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

San Francisco, USA

High interest

Booked 5+ times today.

11 hours (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

Why travelers loved this

4.2

· Tim_B ·

Feb 2026

We took this excursion as a way to see some of the beautiful California coast. It was as wonderful as we expected! Enjoyed both Monterey and Carmel-each with their own distinct styles. A big hit with my husband was seeing Pebble Beach.

· Donald_B ·

Mar 2026

Debra, our driver was Fantastic. The tour she gave us throughout San Francisco, Monterey and Carmel was Awesome. The stops along the was truly remarkable.

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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 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 Monterey Bay Aquarium (own expense). Then enjoy free time to explore Carmel-by-the-Sea before returning to San Francisco.

An easy way to visit Monterey and Carmel in one day from San Francisco
Relax with San Francisco pickup and drop-off included
Enjoy plenty of stops with photo opportunities along 17 Mile Drive
Free time to explore Monterey and Carmel-by-the Sea

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 by the Sea
Stops at Pigeon Point Lighthouse, Pebble Beach, Bird Rock and the Lone Cypress

Gratuities

Not included
Food and drinks
Hotel Pick-up & drop-off
Monterey Bay Aquarium

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting points

Select a meeting point

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Operating hours
.7:40 am

Itinerary

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), browse the shops of Cannery Row, or visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium (own expense).

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)

Pigeon Point Light Station

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Davenport

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Monterey Bay (Pass By)

Cannery Row

2 hours • Admission Ticket Free

17-Mile Drive

1 hour • Admission Ticket Included

Bird Rock Vista Point

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Lone Cypress

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Pebble Beach Golf Links

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Carmel by the sea (Pass By)

Carmel Plaza

1 hour • 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

Supplied by

Frequently Asked Question (1)

Q:Is there a restroom onboard the Monterey, Carmel and 17-Mile Drive tour?

A:Yes restrooms are on the bus. We also make stops to use the restroom during the tour.

Aug 2023

The answers provided are based on answers previously given by the tour provider to customers’ questions.

Cancellation Policy

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

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Featured review

OksoonKatie_S

I came from the UK on a work trip and didn’t have much time, so this one-day tour was perfect for me. It truly turned into a wonderful day. Our driver, Alvin, was gentle, knowledgeable, and had a great sense of humour. Because it was a Saturday, there was a bit of traffic, but the journey itself was enjoyable. Some people mentioned there was too much time on the bus and not enough at each attraction, but that was something I expected. This tour is designed for those who want to see these beautiful places within a short time, and I’m very happy with it. More than anything, I feel grateful for the opportunity. We often take things for granted in life, but today reminded me how special these moments are. It was good value for money, and I’ve made beautiful memories. I’d love to book this trip again with a friend next time. Thank you to Alvin and the whole team for looking after us so well.

Reviews

4.2

based on 2,192 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

A brilliant day!!

Selina_H, Apr 2026

This trip is a must do if you’ve the time to go outside of San Fransico! George our tour guide was absolutely brilliant and wow this man knows everything there is to know about this tour his knowledge was outstanding!!

Full day in the hands of...

Richard_B, Mar 2026

Full day in the hands of Don who was first class very knowledgeable and good company. 17 mile drive was most certainly the highlight.

Response from Host, Mar 2026

Thank you! We’re so glad you had a great day with Don and enjoyed the 17-Mile Drive—he’ll be thrilled to hear your kind words!

Debra, our driver was...

Donald_B, Mar 2026

Debra, our driver was Fantastic. The tour she gave us throughout San Francisco, Monterey and Carmel was Awesome. The stops along the was truly remarkable.

Response from Host, Mar 2026

Hi Donald! Thank you for your kind words! We're thrilled to hear you enjoyed the tour with Debbie and loved the stops along the way. We’ll be sure to pass your compliments on to her!

Beautiful coastline

Tim_B, Feb 2026

Response from Host, Mar 2026

Hi Tim! Thank you for your kind review! We’re so glad you enjoyed Monterey, Carmel, and the beautiful coast — and that Pebble Beach was a highlight. Hope to see you again soon!

George was an excellent...

Patricia_H, Jan 2026

George was an excellent driver and guide with great communication throughout the tour. The mini bus was not comfortable as it was very bumpy and it certainly was not a luxury coach as advertised which was disappointing as it was a long day.

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Thank you for your feedback. We’re glad George provided a great tour and appreciate your comments about the vehicle, which we’ll review.

