Plan an escape from San Francisco with a day trip to Monterey. Head south for a couple hours on California’s most scenic highway that connects San Francisco to Monterey.
The Pacific Coast Highway (aka the PCH) is California’s Highway 1. This road hugs the California coastline as it winds past rocky overhangs and coastal farming towns. Many locals and travelers alike consider the stretch of the PCH that runs from San Francisco to Monterey to be the most scenic drive in California — if not in all of America!
On our tour from San Francisco to Monterey, we travel the scenic California coastline to historic Cannery Row in Monterey, the Monterey Bay Aquarium (visit is optional – ticket required), and the fairytale-like town of Carmel-by-the-Sea.
Once you get back from Monterey, be sure to see the Bay Area’s stretch of the Pacific Highway as well! Check out our famous tour of San Francisco, Sausalito, and Muir Woods.
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Outline:
- Why go on a day trip to Monterey?
- How far is Monterey from San Francisco?
- Monterey & Carmel Explorer with Optional Aquarium Pass
- Monterey, Carmel and 17-Mile Drive Day Trip from San Francisco
- 3-Day California Coast Tour: San Francisco to Los Angeles
- Day Trip to Monterey and Carmel via California Coast
- Monterey Bus Tour with Carmel-by-the-Sea
The Bixby Creek Bridge is a great place to stop for photos along your drive down the coast.
For anyone considering a day trip to Monterey from San Francisco, you’ll likely be driving down this scenic highway for at least part of your journey.
Without a doubt, there are faster ways to Monterey. Cutting through Silicon Valley, California’s hub of technological innovation, can get you from San Francisco to Monterey just as easily as the PCH. But you’d be missing out on the views of the Pacific!
The Monterey Bay Aquarium is built right into the bay, making it an unforgettable experience.
Why go on a day trip to Monterey?
Even though Monterey is less than half the size of San Francisco there is just as much to see and do. If you come from mid-December to mid-April, you can do whale watching. The Monterey Bay Aquarium, built right into the bay, is always a fun choice as well.
Or, you can just wander around the city and enjoy the same iconic Victorian architecture San Francisco is known for! This town was the home of the famous author John Steinbeck, so you’ll be sure to pick up some interesting information about his life while you wander along the waterfront and through Cannery Row.
How far is Monterey from San Francisco?
The distance from Monterey to San Francisco is about 120 miles. So, you’re not looking at a very long driving time either. You should only be on the road about two hours each way.
Such close distance makes Monterey the perfect coastal town for a day trip from San Francisco. Even though it is easy to reserve a rental car for this trip, we always suggest researching Monterey tours from San Francisco for stress-free travel.
THE BEST TOURS FROM SAN FRANCISCO TO MONTEREY
Scenic Pacific Highway Tour to Carmel and Monterey
Dylan’s Famous Tour
Explore the scenic California coastline on this tour from San Francisco to charming Monterey and Carmel.
Enjoy an amazing one-day tour to Monterey and Carmel from San Francisco. You will travel along the scenic California Pacific Coast Highway, enjoying views of the stunning beaches and rugged coastline along the winding roads. Enjoy visits to Steinbeck’s historic Cannery Row in Monterey, charming Carmel-by-the-Sea, and much more.
Drive down the wonderful winding Highway 1, catching countless views of the majestic beaches, impressive California coastline, and cliffside overlooks. See the incredible Pacific Grove, Seal Rock, Lone Cypress, and Pebble Beach Golf Resort.
Discover the gorgeously scenic 17-Mile Drive, along with a visit to Monterey’s Cannery Row. Discover Californian history at the waterfront street made famous by author John Steinbeck. You will have the opportunity to explore the mesmerizing Monterey Bay Aquarium (ticket is additional cost), and enjoy a visit to the delightful beach city of Carmel-by-the-Sea. Experience the best of Carmel and Monterey on a convenient tour from San Francisco!
Spend a Day on the California Coast
Enjoy an amazing one-day tour to Monterey and Carmel, along the incredibly scenic California coast, from San Francisco. Drive down the winding and wonderful Highway 1, catching view after view of the beautiful beaches, rugged coastline, and cliffside outlooks.
Discover some Californian history with Monterey’s Cannery Row, which achieved fame by author John Steinbeck, explore the famous Monterey Bay Aquarium (for an additional entry fee) or delight in all the wonderful restaurants and shopping options. Continue down the coast to Carmel-by-the-Sea, a quaint and artsy town surrounded by enchanting views.
Monterey & Carmel Explorer with Optional Aquarium Pass
Extranomical Tours
Be sure to add on tickets to the Monterey Bay Aquarium for your day trip from San Francisco to Monterey!
Extranomical Tours takes the scenic route from San Francisco to Monterey via Highway 1. Travel like a VIP with complimentary hotel pick up and drop off at most hotels in Union Square and Fisherman’s Wharf. The scenic drive down the California coast from San Francisco to Monterey will be filled with expansive views of the Pacific Ocean. You’ll also have the perk of free wifi on board the bus!
On this tour, you’ll also have the option to add on tickets to the world famous Monterey Bay Aquarium. The aquarium’s unique location on the waterfront creates a remarkable experience for guests. If you choose not to explore the aquarium, you can spend your time wandering through the town of Monterey instead!
