Big Sur California: Pacific Coast Highway self-drive tour

Embark on an adventure along the most beautiful coastline in the US. Begin your road trip of a lifetime in Monterey, California.

Continue on the quaint Carmel-by-the-Sea, renowned for its picturesque beauty. You'll check out several of its most famous fairytale cottages. Afterwards, you may enter the world-famous Big Sur portion of the PCH. The Pacific Coast Highway, popularly known as PCH, Highway 1, or Route 1, is one of the most scenic road trips in the US. Pass through Garrapata State Park, where you'll have the chance to stop at the Garrapata Beach. As you drive, you'll learn about the wildfires that often rage through forests like these.

Then head to Bixby Creek Bridge, which is one of the most photographed bridges in California due to its aesthetic design, graceful architecture, and magnificent setting. It is a reinforced concrete open-spandrel arch bridge. Continue through the Pfeiffer Beach in the Big Sur area which is definitely off the beaten path, but well worth the detour. Just south of Big Sur Station on Highway 1 is unsigned Sycamore Canyon Road which winds its way down to the shore. Nothing beats the Elephant Seal Vista Point. Admire the largest seal in the northern hemisphere, the Northern Elephant Seal migrates to the rookery, twice each year. While offshore, the elephant seal spends eight to ten months diving up to 5,800 feet deep for up to two hours. In the remaining months of the year, they mate, birth, molt, and rest onshore between trips.

Finally, you'll reach Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo, and Pismo Beach, where this segment of our PCH tour ends. You've now experienced the beauty of Big Sur.