Monterey & Big Sur

Starting point for the most scenic stretch of California's Highway 1: the Monterey Bay Aquarium, 17-Mile Drive, and Big Sur's sea cliffs and Bixby Bridge.

Monterey lies on California's Central Coast, about 190 km (120 mi) south of San Francisco, and was the capital of California under Spanish and Mexican rule. The Monterey Peninsula is made up of Monterey, Pacific Grove, Pebble Beach and Carmel. Monterey has the world-class Monterey Bay Aquarium, Cannery Row of Steinbeck fame and Old Fisherman's Wharf, with whale-watching trips out to sea. Pacific Grove has Lovers Point and a monarch butterfly overwintering grove. The toll road 17-Mile Drive winds through Pebble Beach, linking the Lone Cypress and world-renowned golf courses, while Carmel is a fairy-tale artists' village packed with galleries. South of Carmel lies Big Sur, where Highway 1 snakes along the cliffs between the Santa Lucia Mountains and the Pacific. Classic stops include Point Lobos, Bixby Bridge, Point Sur Lighthouse, the purple sand of Pfeiffer Beach, the clifftop restaurant Nepenthe and McWay Falls, which tumbles into a cove. Inland, you can go wine tasting in Carmel Valley, visit the National Steinbeck Center in Salinas or explore Pinnacles National Park. September–October, clear and mostly fog-free, is the best time to visit; spring brings wildflowers, while summer often sees thick coastal fog. You'll need a car—it's about 2 hours from San Francisco or San Jose—and 2–4 days is ideal. The Big Sur stretch of Highway 1 is often closed by landslides, so check Caltrans road conditions in advance; gas stations and cell coverage are scarce along the way.

Top sights

Where to eat

Itineraries