Monterey and Carmel Day Tour from San Francisco

The Pacific coast drive from San Francisco

The tour heads south along the Pacific coast, on a route that mixes freeway, coastal towns and the scenic Pacific Coast Highway (Highway 1). The distance to Monterey is roughly 120 miles, so the journey is part of the day, with your guide sharing stories about the coast and the region as you go. Your departure is early, at 07:30, from one of two pickup points in San Francisco.

If you are asking whether a day trip from San Francisco to Monterey and Carmel is worth it, it is a long day but a rewarding one, and travelling by guided tour means you can enjoy the views rather than concentrating on the road.

Monterey and Cannery Row

Monterey is a historic port city on Monterey Bay, once the capital of Spanish and Mexican California. You have two hours of free time here, which you can spend on the waterfront, in the historic streets or on Cannery Row, the old sardine-canning district made famous by the writer John Steinbeck. Today the old canneries hold shops, restaurants and museums.

Cannery Row is also where you find the Monterey Bay Aquarium, one of the best aquariums in the world, but the entrance fee is not included in this tour. If you want to visit it, buy your ticket in advance and use most of your free time there. Otherwise, you can see the bay, the harbour, sea lions and sea otters along the waterfront for free.

The 17-Mile Drive and Pebble Beach

The 17-Mile Drive is a scenic road that winds through the Monterey Peninsula between Pacific Grove and Carmel, past rocky shoreline, cypress forests and the Pebble Beach area, known worldwide for its golf courses and elegant houses. The entry fee is included with your ticket, so you do not pay at the gate.

Photo stops include the Lone Cypress, a wind-shaped tree on a granite outcrop that is one of California's best-known symbols, and Bird Rock, a rocky islet crowded with seabirds and sea lions. You also stop at a lighthouse on the coast. Guides know the best viewpoints, so you do not have to work out where to stop.

Carmel-by-the-Sea

The last main stop is Carmel-by-the-Sea, a small coastal village of storybook cottages, art galleries, courtyards and boutiques. It is known for its white-sand beach and for its quirky rules, such as houses without street numbers, and it is easy to walk in the hour you have here. A historic mission lies close by, though the time allowed is short.

Use the hour for a stroll along Ocean Avenue to the beach, a coffee or a snack, and some window shopping. Meals and drinks are not included, so bring some money for lunch in Monterey or a snack in Carmel. Tips are optional, and the return drive brings you back to San Francisco in the evening.