Pacific Coast Highway (Highway 1) Tours and Tickets

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

• Private Tour of Los Angeles in an SUV With Experienced Guide

• 17-Mile Drive, Monterey Peninsula &Carmel Max 12 Small-Group Tour

• Monterey, Carmel, and 17-Mile Drive: Full-Day Tour From SF

• Small-Group Best Beaches in Orange County Day Tour

• PCH: Big Sur Self-Guided Audio Tour From Monterey & Morro Bay

Apart from the cost of gasoline and possible tolls, you can drive the Pacific Coast Highway for free. There are many affordable tours available that can help you make the most of your visit. Self-guided audio driving tours start at just US$13, while driving tours departing from San Francisco start at US$118.

Yes, the Pacific Coast Highway is worth visiting. Also known as Highway 1, the route spans the entire US West Coast and is one of the country's most storied road-trip destinations. The PCH's California stretch is particularly renowned, especially for the section that passes through Big Sur. Driving it yourself is a sought-after experience, while guided tours can help you learn more about the sights as you go.

Per one customer who booked the PCH: Big Sur Self-Guided Audio Tour From Monterey and Morro Bay, "This is a fantastic and inexpensive way to see things we definitely would have driven right past. We have already recommended these tours to our friends."

The Pacific Coast Highway (Highway 1) runs right along the Pacific Ocean along most of the coast of California. It passes through beach towns like Monterey and Laguna, areas to see redwoods, and offers views of iconic sites like the Golden Gate Bridge and the Bixby Bridge near Big Sur.

The PCH heads most of California's west coast, covering more than 600 miles (965 kilometers). Depending on how much of it you want to see, and how much time you want to spend stopping at beaches and cities along the way will determine how much time it will take you to drive it.

Yes, there are self-guided audio tours of the Pacific Coast Highway. These help you navigate the road and offer anecdotes to keep you entertained. Great for road trips, they allow you to stop where you want, then pick up and go again when you’re ready.

Summer brings the warmest weather, a popular time to explore the Pacific Coast Highway. However, if you want to avoid summer crowds, go at other times of the year. Temperatures get colder the further north you go and the closer to winter, so remember to pack accordingly.

One of the most scenic parts is Big Sur, with its dramatic cliffs, forest, bridge, and beach. It’s worth stopping here to hike, camp, or stay in a flashier accommodation. Literature buffs might want to visit the Henry Miller Memorial Library for some history and a new read.

There are all sorts of tours of the PCT, lasting from a few hours to several days. Day tours from San Francisco can reach 17-Mile Drive and Carmel’s galleries. More extended tours cover more ground and last several days. Either drive yourself with an audio-guided tour or hire a tour with a driver.

There are tons of fun things to do when you're done visiting the Pacific Coast Highway. According to travelers, these are some of the top attractions in California:

• Alcatraz

• Muir Woods

• Golden Gate Bridge

• USS Midway Museum

• San Francisco Bay

View Viator's guide to all the best attractions in California.