A wonderful experience

Navah_K, Jan 2026

Plenty of pit stops for food and restrooms. The guide was exceptional. He narrated history and points of interest continuously. He has a load of knowledge that he generously shared about the places we visited and passed through. He was friendly and ready to engage.

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Hi Navah! Thank you for the wonderful feedback! We’re thrilled you enjoyed the guide and the overall experience

We are the Millers

Bruce_M, Jan 2026

The trip is very scenic and fascinating. It’s quite a long day. Our driver was informative but made sure we kept to a schedule.

Response from Host, Jan 2026

Hi Bruce! Thank you for your feedback! We’re glad you enjoyed the scenic sights and found the trip fascinating. We appreciate your note about the schedule and hope to see you on another adventure soon!

Great day. Views were...

Debbiehall24, Jan 2026

Great day. Views were amazing. Monterey and Carmel were beautiful. Don was a very knowledgeable guide. Well worth the money.

Response from Host, Jan 2026

Hi Debbie! Thank you for your review! We’re glad you enjoyed the stunning views, beautiful towns, and Don’s expertise. We hope to see you on another tour soon!

Good tour - recommended if you are visiting San Francisco

Chaitali_C, Dec 2025

Good one-day tour. We covered all the places mentioned on the itinerary. Staff was good and provided adequate stops on the way and back.

Response from Host, Dec 2025

Thank you for your review! We’re glad to hear you enjoyed the tour, found the itinerary well covered, and appreciated our staff and stops along the way. We hope to welcome you again soon.

Sightseeing the coast

uyen_n, Nov 2025

Beautiful way to see the California coast. Many different points of interest. Find it easier to have a tour group, cuz you just sit back and enjoy the scene s.

Response from Host, Nov 2025

Thank you! We’re so glad you enjoyed the coastal views and found the tour relaxing. It’s our pleasure to let you sit back, take in the scenery, and enjoy the journey. Hope to see you again soon!

An excellent trip and would return to some of the places we visited.

Michelle_R, Oct 2025

If you want to see the California coast this day trip from San Fran is not to be missed. I loved every part of this trip and the views were memorable. The driver/guide Thomas was friendly, knowledgeable, and he made it a relaxing day whilst also keeping to a busy itinerary of stops. I loved Monterey and Carmel.

Response from Host, Nov 2025

Hi Michelle! Thank you for your wonderful feedback! We’re thrilled you enjoyed the California coast, Monterey, and Carmel, and that Thomas made your day relaxing and enjoyable. We hope to welcome you on another tour soon!

Overview of the Monterey Bay coast

MaryEllen_H, Oct 2025

Our driver/guide, George, was an excellent driver, was very knowledgeable and kept an informative patter going during the entire long drive down to Monterey, Carmel, and back. I learned quite a bit and this kept the long drive interesting. The coach was clean and comfortable (I didn't use the on-board restroom so can't comment on that). Folks considering this tour need to be aware you will be doing most of your viewing from inside the coach. If your hope is to stop and see the seabirds, seals, sea lions, crashing surf, and so forth, this may not be your tour. Most stops (Bird Rock, Pigeon Point Lighthouse--?) are 15 minutes, time to jump out and take a few photos. The longer stops (Cannery Row/Monterey and Carmel) are in the center of town near high-end shopping. Finding lunch along Cannery Row left no time to walk the pretty trail along Monterey Bay. In Carmel, an hour in the shopping area was not sufficient to walk down to the water and enjoy the view. Overall, this long day tour gives an overview of the high-end shopping and mansions along Pebble Beach and the Seventeen-Mile Drive, but don't expect to spend time out enjoying the coastal beauty. That would be a different tour.

Response from Host, Oct 2025

Thank you for your detailed feedback! We’re glad George made the drive enjoyable and informative. We appreciate your insights about the stops and sightseeing time, which will help future travelers choose the best tour for their interests.

Carmel/Monterey

Elena_S, Oct 2025

Worth it! A must-do!! Beautiful views and plenty of opportunities to take it all the sights along the way.

Response from Host, Oct 2025

Hi Elena! Thank you for the great review! We're so glad you enjoyed the beautiful views and had a memorable experience. Definitely a must-do!

Amazing Monterey

Byron_R, Oct 2025

George our driver was great. Covered so much history and fun facts of the area we traveled. Scenery was great too.

Response from Host, Oct 2025

Hi Byron! Thank you! We’re glad you enjoyed George’s storytelling and the beautiful scenery. Hope to see you again soon!

The description of the...

