The Monterey Peninsula lies about two hours south of San Francisco. Monterey itself is an old fishing port made famous by John Steinbeck’s Cannery Row and now by one of the world’s great aquariums; next door are Pacific Grove, the private 17-Mile Drive through Pebble Beach and the storybook village of Carmel-by-the-Sea.
South of Carmel, Highway 1 enters Big Sur — roughly 145 km (90 miles) of wild coast where the Santa Lucia Mountains drop straight into the Pacific. There are no towns, only a scattering of lodges, state parks and viewpoints. The road is spectacular and fragile: landslides close parts of it from time to time, occasionally for many months, so check its status with Caltrans before planning a through drive to Santa Barbara.
Highlights
- Bixby Creek Bridge and the cliffs of Big Sur
- McWay Falls dropping onto a beach
- Sea otters and kelp forests at the Monterey Bay Aquarium
- Whale watching over the Monterey submarine canyon
- The Lone Cypress on 17-Mile Drive
- Carmel’s beach, galleries and mission
Plan your time in Big Sur & Monterey
Allow one day for Monterey and its aquarium, one for Carmel, Point Lobos and 17-Mile Drive, and one for Big Sur. From Carmel to McWay Falls and back is about 120 km (75 miles) and easily fills a day with stops. Fill the tank and download maps before you leave Carmel: fuel in Big Sur is scarce and expensive, and there is almost no phone signal.
