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Monterey, Carmel and 17-Mile Drive - Full Day Tour from San Francisco

Badge of ExcellenceSan Francisco, United States

From $105.00

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Free cancellation
Up to 24 hours in advance.
San Francisco Tours
All San Francisco Tours
Audio Guides
Kid-Friendly
Likely To Sell Out
Unique Experiences
  • 11 hours (approx.)
  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English

Overview

Drive down one of the most scenic roads in California on this full-day tour from San Francisco. Cruise along the coast-hugging Highway 1, passing the mansions of Pebble Beach on the iconic 17-Mile Drive. Enjoy free time to explore Monterey, where you can stroll down Steinbeck’s Cannery Row or visit the famous Monterey Bay Aquarium. Browse the ritzy boutiques of Carmel-by-the-Sea and get a glimpse of Silicon Valley’s tech campuses on the return drive to San Francisco.
  • Full-day trip from San Francisco to Monterey and Carmel
  • Stop at Carmel by the Sea
  • San Francisco pickup and drop-off included
  • Stop at Monterey
  • Plenty of stops with photo opportunities along the 17 Mile Drive
  • Stop at Pebble Beach Golf Course

What's Included

  • Day-trip to Monterey and Carmel
  • Entrance fee for the 17-Mile Drive Included
  • Transport by air-conditioned luxury motor-coach with a professional guide
  • 2 hours stop at Monterey Bay
  • 1 hour stop at Carmel Plaza
  • Stops at Pigeon Point Lighthouse, Pebble Beach, Bird Rock and the Lone Cypress
  • Gratuities
  • Food and drinks
  • Hotel Pick-up & drop-off
  • Monterey Bay Aquarium

Meeting And Pickup

Meeting points

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Start time

07:40 AM

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Hop aboard your luxury coach in central San Francisco, cruise down scenic Highway 1 and let your guide handle the driving while you soak up views of the Pacific Ocean.

After curving around the Monterey Peninsula, stop in the coastal city of Monterey. Enjoy free time here to grab a fresh seafood lunch on the pier (own expense) or browse the shops of Cannery Row.

Continue along the coast with a ride down 17-Mile Drive, home to the prestigious Pebble Beach Golf Course and the Lone Cypress tree. Listen for the barking clamor of Seal Rock with a stop along this low-lying coastal road framed by mansions and ocean vistas. Further along, visit the chic coastal community of Carmel-by-the-Sea, where you can browse high-end galleries and see remnants of a historic Spanish mission. 

Your full-day tour concludes with drop-off in the evening in San Francisco.

Pacific Coast Highway (Pass By)

California's most scenic highway that connects San Francisco to Monterey. This road hugs the California coastline, passing rocky overhangs and coastal farming towns.

Pigeon Point Light Station

Tallest lighthouse on the west Coast of the United States. it is still an active Coast Guard aid to navigation. Explore the lighthouse or a quick walk down to the beach.

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Stroller accessible
  • Service animals allowed
  • Infants must sit on laps
  • Most travelers can participate
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 45 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

  • For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
  • If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
  • Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
  • Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
  • This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
  • This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.

