Everyone does Big Sur in summer. The road is packed, the campgrounds are full, and Bixby Bridge has more photographers than seagulls.

Go in February instead. The tourists are gone. The elephant seals are at Piedras Blancas doing their thing. The hills are green — actually green, not the burnt gold of summer. And the light is different. Lower, softer, with fog that rolls through the redwoods like smoke.

We stayed at a cabin in Big Sur Village. No cell service. No WiFi. The owner left a handwritten note that said “the nearest cell signal is 20 minutes north.” It was the most relaxing three days I’ve had in years.

The drive itself is better in winter because you can actually stop. In summer, pulling over at a viewpoint means waiting for a spot. In February, we’d park, walk to the edge, and have the entire coastline to ourselves.

One caveat: check road conditions. Highway 1 closes for mudslides more often than you’d think. CalTrans has a hotline and the Big Sur locals post updates on social media. We got lucky — everything was open, but the road south of Julia Pfeiffer Burns had fresh debris on the shoulder.

If you go, eat at Nepenthe. Sit on the terrace. Order the ambrosia burger. Look at the ocean. That’s it. That’s the whole plan.