Day Itinerary
11 Activities
Day 1
115 mi0.9 mi
Headed to Big Sur
The drive to Big Sur, famous since the 1960s when Jack Kerouac famously drove there and wrote about it in 1962's Big Sur, is one of California's iconic drives. To really see the area, be sure to take 280 South to 17 South, where it meets Highway One in Santa Cruz, California. From here, the road loops around Monterey Bay and through Carmel, California, before you hit the jaw-dropping turns that inspired Kerouac.
If time is tight, head home on 101 instead. It is less scenic, but you will not be bothered by the slow tourist caravan that can bog down Highway One at all points on California's scenic coastline.
If time is tight, head home on 101 instead. It is less scenic, but you will not be bothered by the slow tourist caravan that can bog down Highway One at all points on California's scenic coastline.
Soul Grind Coffee Roasters
Café
Open Details
One of the coolest views of the California Coast is not in Big Sur but arrives as you drop down Highway One from Serramonte into the sleepy town of Pacifica. The view of waves crashing below the sheer cliff you are driving down can serve to remind you of humanity's place on the earth.
Soothe your ego with a macchiato from Soul Grind. Beans are locally roasted and the bacon and avocado toast revamps old-school BLT with fresh cream cheese. It's a breakfast built for power.
Soothe your ego with a macchiato from Soul Grind. Beans are locally roasted and the bacon and avocado toast revamps old-school BLT with fresh cream cheese. It's a breakfast built for power.
8.2 mi
15 min
Mavericks Surf Company
Surf Spot
Open Details
Even if you do not surf, it is worth pausing at the spot where California's most famous big wave surf competition is held. No, not at this surf shop, but at a beach called Mavericks that is west from here off of Capistrano Road and Prospect Way. Ask the staff at the shop if the waves are rolling; it can happen anytime during California's winter season, from approximately October to May. Ask where the best viewing spot is, then head for it.
If the contest is on, bring binoculars and something to sit on, then watch the action. The world's best surfers come here to tackle the giant waves that roll into shore nearby.
If the contest is on, bring binoculars and something to sit on, then watch the action. The world's best surfers come here to tackle the giant waves that roll into shore nearby.
31.2 mi
50 min
Pie Ranch’s Farmstand
Pie Shop
Open Details
This spot's name is something of a misnomer: Pie Ranch is a non-profit educational farm that works to cultivate a healthy and just food system. Stop at the farm stand and store and buy whatever is in season. The berries from this part of California are particularly yummy, but jam, honey, and other farm-made products are available.
The stand is recognized for its pies (the lemon-buttermilk is especially renowned) which sell out quickly. Maybe you'll want to come back for a volunteer work day and get to know California in a different way.
The stand is recognized for its pies (the lemon-buttermilk is especially renowned) which sell out quickly. Maybe you'll want to come back for a volunteer work day and get to know California in a different way.
22 mi
30 min
The Picnic Basket
Café
Open Details
Many restaurants in Santa Cruz, California, design their meals to be taken to the region's many beaches, and The Picnic Basket is one of these. Situated on the quieter end of Santa Cruz Beach, the restaurant has a narrow patio and an order window for easy service when your feet are covered in sand.
Try the reuben — they are known for it — but don't forget to check the daily salads. They change with the seasons and are built on what's freshest from local farmers.
Try the reuben — they are known for it — but don't forget to check the daily salads. They change with the seasons and are built on what's freshest from local farmers.
48.9 mi
1 hr
17-Mile Drive
Other Great Outdoors
Open Details
Drive around Monterey Bay and drop into the 17-Mile Drive in Pacific Grove, California. If the fog is in, common from late spring through early fall, the play of light on sand and fog can be especially eerie, the road seeming to disappear in front of you. If the day is sunny, the sweep of beaches on the early part of the drive are practically begging for exploration.
There are plenty of turn-outs — choose one and walk along the beach for a stretch. You might even see a whale or a pod of whales pass by on their annual migrations between Alaska and Mexico.
There are plenty of turn-outs — choose one and walk along the beach for a stretch. You might even see a whale or a pod of whales pass by on their annual migrations between Alaska and Mexico.
5 mi
15 min
Parking Lot
Parking
Open Details
After you pass Pebble Beach and the sweeping green fairways of its famous golf courses, 17-Mile Drive ends at the town of Carmel, also known as Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. The community has worked hard to preserve the whimsical cottages that dot the town, many of them built in the early 20th century.
Leave your car in this parking lot and walk the town. Just be sure to check the time on the meter; the meter maids take their job very seriously!
Leave your car in this parking lot and walk the town. Just be sure to check the time on the meter; the meter maids take their job very seriously!
0.1 mi
5 min
Carmel-by-the-Sea
City Centre
Open Details
Many of the cottages in Carmel-by-the-Sea are located in a four square-block radius between Ocean and 5th and Junipero and Santa Rita Streets. Alice really did fall down the rabbit hole here? Who really knows?
The town was built by artists and writers, musicians and poets, a group that understands the power of inspiration and creativity. The shops and restaurants of downtown are nearby, too.
The town was built by artists and writers, musicians and poets, a group that understands the power of inspiration and creativity. The shops and restaurants of downtown are nearby, too.
0.2 mi
5 min
New Masters Gallery
Art Gallery
Open Details
Carmel is known as an artist haven so why not stop into one of the many galleries that line the town's streets and see what the local crew is up to?
0.1 mi
5 min
Scheid Vineyards Tasting Room
Winery
Open Details
Carmel is surrounded by the wine country of the Central Coast. Spend a few minutes getting to know the region's terroir with a stop at a boutique winery's tasting room.
0.2 mi
5 min
Village Corner
Bistro
Open Details
Walk on over to Village Corner, an institution for more than 60 years. Though they serve breakfast all day and the burger with Thousand Island dressing will satisfy any appetite, the sand dabs sautéed with olive oil, white wine and lemon were as fresh as the sea breeze and definitely more original.
0.4 mi
10 min
Le Petit Pali
Lodging
Open Details
Spend the night at Le Petit Pali, a charming craftsman-style property featuring 24 rooms, just a stone's throw away from top restaurants, boutique shops, and the picturesque white sand beach of Carmel.