Pacific Coast Highway in 4 days

Golden Gate to Carmel, with the aquarium in between.

1. 08:00 1

   Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center

   Sight

   Walk out to the first tower before the fog burns off, then point the car south.

   

   91.0 km · 1h drive to next

2. 10:00 2

   Pigeon Point Lighthouse

   Sight

   Tallest on the West Coast. Whale watching from the bluff in winter.

   

   53.6 km · 50m drive to next

3. 11:30 3

   Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

   Activity

   The Giant Dipper since 1924. Corn dog for second breakfast.

   

   41.5 km · 45m drive to next

4. 13:30 4

   Phil’s Fish Market

   Food & drink

   Cioppino. Phil’s moved inland to Castroville in 2022; the Moss Landing sea otters are ten minutes back up the highway if you want them.

   

   27.0 km · 30m drive to next

5. 15:00 5

   Monterey Bay Aquarium

   Activity

   Kelp forest and the open sea tank. Book online; closes at 17:00.

   

   8.3 km · 10m drive to next

6. 17:30 6

   17-Mile Drive

   Sight

   Lone Cypress. Fee at the gate, refunded if you eat at the lodge.

   

   6.1 km · 15m drive to next

7. 19:00 7

   Carmel-by-the-Sea

   Food & drink

   Cottage town with no street addresses. Dinner at La Bicyclette.

   

Big Sur. Check Caltrans for Highway 1 closures south of Big Sur before you go; the detour is inland on 101.

1. 08:00 1

   Point Lobos State Natural Reserve

   Park & nature

   Cypress Grove trail at opening; the lot fills by 10.

   

   21.4 km · 30m drive to next

2. 10:00 2

   Bixby Creek Bridge

   Sight

   The postcard. Pull out on the north side, not on the bridge.

   

   21.7 km · 20m drive to next

3. 11:00 3

   Pfeiffer Beach

   Park & nature

   Purple sand and the keyhole arch. Unmarked turn at Sycamore Canyon Road, fee in cash.

   

   6.6 km · 5m drive to next

4. 13:00 4

   Nepenthe

   Food & drink

   Lunch on the terrace 800 feet over the ocean. The Ambrosia burger.

   

   14.3 km · 15m drive to next

5. 15:00 5

   McWay Falls

   Park & nature

   Waterfall onto the beach, ten minute walk from the Julia Pfeiffer Burns lot.

   

   86.5 km · 1h drive to next

6. 17:00 6

   Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery

   Park & nature

   Hundreds of seals year round; loudest in January.

   

   25.2 km · 15m drive to next

7. 18:30 7

   Cambria

   Food & drink

   Moonstone Beach boardwalk at sunset. Sleep here.

   

A castle, a rock, a mission and a Danish village.

1. 09:00 1

   Hearst Castle

   Sight

   Grand Rooms tour, booked ahead. The bus up the hill is half the show.

   

   58.7 km · 40m drive to next

2. 12:00 2

   Giovanni’s Fish Market

   Food & drink

   Fish and chips on the Morro Bay waterfront, looking at the Rock.

   

   25.9 km · 25m drive to next

3. 14:00 3

   Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa

   Sight

   The 1772 mission, then Bubblegum Alley round the corner if you must.

   

   20.7 km · 25m drive to next

4. 15:30 4

   Pismo Beach Pier

   Park & nature

   Monarch butterfly grove November to February; otherwise the pier and a cinnamon roll from Old West.

   

   98.8 km · 1h 10m drive to next

5. 17:30 5

   Solvang

   Sight

   Danish village. Aebleskiver at Paula’s Pancake House.

   

   60.1 km · 50m drive to next

6. 19:30 6

   Stearns Wharf

   Food & drink

   Walk the wharf at sunset; dinner on State Street. Sleep in Santa Barbara.

   

Santa Barbara to the Santa Monica pier along the Malibu coast.

1. 08:30 1

   Old Mission Santa Barbara

   Sight

   Queen of the missions, rose garden out front.

   

   116 km · 1h 15m drive to next

2. 10:30 2

   El Matador State Beach

   Park & nature

   Sea caves and arches; stairs down the bluff, go at low tide.

   

   23.7 km · 20m drive to next

3. 12:00 3

   Malibu Pier

   Food & drink

   Lunch at Malibu Farm on the pier. Surfrider Beach next door.

   

   13.5 km · 15m drive to next

4. 14:30 4

   Getty Villa

   Sight

   A Roman villa full of antiquities. Free with a timed ticket; parking is paid.

   

   9.6 km · 20m drive to next

5. 17:00 5

   Santa Monica Pier

   Sight

   Route 66 ends here. Ferris wheel at golden hour.

   

   4.9 km · 10m drive to next

6. 18:30 6

   Venice Beach Boardwalk

   Activity

   Skate park, Muscle Beach, then dinner on Abbot Kinney.