Driving California’s Route 1 from San Francisco to Big Sur

California, Hiking, North America, Road Trip, United States

Route 1 (AKA the Pacific Highway) is a coastal highway that covers a good portion of the state of California. The road is 656 miles long and runs from the Los Angeles area to northern California. It’s known for its dramatic cliffs and stunning views of the Pacific Ocean.

While I was in this area in August 2024, I drove the portion of Route 1 from San Francisco to Big Sur. These are my recommended stops along the way.

Taco Bell Cantina in Pacifica

If you’re coming from San Francisco, you’ll make your way over to Route 1. I stopped at the prettiest Taco Bell I’ve ever been to in the town of Pacifica. The Taco Bell Cantinas are more of an upscale twist on their ordinary fast food locations. This Taco Bell Cantina is located right on the beach with a great view of the ocean. The weather wasn’t great while I was there, so I sat inside, but they have a nice patio you can enjoy if it’s nice out. I had fun watching the kids surf on the beach here!

Drive time to next stop: 45 minutes

Pigeon Point Lighthouse

The Pigeon Point Lighthouse stands at 115 feet and is one of the tallest lighthouses in the country. It is located within a state historic park, so there are free restrooms you can use. I believe you can normally tour the inside of the lighthouse, but they started renovations on it in early 2024. There wasn’t much to see while under construction, but it will definitely be worth a stop once renovations are completed.

Drive time to next stop: 15 minutes

Swanton Berry Farm

The Swanton Berry Farm has a you pick strawberry field along with a farmstand selling their strawberry products. They sell homemade pies and other delicious desserts.

Drive time to next stop: 1 hour

Monterey

The next stop along Route 1 is where I spent several days for a conference. My favorite things I did in Monterey were taking a whale watching tour, exploring Fisherman’s Wharf, and walking along the beach at Asilomar State Park.

Check out my post on my time in the Monterey area here.

17 Mile Drive

The next stop isn’t really a stop, but a scenic road going between the towns of Pacific Grove and Carmel-By-The-Sea. The 17-mile road has 17 scenic stops you can pull over at. The cost to drive is about $11 per vehicle (as of 2025). My three favorite stops were Bird Rock, The Lone Cypress, and Pebble Beach.

Carmel-By-The-Sea

You’ll end the 17 Mile Drive in the adorable town of Carmel-By-The-Sea, which is my favorite part of this itinerary. I came here a few times during my time in the Monterey area. The restaurants I tried were all amazing, and the town and architecture are just so cute! The beach is also very beautiful.

Drive time to next stop: 10 minutes

Point Lobos State Park

Point Lobos State Park is only about 10 minutes south of Carmel. There is a $10 entrance fee per vehicle, which you can also use if you are visiting another state park on the same day.

While in the park, I completed a very easy 0.8-mile hike called the Bird Island Trail. This is an out-and-back trail that takes you to Bird Island, which becomes a large seabird colony in the spring and summer. You’ll also get views of two white-sand beaches along the walk there. I was blown away by how many birds were on this island! Definitely worth the short walk out.

The rest of this drive is so stunning, winding over scenic cliffs with epic views of the ocean. Even if you don’t want to make any more stops, it’s worth the drive alone!

Drive time to next stop: 20 minutes

Bixby Bridge

The Bixby Bridge is featured in the series Big Little Lies and is one of the most photographed features on the West Coast. The bridge connects Route 1 across a 260 foot canyon. There is a pull off right along Route 1 that you can park at to get out and take photos.

Drive time to next stop: 35 minutes

McWay Falls

The last stop on my list is to McWay Falls in Big Sur, an 80-foot waterfall that falls right onto the beach. It’s located within Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park. If you visited Point Lobos within the same day, you can use your same entrance pass for this park.The parking lot was very busy when I arrived, but I lucked out and found a great parking spot. I then made the 10-minute flat walk to see the falls. I thought the waterfall was really beautiful and worth seeing!