Private Big Sur and Carmel Scenic Drive from Silicon Valley

Highlights

Inclusions

Itinerary

1. Santa Cruz is a vibrant coastal city in Northern California, known for its surf culture, beaches, the historic Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk amusement park, and the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC). It's the county seat of Santa Cruz County, situated on Monterey Bay, offering a mix of laid-back beach town vibes, redwood forests, and a unique, eclectic community with surfing roots dating back to the late 1800s

   20 min

2. The Bixby Creek Bridge is a historic, picturesque concrete open-spandrel arch bridge in Big Sur, California, completed in 1932 on Highway 1. It is one of the most photographed bridges in the US, known for its scenic coastal views

   15 min

3. Big Sur is a famous stretch of scenic, wild coastline known for dramatic cliffs, redwood forests, and its artistic and literary history

   1 h

4. Garrapata State Park is a state park in Big Sur featuring two miles of rugged beachfront, coastal bluffs, and redwood-filled canyons. Located along Highway 1 south of Carmel, it is a popular, often free, destination for hiking, whale watching, and photography.

   15 min

5. Carmel-by-the-Sea is an affluent, highly walkable one-square-mile coastal village in California known for its storybook "fairy tale" cottages, white-sand beach, and artistic, romantic charm. It features no street addresses, hidden courtyards, art galleries, upscale dining, and is exceptionally pet-friendly. The atmosphere is quaint, cozy, and scenic, often featuring foggy mornings and mild, temperate weathe

   1 h

6. The 17-Mile Drive is a famous, privately owned scenic road on California's Monterey Peninsula, winding through Pebble Beach, offering stunning Pacific coastline views, famous golf courses like Pebble Beach Golf Links, iconic landmarks such as the Lone Cypress, and opportunities to see wildlife like sea lions and otters. It's a popular tourist attraction with a gate fee, known for its luxury homes and natural beauty, connecting Pacific Grove and Carmel.

   30 min

7. Monterey is a historic, scenic coastal city on California’s Central Coast. Famous for the world-renowned Monterey Bay Aquarium and Cannery Row, it offers a mix of marine life, 19th-century Spanish-era architecture, and 17-mile drive coastal views. As California's first capital, it is rich in maritime history, culture, and tourism.

   30 min

Cancellation

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.

Know before you go

How it compares in San Jose

• Its from-price is 583% above the median of the 113 experiences we list in San Jose.
• It is longer than most of them.
• The operator lists free cancellation on it.

About San Jose

San Jose is the largest city of Silicon Valley, in California's Santa Clara Valley, with museums, a Spanish-era past and the Santa Cruz Mountains nearby.

San Jose lies at the southern end of San Francisco Bay in the Santa Clara Valley, founded in 1777 as California's first civilian town and serving as the first state capital. Today it is the centre of Silicon Valley, with a downtown of museums and parks. The Winchester Mystery House, a sprawling mansion with staircases to nowhere, and the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum are two of its odder sights.

Top-ranked sights in San Jose: Computer History Museum.

See all 113 experiences in San Jose