Pacific Coast Highway: San Francisco to Los Angeles

Drive south along Highway 1, connecting San Francisco, Big Sur, Hearst Castle, and Santa Barbara

Spend the first two days exploring San Francisco without a car, then pick up your rental on the third day to head south, making it easier to pull over on the ocean side for scenic views. Dedicate just one day to a slow drive through Big Sur, stay overnight in Cambria, visit Hearst Castle the next day before heading to Santa Barbara, and finally enter Los Angeles via Malibu. Perfect for first-time visitors to California; the trade-off is that Los Angeles is only visited along the coast, so extra days are needed for the city center.

The Big Sur section is prone to landslides during the rainy season and road closures due to wildfires in autumn. Check road conditions daily before setting off.

Day by day

Day 1 · San Francisco Bay and Historic Streets

San Francisco（Fisherman's Wharf & Pier 39、Alcatraz Island、San Francisco Cable Cars、Lombard Street）

Explore the city on foot and by cable car, and take a ferry to Alcatraz Island. No car rental is needed for the entire day, taking about half a day to a full day.

Alcatraz ferry tickets often sell out weeks in advance, so be sure to book early.

Stay: Fisherman's Wharf

Day 2 · Golden Gate Bridge and Park

San Francisco（Golden Gate Bridge、Palace of Fine Arts、Painted Ladies & Alamo Square、Golden Gate Park）

Take a bus or ride-share to and from the Golden Gate Bridge and Golden Gate Park, taking about 30 to 40 minutes one way.

Stay: Fisherman's Wharf

Day 3 · Half Moon Bay to Santa Cruz

San Francisco（Half Moon Bay Coast） → Santa Cruz（West Cliff Drive、Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk）

Pick up your car and drive south along Highway 1 through Half Moon Bay to Santa Cruz, taking about 1.5 to 2 hours of pure driving.

Stay: Beach Boardwalk & Beach

Day 4 · Monterey and 17-Mile Drive

Monterey & Big Sur（Monterey Bay Aquarium、Cannery Row、17-Mile Drive、The Lone Cypress、Carmel-by-the-Sea）

Drive from Santa Cruz to Monterey in about 1 hour, then loop around 17-Mile Drive to Carmel in the afternoon, taking about 1 hour.

Stay: Carmel-by-the-Sea

Day 5 · Traversing the Big Sur Coast

Monterey & Big Sur（Point Lobos State Natural Reserve、Bixby Creek Bridge、Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park、McWay Falls） → Cambria & Hearst Castle（Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery、Moonstone Beach Boardwalk）

The drive from Carmel to Cambria is about 180 km along winding mountain roads, taking 3 hours of pure driving. Dedicate a full day to this stretch.

The McWay Falls overlook trail is under maintenance, but you can still view it from the roadside.

Stay: Along Moonstone Beach Drive

Day 6 · Hearst Castle to Santa Barbara

Cambria & Hearst Castle（Hearst Castle、Morro Rock） → Santa Barbara（Solvang、Stearns Wharf）

Drive back up for about 10 minutes to Hearst Castle in the morning, then head south along US-101 for about 2.5 hours to Santa Barbara.

You must reserve your Hearst Castle guided tour time slot online in advance.

Stay: Waterfront and Funk Zone

Day 7 · Santa Barbara to LA via Malibu

Santa Barbara（Old Mission Santa Barbara、Santa Barbara County Courthouse） → Los Angeles（Malibu & El Matador State Beach、Santa Monica Pier）

Explore the Old Town in the morning, then drive along Highway 1 through Malibu to Santa Monica in the afternoon, taking about 2 to 2.5 hours.

Traffic heading into Los Angeles often gets congested after midday, so try to leave as early as possible.