JoseFabio_S, Oct 2025

The description of the tour says it lasts 11 hours. So, if we departed at 8 am it should have finished at 7 pm, but we arrived at Union Square at 8:30 pm. No reason was given for the different arrival time (there was no traffic), which is a problem when you have dinner plans after the tour. The tour picks up passengers at 2 places: Union Square and Fisherman's Warf. Given that all the places visited were south of San Francisco, it would make sense for the tour to depart from Fisherman's Warf, go to Union Square to pick up the other passengers and then head south, but for some reason it was done the other way around: they asked the Union Square passengers to arrive at Union Square at 7:40 am, the bus then went north to Fisherman's Warf and departed from this second point at 8 am. This means that the Union Square passengers had to be on the bus for 30 minutes more than necessary, which is inconvenient on a tour this long. One thing that can delay a tour is guests returning to the bus after the alloted time on each stop, which is why it's important for the driver/guide to be firm about the times. This is also out of respect and consideration for the guests that arrive on time. Unfortunately, this didn't happen with our guide: on every stop someone was late and he never said anything. On the other hand, the guide gave many information and facts about the locations we went to or passed by, and the places we visited were very nice.

Response from Host, Oct 2025

Thank you for your detailed feedback. We apologize for the extended return time and the pick-up logistics. We appreciate your comments about the guide’s knowledge and will work on improving time management and communication for a better experience.

Nice views of the coast....

Tracy_L, Oct 2025

Nice views of the coast. Monterey we had enough time in. We would recommend changing the Carmel stop sine not enough time to really eat and would have been better seeing the beach. Thomas our driver is 5 stars. He did a great job narrating and expertly driving. If you want to see the coast and don’t have a car it’s a good tour.

Response from Host, Oct 2025

Hi Tracy! Thank you for your feedback! We're glad you enjoyed the coastal views and Thomas’s great service. We appreciate your suggestion about Carmel and will take it into consideration.

Monterey Trip

Terrie_J, Oct 2025

The trip to Monterey, 17 Mile Drive and Carmel was excellent. Our driver and guide Tom was very knowledgeable and thorough.

Response from Host, Oct 2025

Hi Terrie! Thank you! We're glad you enjoyed the trip—Tom will appreciate the shoutout!

Long day with very good lady driver and lady tour guide.

GARY_B, Sep 2025

Long Day whsre the best place to visit was the last,Carmel by the sea. More time should have been spent there rather than Monterrey. The lady driver and lady tour guide were very good. Only the length of journey affected my score. The 2 ladies were 5 star.

Response from Host, Sep 2025

Hi Gary! Thank you for your feedback! We’re glad you enjoyed Carmel and appreciated the excellent service from our driver and guide. We’ll take your suggestion about timing into consideration to improve the experience.

A Fabulous Day Out

nicola_w, Sep 2025

What a fabulous day we had on out trip to Monterey and Carmel. The tour started off with a very near hotel pick up, comfortable coach with a free bottle of water, headed off on time, extremely friendly and knowledgeable host , George, plenty of comfort stops on way, fabulous scenery with the Pacific Ocean and towns on route to Monterey, even had a quiz , Monterey was fabulous, so many shops and restaurants to visit, then onto the fabulous 17 mile drive through Pebble Beach, amazing houses, stopped off for more photo opportunities, then down to the very beautiful Carmel, pity we had such a short stop of 1 hour, then on way back we stopped at Gilroy, at the Garlic Shop then back home. A whole day out seeing some of the vast and wonderful California

Response from Host, Sep 2025

Thank you for sharing such a detailed and positive review! We’re thrilled you had a fabulous day exploring Monterey, Carmel, and beyond with George. Your feedback about the Carmel stop is noted and appreciated!

Look at the Ocean all the time!

Stefan_S, Sep 2025

Great views of the coast and the ocean. The only thing was that to me Carmel is the best stop on that trip and it should be the longest one, but it isn’t.

Response from Host, Sep 2025

Hi Stefan! Thank you for your feedback! We’re glad you enjoyed the coastal views and appreciate your suggestion about extending the Carmel stop. We’ll take it into consideration!

The tour guide is great...

Wayne_L, Sep 2025

The tour guide is great and knowledgeable. The scenery is wonderful but the weather is foggy in the late morning. It’s better to take the 17 mile tour in late afternoon.

Response from Host, Sep 2025

Hi Wayne! Thank you for the kind feedback! We're glad you enjoyed the tour and scenery. Great tip about the timing—we appreciate you sharing that!

Beautiful scenery,...

