Staff Pick
Road Trip San Francisco to Big Sur – Pacific Coast Highway
San Francisco
Big Sur
230
km
4h30
drive
All seasons
season
The Itinerary
The Highway 1 stretch between San Francisco and Big Sur is undeniably America's most beautiful coastal drive. For 230 km, the Pacific crashes on the right against granite cliffs while the road snakes along mountain flanks.
From San Francisco, you pass Pacifica, Half Moon Bay and the wild Pescadero coast before reaching Santa Cruz and its famous Boardwalk. Monterey and Carmel-by-the-Sea — with artists' cottages and the legendary 17-Mile Drive — warrant a night. Bixby Bridge's graceful arc in Big Sur is one of America's most photographed spots.
Big Sur itself, 145 km long, packs state campgrounds (Pfeiffer Big Sur, Julia Pfeiffer Burns), waterfalls dropping onto the beach (McWay Falls) and cliffs from which winter gray whale migrations can be spotted.
From San Francisco, you pass Pacifica, Half Moon Bay and the wild Pescadero coast before reaching Santa Cruz and its famous Boardwalk. Monterey and Carmel-by-the-Sea — with artists' cottages and the legendary 17-Mile Drive — warrant a night. Bixby Bridge's graceful arc in Big Sur is one of America's most photographed spots.
Big Sur itself, 145 km long, packs state campgrounds (Pfeiffer Big Sur, Julia Pfeiffer Burns), waterfalls dropping onto the beach (McWay Falls) and cliffs from which winter gray whale migrations can be spotted.
Points of Interest
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Bixby BridgeIconic PCH arch bridge, classic photo stop.
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McWay Falls24 m waterfall dropping straight onto a tropical-looking beach.
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17-Mile Drive (Pebble Beach)Paid scenic loop, Lone Cypress, world-famous golf courses.
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Monterey Bay AquariumOne of the world's top aquariums, giant kelp forest tank.
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Pfeiffer BeachPurple-sand beach with iconic rock arch.
Practical info
- Departure San Francisco
- Destination Big Sur
- Distance 230 km
- Duration 4h30
- Category Medium (100–250 km)
- Best season All seasons
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