A Big Sur Dream Found at Bixby Creek Ranch

Inevitably, Big Sur always makes a list of epic California getaways. It's got jagged cliff points. Pine-tree-laden mountains. Poetic views of the open sea  and clear starry night skies. Big Sur may be the environmentally conscious stepsister of posh Carmel and Pebble Beach, but it has established its own definitions of luxury amid its fabled coastal-meets-mountain landscape. Enter Bixby Creek Ranch, a one-of-a-kind family compound nestled on 78 acres of prime Central Coast real estate and adjoining an additional 300 glorious acres of private preserve with true panoramic views of iconic Bixby Bridge and the endless Pacific beyond. Listing agent Tim Allen has called the property "a new standard of luxury" and one look inside the landmark ranch estate proves that, indeed, it is.

Set just a short drive from Carmel and Pebble Beach, the ranch encompasses four main structures, including the main house, guest cottage, library/studio, and a beautiful pre-Civil War era barn from Ohio that was meticulously deconstructed and re-milled to its current glorious state. "One could spend years exploring the land and never experience the same day," proclaims Allen. One can also easily imagine hosting friends and family from one of the many breezy indoor/outdoor living spaces designed by renowned architect Mary Ann Shicketanz, or enjoying the seemingly endless cinema of sea and sweeping mountain from a bedroom window. Bixby Creek Ranch offers a serene, comfortable lifestyle sure to inspire daily from sunrise to sunset. It's the kind of legacy property that is destined to stay in a family for generations — a rarity for Big Sur. View the complete listing by Tim Allen of Coldwell Banker Realty in Carmel-by-the-Sea/Junipero.