Traveler Photos

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Traveler Tips

If you do not want to drive yourself - just take this tour to get the first taste / glimpse.
Tip- pick up area brochures before getting on the bus, can make much better use of time.
Stop in Monterey is a bit long if you don’t do an Acquarium.
Reviews
4.0
1,729 reviews
Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews
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Reviews by Viator travelers.
Showing 1-10 of 1,729 reviews
Monterey and Carmel by the Sea
LINDA_C, Mar 2023
The driver was prompt, friendly and informative. He had to make some changes due to some flooding in the Monterey area. There was plenty of time for exploring several different areas and every one seemed quite happy. I would definitely recommend.
Response from Host, Mar 2023
Hi LINDA_C, It's great to hear you had a good time exploring Monterey and Carmel. Thank you for recommending our tours. We hope to welcome you back soon.
Best trip this year!
Kimberly_D, Mar 2023
Absolutely loved this tour. Our tour guide Danny was awesome. Funny, very informative and a total joy. I would gladly do this again and especially with Danny. Thanks for making my California trip memorable.
Response from Host, Mar 2023
Dear Kimberly, We are so happy to see that you loved our Monterey, Carmel and 17-Mile Drive tour and the fact that you liked our tour guide, Danny. Your review made our day! It was a pleasure serving you. We hope to welcome you back again soon!
Nice Drive to Carmel by the Sea
Heloise_W, Mar 2023
It was beautiful and a great experience. It would be nicer if we could have charged our phones to take more pictures. Danny was wonderful!
Response from Host, Mar 2023
Dear Heloise, We appreciate that you took the time to write this review and share your experience with us. We will share with our team the fact of having a place to charge cell phones on the bus. We are happy to see that you enjoyed our tour and you liked our tour guide, Danny. We hope to serve you again soon!
Brilliant full day trip
Paul_C, Feb 2023
Exceptional full day trip, so many highlights. Danny our driver and tour guide was brilliant. He basically made the whole day so enjoyable with his knowledge and humour. Great, safe driver as well. I can not recommend this trip highly enough. It is certainly a full day and never rushed.
Response from Host, Feb 2023
Dear Paul, We appreciate that you took the time to write this review and it made our day. We are so happy to see that you had a great time with us on our Monterey, Carmel and 17- Mile Drive tour. Thank you for the kind words about our tour guide, Danny. Our team works really hard to give you the best experience. We hope to serve you again soon!
Great full day trip
Mayra_S, Feb 2023
It’s a beautiful one day trip to do if you have time enough in SF. Great guide, awesome places to visit, and very comfortable bus. :)
Response from Host, Feb 2023
Dear Mayra, Thank you for sharing your feedback and it made us feel so happy to see that you enjoyed our Monterey, Carmel and 17-Mile Drive tour. It was a pleasure serving you. We hope to serve you again soon!
Unprofessional driver complaining the whole time
Rogerio_C, Feb 2023
The driver was beyond rude, threatening to leave people behind. He spent most of the trip complaining about his job, it sounded as though he was really unhappy doing it. It’s super unfair to ruin other people’s day because you’re not having a good one. At the end of the trip, he sort of intimidated people into tipping him — which I would have gladly provided he behaved in a professional manner. Please don’t book this trip, the driver is a sorry person and will ruin your day.
Response from Host, Feb 2023
Dear Rogerio, We are so sorry that our tour guide didn't meet your expectations. Accept our apologies and thank you for sharing your feedback with us. It is always our policy to give the best experience to our customers. Sincerely, Gray Line.
Terrible tour and...
Tammy_R, Dec 2022
Terrible tour and customer service. Baby crying entire 12 hours ruined our trip. Don't recommend to book this tour. No discount or refund applied.
Response from Host, Dec 2022
Hello Tammy I’m sorry to hear about your disappointing experience with us. It’s always our intention to provide excellent customer service and valuable transparent advice. All our tours are family-friendly, we accept passengers from all ages and cultures, and all passengers are welcome to participate in our activities. According to our tour guide, all the highlights, photo opportunity stops, and regular stops in Monterey and Carmel were fulfilled. Everything that we promoted for this activity was delivered. I`m sorry, but according to our policies, having a baby on board is not a valid reason for a full refund, as you requested. I hope we can have the opportunity to welcome you and your family again in the future. All the best, Ignacio  Gray Line San Francisco
Thomas our driver(guide)...
Felicia_W, Dec 2022
Thomas our driver(guide) is great and knowledgeable. It would be a 5 if not for the pouring heavy rain throughout the whole trip. Still have a reasonable trip.
Response from Host, Dec 2022
Dear Felicia, Thanks for sharing your feedback with us and we are so happy to see that you enjoyed our tour to Monterey, Carmel and 17-Mile Drive. Thanks also for the kind words about our tour guide, Thomas. It was a pleasure serving you. We hope to serve you again soon.
Monterey
Margie_C, Nov 2022
Good to get a day trip away from city to enjoy beautiful California coast line. We were able to walk along the shore a few times to get closer of the water and fresh air.
Response from Host, Nov 2022
Dear Margie, We are so happy that you wrote this review sharing your amazing experience in our tour to Monterey, Carmel and 17-Mile Drive. It was a pleasure serving you. We hope to serve you again soon.
Really great day out, with beautiful vistas!!
Susan_H, Nov 2022
The tour guide was excellent, a really enjoyable day out. It was a long day but we got to see some spectacular sights along the coast, we particularly enjoyed the 17 mile drive. Would highly recommend!!
