Tours and Tickets to Experience Bixby Bridge

There are plenty of ways to experience Bixby Bridge. Looking at ratings and reviews previously given by customers, these are the best tours available right now:

• Big Sur McWay Falls opt 4 or 5 Hour Private Tour

• Big Sur Monterey California Coast from San Jose 1–12 people

• Monterey, Carmel, and Big Sur private Day Trip from San Francisco

• Driving the California Coast: A Self-Guided Audio Tour

• Monterey, Big Sur, 17 Mile Drive 3.5 Hour Private Tour

There's no fee to visit (or drive over) Bixby Bridge, as it's a section of the Pacific Coast Highway and doesn't have tolls. Most Big Sur tours from the Bay Area cross the bridge, and these range in cost from US$15 per group for self-guided tours to US$900 for private tours that include transportation.

The best time of day to visit Bixby Bridge depends largely on your tolerance for crowds. If you are driving yourself during peak times—such as sunset—you may not find nearby parking places. However, this is a great time to visit for views, especially on clear days.

Yes, parking is available near Bixby Bridge at designated turnouts, but you are not allowed to park on the side of the road. Parking availability is limited. If you join a tour, your driver may drop you off quickly and then circle back to pick you up again.

Castle Rock Viewpoint is one of the best spots to photograph Bixby Bridge; if you've seen a photo of the bridge from the south, chances are good that it was shot here. For an alternative perspective, consider one of the many turnouts on the north side.

Yes, you can technically walk on Bixby Bridge, as it's part of a highway, not a freeway. However, doing so is not safe: the bridge lacks a pedestrian walkway, and there’s often heavy motor traffic. Instead, consider checking it out from one of many nearby viewpoints.