Monterey, Carmel, Big Sur
The best Monterey and Carmel‑by‑the‑Sea tours
Carmel, Monterey, 17-Mile Drive, Cannery Row and Big Sur, by day tour or by car: here is how to see the coast south of San Francisco, with honest advice on the long drive, where the tour picks you up, and which tour has a live guide.
See our 6 picks
Carmel-by-the-Sea is a small seaside town about two and a half hours south of San Francisco. Most visitors see it with Monterey on one long day tour. The tours run about 11 hours and drive Highway 1 and 17-Mile Drive. Three of our picks start on the Monterey Peninsula instead, for visitors who stay there.
Our 6 picks for Monterey and Carmel
Three full days from San Francisco, then three short tours that start on the peninsula.
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from €106 per person Our top pick 11.5 hours 4.4 (524) reviews on GetYourGuide
Monterey and Carmel day by coach
An 11.5-hour day down Highway 1 with a live guide. You get 2 hours in Monterey and Cannery Row and 1 hour in Carmel. The 17-Mile Drive fee is included.
Best for First-timers who want the classic coast day
Check availability: Monterey and Carmel day by coach on GetYourGuide -
from €105 per person 11 hours 4.5 (166) reviews on GetYourGuide
Small-group Monterey Peninsula and Carmel
An 11-hour day in a smaller vehicle with water and snacks. Stops include 17-Mile Drive, the Lone Cypress, Pebble Beach and Pigeon Point Lighthouse.
Best for Couples who want a smaller group
Check availability: Small-group Monterey Peninsula and Carmel on GetYourGuide -
from €792 per group up to 5 12 hours 4.9 (65) reviews on GetYourGuide
Private Monterey, Carmel and Big Sur day
A 12-hour private tour for up to 5 people, with hotel pickup. It adds Big Sur and McWay Falls to Monterey, Carmel and 17-Mile Drive.
Best for Families and groups who want Big Sur too
Check availability: Private Monterey, Carmel and Big Sur day on GetYourGuide -
from €70 per person 3 hours 4.9 (160) reviews on GetYourGuide
17-Mile Drive by e‑bike
A 3-hour guided e-bike ride from Pacific Grove along 17-Mile Drive. You may see sea otters, and you stop at the Lone Cypress.
Best for Active visitors staying on the peninsula
Check availability: 17-Mile Drive by e-bike on GetYourGuide -
from €202 per person 3 hours 5.0 (42) reviews on GetYourGuide
Big Sur coast in 3 hours
A 3-hour small-group drive along 30 miles of the northern Big Sur coast, with 4 or 5 short walks. Pickup is on the Monterey Peninsula only, not in San Francisco.
Best for Visitors staying in Monterey or Carmel
Check availability: Big Sur coast in 3 hours on GetYourGuide -
from €142 per person 3 hours 4.8 (34) reviews on GetYourGuide
Carmel wine and walking tour
A 3-hour walk through Carmel-by-the-Sea with tastings at three tasting rooms. Groups are 8 people at most, and you meet at Sunset Center.
Best for Wine fans spending a night in Carmel
Check availability: Carmel wine and walking tour on GetYourGuide
Monterey and Carmel tours compared
| Tour | From | Duration | Group size | Pickup | Free cancellation | Who it suits | Why we picked it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monterey and Carmel day by coach | €106 per person | 11.5 hours | Up to 45 | Pickup included | Yes, 24 h | First-timers who want the classic coast day | The most-reviewed Monterey day: 4.4 from over 500 reviews, from €106. |
| Small-group Monterey Peninsula and Carmel | €105 per person | 11 hours | Up to 12 | Pickup included | Yes, 24 h | Couples who want a smaller group | The same route in a smaller group, with pickup, rated 4.5. |
| Private Monterey, Carmel and Big Sur day | €792 per group up to 5 | 12 hours | Private, up to 5 | Pickup included | Yes, 24 h | Families and groups who want Big Sur too | The only pick from San Francisco that reaches Big Sur, rated 4.9. |
| 17-Mile Drive by e-bike | €70 per person | 3 hours | Up to 12 | Meet on site | Yes, 24 h | Active visitors staying on the peninsula | The best-rated way to see 17-Mile Drive slowly: 4.9 from 160 reviews. |
| Big Sur coast in 3 hours | €202 per person | 3 hours | Up to 12 | Pickup included | Yes, up to 7 days before | Visitors staying in Monterey or Carmel | A full 5.0 rating, but you must reach Monterey first. |
| Carmel wine and walking tour | €142 per person | 3 hours | Up to 8 | Meet on site | Yes, 24 h | Wine fans spending a night in Carmel | The one pick that shows Carmel itself on foot, rated 4.8. |
Monterey and Carmel day by coach
€106 per person11.5 hours 4.4 (524)
More details
- Group size
- Up to 45
- Pickup
- Pickup included
- Free cancellation
- Yes, 24 h
- Who it suits
- First-timers who want the classic coast day
- Why we picked it
- The most-reviewed Monterey day: 4.4 from over 500 reviews, from €106.