Response from Host, Nov 2022
Dear Susan, Thank you for taking the time to write this review and share your experience with us. We relly appreciate it. We are happy to see that you had a great time in our tour to Monterey, Carmel, and 17-Mile Drive. It was a pleasure serving you. We hope to serve you again soon.
Great beach
Inas_A, Nov 2022
Driver speeding on the way back Unfortunately, tourists from outside the US did not feel welcome, he asks alot of questions ... many tourists have multiple nationalities and not necessary wish to share with a bus full of strangers
Response from Host, Nov 2022
Dear Inas, Thanks for sharing your experience with us. We are really sorry to hear that your experience hasn’t met your expectations on this occasion. Sincerely, Gray Line.
Awesome tour! Highly recommend!!
Nidhi_C, Nov 2022
Wonderful trip! Thomas was our guide and he was very knowledgeable! There was enough time to explore the places and it was very comfortable!
Response from Host, Nov 2022
Dear Nidhi_C, We appreciate that you took the time to write this review and share your experience with us. We are so happy to see that you enjoyed our tour in Monterey, Carmel and 17-Mile Drive. Thanks for the kind words about our driver, Thomas. We hope to serve you again soon.
Excellent tour, got to see beautiful places
Dina_T, Nov 2022
I’m glad I decided to take this tour during my first solo trip. I don’t usually get on tours when I travel but I could see why people do it. I learn a lot from the tour guide. He explained the different places we visited. I wish I had a lot more time to spend at each places not because it was too short, just because I enjoyed how beautiful all the places the tour had to offer. Next time I’m back in San Francisco I will definite use this tour company for different trips. Thank you for the memorable experience!
Response from Host, Nov 2022
Dear Dina, We are so happy that you chose us for your first solo trip! We are even happier that you had a great time in Monterey, Carmel and 17-Mile Drive. We appreciate that you took the time to write this detailed review sharing your experience with us. It was a pleasure serving you and we hope to serve you again.
Beautiful but LONG DAY!
Lela_M, Oct 2022
Pebble beach, 17 mile road. Would not spend as much time in Monterey. Driver was very knowledgeable and safe driver
Response from Host, Oct 2022
Dear Lela, Thanks for taking the time to share your experience with us. We are happy to see that you enjoyed our tour and you liked our driver. We hope to see you again.
Great views!
Amy_S, Oct 2022
Nice scenery of Monterey with ocean views. Enjoyed seeing the large waves. Felt there were too many stops and found the Carmel last stop just a tourist trap to shop. Would have liked to stop at a viewing location to see Big Sur even though the bus can’t go over the bridge due to size. The driver was delightful and very informative without being too talkative.
Response from Host, Oct 2022
Dear Amy, Thanks so much for sharing your experience with us. We are happy to hear that you enjoyed Monterey and our drive provided a great experience to you. We hope to welcome you back again soon!
Meh…
Karla_B, Oct 2022
I think this tour would have been better without all of the tiny, short stops. It takes so long to have everyone exit and board the coach which can be very frustrating. I expected more out of Carmel. I thought it would look like a little village but it really didn’t. Monterey was beautiful and exactly what I expected. Also, we had to sit on the left side of the bus and missed most of the ocean views.
Response from Host, Oct 2022
Dear Karla, We are sorry to hear that your experience hasn’t met your expectations on this occasion. Sincerely, Gray Line.
Great locations, but getting there was a little disappointing
Neil_A, Oct 2022
The locations visited were great, but the coach was cramped, cold and had no Wi-Fi, so all felt a little behind the times and by no means “luxury” as promoted. The driver was knowledgeable but sometimes spoke about subjects based on his opinion rather than knowledge (global warming, Pebble Beach house prices for example). Not a great travel experience.
Response from Host, Oct 2022
Dear Neil, We are sorry to hear about your disappointing experience with us. It’s always our intention to provide great customer service and useful, transparent advice. Please accept our sincerest apologies that we didn’t live up to your expectations on this occasion. Sincerely, Gray Line.
Fantastic scenery
Anders_S, Oct 2022
Fantastic sceneries one after one other. Never ending. Seasoned with rich bird life and other animals, sea otter for instance. Interrupted now and then with possibilities for shopping.
Response from Host, Nov 2022
Dear Anders, We’re so happy to hear that you enjoyed our tour and look forward to welcoming you again soon!
Fabulous time!!
Melsmith00, Oct 2022
Was a spectacular ride along the coast with very nice stops for photos and stretching our legs. Our guide Thomas was most informative and gave great advice of things to do and places to eat or shop during our tour.
Response from Host, Oct 2022
Dear Melsmith0, It was a pleasure serving you. We really appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback with us. We are glad you had a great time in Monterey, Carmel and 17-Mile Drive. Thanks for the kind words about our driver, Thomas. We hope you'll come and see us again soon!
Beautiful coastline!
Sarah_A, Oct 2022
This was a great trip. Our driver was great at making sure we saw things of interest and ensuring we got the best use of time during our day. Thank you.
Response from Host, Oct 2022
Dear Sarah, We’d just like to thank you for taking the time to write this review of Monterey, Carmel and 17-Mile Drive. Thanks for your kind words about our driver. Our team workds really hard to give you the best experience. We’re very grateful for customers like you and hope you stick with us for years to come!
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