After lunch, the tour continues through the 17 Mile Drive that leads to Carmel-by-the-Sea. Here, you’ll enjoy a leisurely stroll through the main “downtown” area filled with local boutiques, stunning mansions, and spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean.
Monterey, Carmel and 17-Mile Drive Day Trip from San Francisco
Tower Tours
Local big bus tour operator Tower Tours leads this Monterey tour from San Francisco. Hotel pick ups are available at most Union Square and Fisherman’s Wharf lodgings in the city. At the end of a long day of exploring, travelers will be dropped off in Union Square.
With this tour, you’ll also have the option to add on tickets to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. We definitely recommend choosing this option, since it’s a sight worth seeing! But if you decide not to, you’ll be able to spend the entire two hour break exploring historic Cannery Row in downtown Monterey. This once active cannery is now a hub for boutiques and great little restaurants.
After the lengthy lunch stop, you’ll continue traveling from Monterey to Carmel, just down the coast. On this short drive you’ll stop for a quick photo opportunity at the Lone Cypress. This 250 year old tree is isolated on a rocky bluff overlooking the Pacific, and offers fantastic views.
Afterwards you’ll be returning to the city. The drive from Monterey to San Francisco will last a little over two hours.
3-Day California Coast Tour: San Francisco to Los Angeles
Explore California
Hop on a board a combination tour from San Francisco to Monterey that includes a train ride along the coast to Los Angeles.
As beautiful as the two hour drive from San Francisco to Monterey is, driving all the way down the PCH to Los Angeles offers stunning views the whole way. Renting a car is always an option, but keep in mind that most rental agencies charge a drop fee if you return a car in a different city than you rented.
Instead, you can opt for a three day tour from San Francisco to Los Angeles via Monterey and a few other quaint little coastal towns. We’ve previously featured traveling by train in our article on how to get to Yosemite from San Francisco and our piece on the best Yosemite tours. So, it might not be much of a surprise that we also love to take the train all the way down the coast!
Alright, so the train portion of this tour isn’t until the final day. However, it’s worth the wait because southern California offers up views of some of the most classic California beaches. California is a state known for laid back and mellow locals. So, travel like a local with this extended tour to Monterey and beyond.
Day Trip to Monterey and Carmel via California Coast
Gray Line of San Francisco
Gray Line offers one of the most economical options for those looking for a tour to Monterey and back to San Francisco. Don’t let this budget tour fool you, though. It still packs in a lot between traveling from San Francisco to Pebble Beach, cruising along the 17 Mile Drive, and exploring Carmel.
If you’re thinking that taking public buses will be easier, you need to remember how far Monterey Bay is from San Francisco. 120 miles will be a tough commute on public transportation — and will take twice as long as any tour. Even a Monterey to SFO shuttle will be hard to come by!
On this Monterey tour from San Francisco you’ll be spending two hours in downtown Monterey, just like the other boutique tours we’ve featured on this list.
Monterey Bus Tour with Carmel-by-the-Sea
Incredible Adventures
Whales migrate along the Pacific Ocean and can potentially be seen twice a year.
Incredible Adventures takes travelers by tour bus to Monterey for a fun day trip. After picking up travelers from hotels around the city, this San Francisco to Monterey drive takes winding coastal roads with stunning views of the Pacific Ocean from Highway 1, the Pacific Coast Highway.
Spend two hours in Monterey exploring the small waterfront town at your own pace. Skip the line at the Monterey Bay Aquarium by purchasing tickets with your bus tour. After having a chance to explore John Steinbeck’s old hangout of Monterey, you’ll hop back on your bus to cruise the 17 Mile Drive. Then you can enjoy some more free time in Carmel-by-the-Sea. Here’s a fun fact about Carmel: this town once voted Clint Eastwood into office as Mayor!
Monterey & Carmel Tour from San Francisco
San Francisco Shuttle Tours
The Monterey Bay Aquarium is one of our favorite things to do in Monterey.
Travel from San Francisco to Monterey on a bus with San Francisco Shuttle Tours. A driver will pick you up from your SF hotel early in the morning to head out on a leisurely drive and spend an afternoon in Monterey.
On this tour from SFO to Monterey, you’ll enjoy a two hour break in downtown Monterey. When booking your tour, you do have the option to add on tickets to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Doing this saves you $10 off the entry fee AND you’ll be able to skip the line when entering! Or, you can spend your time in the town to explore Cannery Row and the waterfront district.
After exploring Monterey, you’ll take winding roads through the 17 Mile Drive. Along the way, you’ll enjoy views of the Lone Cypress, Pebble Beach Golf Course, and more. Finally, you’ll make a stop in Carmel-by-the-Sea for a little over an hour. By the time you have to board the bus back to San Francisco, you’ll find comfort on the luxury tour coach as it cruises through Silicon Valley and back to the city.
Experience it all from San Francisco
Explore the scenic California coastline on our incredible one-day tour from San Francisco to Monterey and Carmel, experiencing the uniquely majestic coastline and charming beach cities.
Now that you’ve explored some towns south of San Francisco, maybe you want to head north as well! If so, take a moment to check out our Ultimate Napa and Sonoma Wine Tour.
Looking to see even more of California’s most prized scenery? Check out our one-day trip from San Francisco to Yosemite and the Giant Sequoias.
Reserve Your Spot on the Napa and Sonoma Wine Tour
Find more fun things to do in San Francisco:
Guide to Beer Tasting San Francisco
Guide to Hiking in San Francisco
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