Carol_G, Sep 2025

Beautiful scenery, several stops along the way to awesome Cities! Great Driver/tour Guide. Highly recommend this tour. We also stopped at Pebble Beach.

Response from Host, Sep 2025

Hi Carol! Thank you! We're glad you enjoyed the beautiful scenery, stops, and Pebble Beach. Appreciate the recommendation

Thomas is the best!

Ami_L, Sep 2025

Thomas was amazing and so full of knowledge! We had a great day visiting beautiful places! Would definitely recommend

Response from Host, Sep 2025

Hi Ami! Thank you so much! We’re thrilled to hear Thomas made your day special. We appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you back soon!

Beautiful Journey

Maxine_B, Sep 2025

The trip was a good trip. It was a long drive and the driver drove a little too fast for my liking. I did learn a little bit from driver

Response from Host, Sep 2025

Thank you for your feedback! We’re glad you enjoyed the trip overall and appreciate your comments—we’ll be sure to review the driving experience to ensure comfort for all our passengers.

Would absolutely do this again!

Janice_M, Sep 2025

Our tour guide went out of their way to take us to additional stops or spent a little more time at the stops that were planned. We really got our money’s worth. It was absolutely beautiful. We chose to go to the aquarium in Monterey which was great. The food and shopping were also top notch. We loved everything about this tour!

Response from Host, Sep 2025

Hi Janice! Thank you for the lovely review! We're glad your guide went the extra mile and that you enjoyed the aquarium, food, and shopping. We’re happy you loved the tour!

Too Long

ElaineH_C, Aug 2025

There are beautiful views and the Monterey Aquarium is worth seeing. The heavy, stop-and-go traffic and the numerous short stops at point of little interest made it a very long day. I recommend just 2 short stops where there are decent bathrooms and light food as well as pretty views. 7:30 am - 8 pm is too long for the few points of interest. Even Hwy 101 was slow. How about trip to aquarium and back by freeway and alternate coastline tour?

Response from Host, Sep 2025

Hi Elaine! Thank you for your feedback! We're glad you enjoyed the views and the Monterey Bay Aquarium. We understand the long day and traffic can be challenging, and we appreciate your suggestions on streamlining the itinerary. Your input helps us improve the experience for future travelers.

I came from the UK on a...

OksoonKatie_S, Aug 2025

Response from Host, Sep 2025

Thank you so much for your thoughtful review! We're thrilled to hear the tour fit your schedule and that you had such a meaningful experience. We'll be sure to pass your kind words along to Alvin — he’ll be delighted! We’d love to welcome you (and your friend!) back anytime for another adventure. Safe travels from all of us at Gray Line San Francisco!

Bad tour company

Paul_M, Aug 2025

Got at the meeting point at 7:40 am Waiting for 20 minutes….bus must have left….not even 1 minute of grace? No refund…bus company is greedy…would not recommend them at all

Response from Host, Aug 2025

Dear Paul M., We are truly sorry that you were unable to join the tour. Out of respect for all other passengers who arrived on time, we must begin the tour as scheduled, as we have an itinerary to follow in order to deliver the experience as planned. For this reason, we always recommend arriving at the meeting point at least 15 minutes before departure to avoid any inconvenience. On this day, the bus departed from 478 Post Street at 7:42 am, two minutes after the scheduled departure time. As a gesture of goodwill, we offered you the option to take another tour or reschedule for a different day, even though under our cancellation policy this would not normally apply. Best regards,

Too much travel time and...

kristen_p, Aug 2025

Too much travel time and not enough time off bus. Not enough history of the area and when the tour guide did speak, a lot of the time the speaker system was not working properly.

Response from Host, Aug 2025

Hi Kristen! Thank you for your honest feedback. We’re sorry the balance of travel and stops didn’t meet your expectations and for the audio issues you experienced. We’ll work on improving these aspects to make future tours better.

Come outside of San Fran for a tour

enfamale, Aug 2025

The trip is a must for anyone in the San Francisco area but want to see what's around San Fran that you might didn't know was there. The driver was great and he was very knowledgeable. Monterey Bay was like an hidden gem and the drive along the coast is spectacular. Pebble Beach and the places around was nice to see along with Carmel being a nice beautiful place. Plenty of shops and pictures to take while your at the stops and even take a stroll down to the beach while your resting. San Francisco is nice, but the surrounding areas are nice to visit too.

Response from Host, Aug 2025

Thank you for your wonderful review! We’re glad you enjoyed exploring the hidden gems around San Francisco and appreciated our knowledgeable driver. Monterey Bay and Carmel truly are special places—hope to have you on another tour soon!