Small-group Monterey Peninsula and Carmel
€105 per person11 hours 4.5 (166)
More details
- Group size
- Up to 12
- Pickup
- Pickup included
- Free cancellation
- Yes, 24 h
- Who it suits
- Couples who want a smaller group
- Why we picked it
- The same route in a smaller group, with pickup, rated 4.5.
Private Monterey, Carmel and Big Sur day
€792 per group up to 512 hours 4.9 (65)
More details
- Group size
- Private, up to 5
- Pickup
- Pickup included
- Free cancellation
- Yes, 24 h
- Who it suits
- Families and groups who want Big Sur too
- Why we picked it
- The only pick from San Francisco that reaches Big Sur, rated 4.9.
€70 per person3 hours 4.9 (160)
More details
- Group size
- Up to 12
- Pickup
- Meet on site
- Free cancellation
- Yes, 24 h
- Who it suits
- Active visitors staying on the peninsula
- Why we picked it
- The best-rated way to see 17-Mile Drive slowly: 4.9 from 160 reviews.
€202 per person3 hours 5.0 (42)
More details
- Group size
- Up to 12
- Pickup
- Pickup included
- Free cancellation
- Yes, up to 7 days before
- Who it suits
- Visitors staying in Monterey or Carmel
- Why we picked it
- A full 5.0 rating, but you must reach Monterey first.
€142 per person3 hours 4.8 (34)
More details
- Group size
- Up to 8
- Pickup
- Meet on site
- Free cancellation
- Yes, 24 h
- Who it suits
- Wine fans spending a night in Carmel
- Why we picked it
- The one pick that shows Carmel itself on foot, rated 4.8.
Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide on 22 October 2026. Prices are "from" prices in euros and can change; the booking page shows the live price.
San Francisco to Monterey: tour or drive?
Take a tour if you want one easy day; drive if you want to stop where you like. Monterey is about 120 miles away, about 2 hours by car. Carmel is about two and a half hours. The route runs on US-101, Highway 156 and Highway 1.
A tour turns this into an 11- to 12-hour day with no driving for you. It is one of the longest day trips from San Francisco. To plan the drive yourself, read how far San Francisco is from Monterey.
Is there a train?
No train goes into Monterey. The Amtrak Coast Starlight stops in Salinas. From there an Amtrak bus goes on to stops in Monterey.
If you would rather drive Highway 1 at your own pace:
Monterey and Carmel day tours
The best Monterey tour for most people is the 11.5-hour coach day from San Francisco. It has a live guide, 2 hours in Monterey and 1 hour in Carmel. The small-group tour covers the same places in a smaller vehicle.
Check pickup before you book. The coach tour picks you up at set points in the city, not at your hotel. The small-group and private tours pick you up too; check the details when you book.
Cannery Row and Monterey
Cannery Row is the old waterfront street of Monterey. The coach tour gives you 2 hours there and at Old Fisherman’s Wharf. That is enough to walk the street and the pier.
Monterey Bay Aquarium
The Monterey Bay Aquarium sits on Cannery Row. We do not sell tickets for it, and the day tours do not include entry. Buy tickets from the aquarium yourself if you want to go in.
17-Mile Drive: by tour, e-bike or car
17-Mile Drive is a coast road between Monterey and Carmel with an entry fee. All three full-day tours include that fee. The best-known stop is the Lone Cypress, a single tree on a rock above the sea.
On an e-bike you see it slowly, with a guide, in 3 hours. The ride starts in Pacific Grove. By car you can stop at Pebble Beach and Bird Rock on your own.
Carmel-by-the-Sea and Big Sur
Carmel-by-the-Sea is a small town by the sea, long a home for artists and writers. Day tours stop there for about an hour. To see more, the 3-hour wine walk shows the town on foot.
Big Sur starts just south of Carmel. Only the private tour goes there from San Francisco. The 3-hour Big Sur tour starts on the Monterey Peninsula.
Tips for Monterey and Carmel
Plan a long day
Tours from San Francisco take 11 to 12 hours. Eat a good breakfast and bring snacks: meals are not included.
Find your pickup point
The coach tour picks you up at set points, not at your hotel. Look up your pickup point the night before.
Check the cancellation line
Most picks can be cancelled up to 24 hours before. The Big Sur tour needs 7 days’ notice for a full refund.
Bring layers
The coast is often windy and cool, even when the city is warm.
Monterey and Carmel: questions and answers
Is there a train from San Francisco to Monterey?
How far is Monterey from San Francisco by car?
Which is better to visit, Monterey or Carmel?
More Monterey and Carmel tours, live
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More day trips
Facts checked on 23 October 2026 against: See Monterey: driving here · Carmel-by-the-Sea: maps and directions · Amtrak: Monterey station.
Written by the Things to Do in San Francisco editorial team.