We're delighted to share that the Monterey Bay Half Marathon in Big Sur, California has earned the #5 spot in California on the HalfRuns Editors' Choice 2026 list. Congratulations to the race team and to every runner who has made this one something special.
Why did our editors pick it? Runners from 46 states made the trip to run it. That's a remarkable draw for a half marathon, and it tells you something about the pull of this course and the community around it. The race sold out in 2026, and a quarter of the field comes back. Add a USATF-certified course and about 6,400 finishers a year, and you have a race that earns its place.
At HalfRuns, we're building a community for half marathon runners and collecting the best races across the country — the ones worth planning a weekend around. This is one of them. See the rest of our picks in the Best Half Marathons in California, and get the race details on the Monterey Bay Half Marathon page.