive is spectacular, and will take you thru Monterey, Carmel, Big Sur and eventually through Santa Barbara. I'd recommend breaking up the drive by spending a night in San Luis Obispo. Highway 1 just re-opened last month to through traffic after it had been closed for a while due to storm damage. It is utterly spectacular.
York, Maine
9 positive (100%) · 0 mixed (0%) · 0 negative (0%)
Trust + time weighted: +100%
Top excerpts
York is beautiful, Durham is alright - but both just posh, slightly out of touch northern towns similar to Bath.
And if you want to rely on public transport, I’d look at places like Edinburgh, York, or Copenhagen. All easy to get around without a car, not usually crazy hot, and plenty to do with kids.
You could hit York on your way for one night
Somewhere like York and around Yorkshire would be fairly nice and there's some quaint little towns to explore (Harrogate, Beverley, Knaresborough, Ripon etc).
You’ve definitely got to go to York.