from $75 Monterey Bay whale-watching tour
The area’s most-reviewed trip: a cruise from Fisherman’s Wharf to the edge of the submarine canyon with marine naturalists on board.
Big Sur & Monterey: tours & tickets
Whale watching, guided drives down the Big Sur coast and ways to see the peninsula without your own car.
Our picks
Top tours & tickets in Big Sur & Monterey
Monterey Bay is one of the best places in the world to see whales from a boat, and the cruises here are the area’s most popular bookable experience. On land, guided Big Sur tours from Monterey are useful if you would rather look at the view than the road. We did not find Monterey Bay Aquarium tickets among GetYourGuide’s listings; buy those from the aquarium directly.
from $75 
from $62 Dolphin and whale-watching boat tour
A slightly shorter cruise looking for whales, dolphins, sea lions and seabirds in the bay.
from $79 17-Mile Drive guided e-bike tour
An easy electric-bike ride from Monterey along the coast through Pacific Grove and Pebble Beach to the Lone Cypress.
from $227 Big Sur sightseeing tour with four to five stops
A small-group drive south from the Monterey area to Bixby Bridge and other Big Sur viewpoints with a local guide.
from $65 Cannery Row kayak tour
A guided paddle over the kelp beds off Cannery Row, often among sea otters, harbour seals and sea lions.
from $118 Monterey Peninsula and Carmel small-group day tour from San Francisco
A full day from the city taking in Monterey, 17-Mile Drive and Carmel-by-the-Sea without the driving.
from $159 Carmel-by-the-Sea wine tasting and walking tour
A guided stroll through Carmel’s lanes and courtyards with stops at local tasting rooms.
Prices are indicative “from” prices in US dollars and ratings are as shown on GetYourGuide when we last checked; both change often.
GetYourGuide
Live availability in Big Sur & Monterey
Real-time tours and tickets from GetYourGuide for Big Sur & Monterey and its surroundings.
Booking tips
- Whales are present all year: humpbacks and blue whales mainly from spring to autumn, grey whales in winter and spring. Morning trips usually have calmer seas; take seasickness precautions.
- Big Sur tours go as far south as road conditions allow. If Highway 1 is closed part-way, the route will be shortened.
- 17-Mile Drive charges a toll for cars but cyclists enter free, which is one reason the e-bike tour is good value.
- Day trips from San Francisco cover Monterey and Carmel in about eleven hours; few of them reach deep into Big Sur.
Destinations
Combine it with
San Francisco & Northern California San Francisco
A compact city of steep hills, cable cars and fog — with the Golden Gate Bridge at one end and Alcatraz in the middle of the bay.
Central Coast Santa Barbara
White walls, red-tile roofs and palm-lined beaches beneath the Santa Ynez Mountains — the “American Riviera”, with wine country just over the hill.
Sierra Nevada & national parks Yosemite
Granite cliffs a kilometre high, some of the tallest waterfalls in North America and groves of giant sequoias — the Sierra Nevada at its grandest.
Plan your trip
Book tours in Big Sur & Monterey
Compare real-time prices and availability on GetYourGuide. Most tours can be cancelled free of charge up to 24 hours ahead.