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ROUTE1

Pacific Coast Highway

San Francisco to San Diego on Highway 1, with the Pacific always on your right.

Bixby Creek Bridge, viewed from the northern side near Big Sur on the Central Californian Coast in the United States© Diliff · CC BY-SA 3.0
Distance
About 640 mi
≈ 1,030 km, rounded
Time
5–7 days
at a comfortable pace
Best season
Apr–Jun · Sep–Oct
Start → finish
San Francisco → San Diego

California’s Highway 1 is the American coastal drive: cypress-studded headlands in Monterey, the cliffs and bridges of Big Sur, elephant seals, Hearst Castle, the Spanish missions of Santa Barbara, Malibu’s surf and, finally, the palm-lined beaches of Southern California.

Map of the Pacific Coast Highway road tripAZCANVMontereyCarmelCambriaSan Luis ObispoSanta BarbaraSanta MonicaSan FranciscoSAN FRANCISCOBig SurBIG SURLos AngelesLOS ANGELESSan DiegoSAN DIEGOYosemiteYOSEMITEN0100 mi
The route, stop by stop — tap a stop to open its guide.

Day by day

  1. 1

    Day 1 · San Francisco to Monterey

    Leave the city on Highway 1 past Pacifica, the lighthouse at Pigeon Point and Santa Cruz’s boardwalk. Evening on Cannery Row; the Monterey Bay Aquarium tomorrow morning.

    120 mi · 2 h 30Sleep: Monterey

  2. 2

    Day 2 · Monterey, 17-Mile Drive, Carmel

    The aquarium at opening, the private 17-Mile Drive (toll) past the Lone Cypress, then Carmel’s fairy-tale cottages and Point Lobos.

    30 miSleep: Carmel

  3. 3

    Day 3 · Big Sur

    Bixby Bridge, Pfeiffer Beach, McWay Falls, lunch with a view. Slow down: there are no shortcuts. See our Big Sur guide.

    95 mi · 3 h+Sleep: Cambria

  4. 4

    Day 4 · Elephant seals & Hearst Castle

    The elephant seal colony at Piedras Blancas, Hearst Castle’s opulent tours, Morro Bay’s rock, then San Luis Obispo’s college-town evening.

    45 miSleep: San Luis Obispo

  5. 5

    Day 5 · Santa Barbara

    The “American Riviera”: the Old Mission, red-tiled State Street, Stearns Wharf, and wine tasting in the Funk Zone.

    95 mi · 1 h 45Sleep: Santa Barbara

  6. 6

    Day 6 · Malibu to Santa Monica

    El Matador beach, Malibu’s surf, Point Dume, then the Santa Monica Pier and Venice. See our Los Angeles guide.

    95 mi · 2 hSleep: Santa Monica

  7. 7

    Day 7 · To San Diego

    Laguna Beach’s coves, Dana Point, the Torrey Pines cliffs and La Jolla’s sea lions.

    130 mi · 2 h 30+Sleep: [San Diego](/cities/san-diego/)

Short on days? Part of this route also works as a short trip, planned hour by hour:

Road closures and timing

Landslides regularly cut Highway 1 in Big Sur, sometimes for months. When the road is closed, drive Highway 101 inland between Monterey and San Luis Obispo and visit Big Sur as two out-and-back drives, from the north and from the south. Check Caltrans QuickMap the day before.

Highway 1 is slow: allow at least 50% more time than your GPS says, and don’t drive Big Sur after dark.

Where to sleep along the way

Book the nights that matter first — inside or next to the parks, and in towns hosting a festival — then fill in the rest. Free cancellation keeps the plan flexible.

Partner links · Trip.com

Our hand-picked hotels on this route

Road trip questions

How many days do you need for the Pacific Coast Highway?

Five days from San Francisco to Los Angeles, seven to continue to San Diego with time at each stop.

Is it better to drive the PCH north to south?

Yes: the ocean is on your side, so pull-outs and views are easier and safer.

Is Highway 1 in Big Sur open?

It depends on landslides. Check Caltrans QuickMap before you go; a closure means detouring inland on Highway 101.

What is the best time to drive the PCH?

April to June and September to October. July and August often bring morning fog to the coast.

Exit 10Stops on this routeSan FranciscoForty-nine hills, one orange bridge and fog with a name.
Exit 17Big SurNinety miles where the Santa Lucia Mountains plunge into the Pacific.Exit 24Los AngelesPalm trees, freeways and a sunset that ends at the Pacific.Exit 31San DiegoSeventy degrees, every day, with sea lions for neighbors.Exit 38Yosemite National ParkGranite walls, giant waterfalls and the sequoias that started it all.
Exit 10And now?Route 662,400 miles · 14–21 days
Exit 17The Grand Circle1,300 miles · 10–14 daysExit 24The West Coast Classic2,100 miles · 15–16 days

Written by Kylian Dev. Distances and drive times are without stops or traffic; add 25% for a realistic day.