📷 Photo by Thomas Ciszewski on UnsplashPacific Coast Highway
California State Route 1 runs along the ocean for much of its length. The Big Sur stretch is one of the most dramatic coast drives anywhere.
- Length
- about 450 mi (SF–LA)
- States
- 1
- Suggested time
- 4–7 days
- Best season
- Apr–Oct
Before you go
- Southbound puts you on the ocean side, which makes pull-outs easier.
- Landslides close parts of Big Sur from time to time, so check Caltrans before you leave.
- There are few gas stations in Big Sur and they are expensive. Fill up in Carmel or Cambria.
San Francisco to Monterey
Cross the Golden Gate first for the view from Battery Spencer, then follow the coast south past Half Moon Bay. Monterey's aquarium and Cannery Row make an easy first night.
Big Sur
The 90 miles from Carmel to San Simeon are the heart of the drive. Bixby Creek Bridge, McWay Falls and the bluff-top Kirk Creek campground are the highlights. Cell service drops out for long stretches.
Central Coast to Los Angeles
Elephant seals line the beaches near San Simeon. Hearst Castle is on the hill above. After the pink excess of the Madonna Inn, the road runs through Santa Barbara and Malibu to Santa Monica.
FAQs
Is Highway 1 open all the way through Big Sur?
Not always. Slides and repairs close sections for months at a time. Check Caltrans QuickMap before you set out and plan an inland detour on US-101 if you need to.
Which direction is best?
Southbound. The ocean is on your side, and turning into scenic pull-outs is much easier.
Places to see
© Diliff · CC BY-SA 3.0Bixby Creek Bridge
A 1932 concrete arch 260 feet above a creek mouth on Highway 1. Pull-outs on the north side give the famous…
© Joe Caione joeyc · CC0McWay Falls
An 80-foot waterfall that drops straight onto a sandy cove. A short, flat trail in Julia Pfeiffer Burns…
© Jim Barcelona · CC BY 3.0Battery Spencer Overlook
The classic Golden Gate Bridge viewpoint, with the towers close up and the city behind them. Fog often…
© MARELBU · CC BY 3.0Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery
Thousands of elephant seals haul out on the beach below a free boardwalk. Pups are born from December…
Photo by Mike Hsieh on UnsplashHearst Castle
A hilltop estate with 165 rooms and the marble Neptune Pool. Tours must be booked, and the bus ride up the…
© Christian Beiwinkel · CC BY-SA 4.0Santa Monica Pier
The symbolic end of Route 66. There is an amusement park, a century-old carousel and the Pacific at your feet.
