San Francisco–Monterey Self-Guided Pacific Coast Audio Drive
- 2–3 hours
- Free cancellation up to 24h before
- Guided in English
- Instant confirmation
Highlights
Turn the Pacific Coast Highway between San Francisco and Monterey into a flexible, self-guided road trip. GPS-triggered stories play automatically through your smartphone as you pass Devil’s Slide, Half Moon Bay, Pescadero, Pigeon Point, Año Nuevo, Shark Fin Cove, Natural Bridges, Santa Cruz and Elkhorn Slough. Start at either end, drive in either direction, pause for viewpoints and explore on your schedule. Pigeon Point’s grounds remain open, although the lighthouse tower is closed for restoration. Download before departure; no signal is required during the tour. Transportation, parking, attraction admission, a smartphone and an in-person guide are not included.
Inclusions
What's included
- No time constraints, take as long as you like to complete the tour
- Only 1 tour booking needed per vehicle
- Flexible dates - tour is yours to keep and enjoy anytime on Tripvia Tours app
- No signal required or data used during tour
- Good mobile or WiFi connection needed for the initial download
What's not
- Smartphone or tablet
- Transportation (use your own vehicle)
- Attraction admission
- Parking fees
- In-person tour guide
Itinerary
SAN FRANCISCO. Begin a scenic Pacific Coast drive from this landmark city of neighbourhoods, hills and waterfront views.
DEVIL’S SLIDE. Follow the dramatic former Highway 1 alignment above steep coastal cliffs and sweeping ocean scenery.
MONTARA. Pass this coastal community, Montara State Beach and the northern reaches of the California Coast Ranges.
MOSS BEACH. Discover a quiet seaside community beside protected tide pools and rich marine habitat.
MONTARA POINT LIGHTHOUSE. View the historic 1875 lighthouse that still marks this rugged stretch of coast.
EL GRANADA. Pass the town’s distinctive circular street plan, Pillar Point Harbour and the nearby Coastal Trail.
HALF MOON BAY. Explore a lively coastal town known for beaches, harbour scenery and a colourful local history.
SAN GREGORIO. Pass the historic village and its broad state beach on a scenic stretch of Highway 1.
CALIFORNIA COASTAL NATIONAL MONUMENT. Look across protected offshore rocks and islands that shelter wildlife along the coast.
PESCADERO. Pass a charming farming and ranching community with roots reaching back to the 19th century.
PESCADERO MARSH NATURAL PRESERVE AND GREYHOUND ROCK. See vital wetland habitat and a dramatic coastal viewpoint along Highway 1.
PIGEON POINT LIGHTHOUSE. View the historic tower from the open grounds while its interior remains closed for restoration.
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.
Reviews
3.4
- 51
- 42
- 31
- 20
- 11
Ratings come from 5 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.
Know before you go
- Meeting point
- The tour starts at either Monterey or San Francisco, although you can start anywhere along the route. Tour experience is the same in either direction.
- Pickup
- Everyone meets at the starting point; there is no pickup.
- Ticket type
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Operated by
- Tripvia Tours
- Service animals allowed
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- Wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
How it compares in Monterey & Carmel
- Its from-price is 83% below the median of the 98 experiences we list in Monterey & Carmel.
- Its length is typical for the group.
- By number of reviews it ranks 62 of 98.
- The operator lists free cancellation on it.
About Monterey & Carmel
Monterey and Carmel share a rugged California peninsula of cypress-lined coast, a famous aquarium, an old Spanish capital and an artists' seaside village.
Monterey stands on the south shore of Monterey Bay in California and was the capital of Alta California under Spain and Mexico. Its historic adobe buildings, including the Custom House, line the old streets near the harbour, while Cannery Row, the former sardine-canning street made famous by John Steinbeck, is now lined with restaurants and shops. The Monterey Bay Aquarium, in a converted cannery, shows the kelp forests and open-sea life of the bay.
Top-ranked sights in Monterey & Carmel: 17-Mile Drive, Cannery Row, Monterey Bay.
Special offers in Monterey & Carmel
Was/now prices come from the operator, never from us.
