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Big Sur · 7 days
Experience the ultimate Pacific Coast Highway journey from San Francisco to Santa Barbara. This route highlights dramatic cliffs, redwood forests, and the artistic coastal enclaves that define California's legendary Highway 1.
7days
20stops
580km
Day 1: Golden Gate Bridge → Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk → Monterey Bay Aquarium
1h 48min · 172km3 stops
Golden Gate Bridge
09:00 – 11:00
1h 18min · 124km
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
12:00 – 14:00
30min · 48km
Monterey Bay Aquarium
15:00 – 17:00
Day 2: 17-Mile Drive → Carmel-by-the-Sea → Point Lobos State Natural Res…
30min · 17km3 stops
17-Mile Drive
09:00 – 11:00
10min · 2.8km
Carmel-by-the-Sea
12:00 – 14:00
10min · 5.5km
Point Lobos State Natural Reserve
15:00 – 17:00
Day 3: Bixby Creek Bridge → Pfeiffer Big Sur → Pfeiffer Beach
35min · 43km3 stops
Bixby Creek Bridge
09:00 – 11:00
13min · 20km
Pfeiffer Big Sur
12:00 – 14:00
10min · 2.9km
Pfeiffer Beach
15:00 – 17:00
Day 4: McWay Falls → Limekiln → Ragged Point
51min · 82km3 stops
McWay Falls
09:00 – 11:00
16min · 26km
Limekiln
12:00 – 14:00
23min · 37km
Ragged Point
15:00 – 17:00
Day 5: Elephant Seal Vista Point → Hearst Castle → Moonstone Beach
32min · 44km3 stops
Elephant Seal Vista Point
09:00 – 11:00
10min · 10km
Hearst Castle
12:00 – 14:00
11min · 17km
Moonstone Beach
15:00 – 17:00
Day 6: Morro Rock → Pismo Beach Pier → Solvang
1h 47min · 167km3 stops
Morro Rock
09:00 – 11:00
25min · 39km
Pismo Beach Pier
12:00 – 14:00
58min · 91km
Solvang
15:00 – 17:00
Day 7: Old Mission Santa Barbara → Stearns Wharf
42min · 56km2 stops
Old Mission Santa Barbara
09:00 – 11:00
10min · 4.6km
Stearns Wharf
12:00 – 14:00
Heads Up
- 1. Check Caltrans for Highway 1 road closures, as landslides frequently cause detours in the Big Sur area.
- 2. Book Hearst Castle tours and Monterey Bay Aquarium tickets at least 2-4 weeks in advance.
- 3. Cell service is non-existent for long stretches of Big Sur; download offline maps before departing Carmel.