Highway 1 Pacific Coast Highway Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour

Santa Monica, USA

Great choice

10+ bookings last month.

10 to 11 hours (approx.)
Offered in: English

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Overview

California’s Highway 1—also known as the Pacific Coast Highway—stretches along the Pacific Ocean, and is known for its spectacular scenery. This private, self-led smartphone audio guide accompanies you from San Francisco to Los Angeles, sharing facts and stories about the cities and landmarks you pass. The app’s GPS functionality works offline, letting you explore independently at your own pace with lifetime access and no expiry.

Lifetime access with no expiry for unlimited use
Explore Highway 1 independently, and at your own pace
The audio narration brings the area’s highlights and history to life
Enjoy a flexible, private way to discover one of the country’s top driving trips

What's Included

Self-guided audio tour through our easy-to-use mobile app.
Just bring your car and phone; the app guides your tour.
Works offline with GPS route guidance and automatic audio stories.
Flexible tour: start, stop, and pause anytime during your trip.
Planning tools, route maps, scenic stops, and area previews included.
Hidden gems and local stories included along the route.
Lifetime access: use the tour anytime and keep it for future trips.
Support is available via chat, email, or phone if you need help.
One purchase covers everyone in your car, not per person.
Private tour experience for your family, in your own car.

Self-guided tour — no live guide. Entrance fees, parking, food, and car rental are separate.

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting points

Select a meeting point

Type to search

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Arranged start time

Confirm time with the local provider in advance of your experience.

07/20/2026 - 07/26/2026
Monday - Sunday : 6:00 AM - 9:00 PM
07/27/2026 - 07/30/2026
Monday - Thursday : 6:00 AM - 9:00 PM
07/31/2026 - 08/02/2026
Friday - Sunday : 6:00 AM - 9:00 PM
08/03/2026 - 08/09/2026
Monday - Sunday : 6:00 AM - 9:00 PM
08/10/2026 - 08/14/2026
Monday - Friday : 6:00 AM - 9:00 PM
08/15/2026 - 08/16/2026
Saturday - Sunday : 6:00 AM - 9:00 PM
08/17/2026 - 10/11/2026
Monday - Sunday : 6:00 AM - 9:00 PM
10/12/2026 - 10/13/2026
Monday - Tuesday : 6:00 AM - 9:00 PM
10/14/2026 - 01/03/2027
Monday - Sunday : 6:00 AM - 9:00 PM
01/04/2027 - 01/09/2027
Monday - Saturday : 6:00 AM - 9:00 PM
01/10/2027 - 01/10/2027
Sunday : 6:00 AM - 9:00 PM
01/11/2027 - 01/11/2027
Monday : 6:00 AM - 9:00 PM
01/12/2027 - 01/17/2027
Tuesday - Sunday : 6:00 AM - 9:00 PM
01/18/2027 - 05/09/2027
Monday - Sunday : 6:00 AM - 9:00 PM
05/10/2027 - 05/11/2027
Monday - Tuesday : 6:00 AM - 9:00 PM

Itinerary

Pacifica

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Pedro Point

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Devil's Slide Trail

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Gray Whale Cove State Beach

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Montara

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Mavericks Beach

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Half Moon Bay

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Bean Hollow State Beach

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Pigeon Point Lighthouse

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Butano State Park (Pass By)

Big Basin Redwoods State Park (Pass By)

Ano Nuevo State Reserve (Pass By)

Davenport

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Shark Fin Cove

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Coast Dairies State Park

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Santa Cruz

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Santa Cruz Wharf

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Mystery Spot (Pass By)

Rio Del Mar State Beach

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Sunset State Beach (Pass By)

Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve (Pass By)

Monterey Bay

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Monterey

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Big Sur

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

17-Mile Drive (Pass By)

Carmel-by-the-Sea

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Carmel Beach

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Point Lobos State Natural Reserve (Pass By)

Garrapata State Park

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Bixby Creek Bridge

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Point Sur State Historic Park (Pass By)

Andrew Molera State Park (Pass By)

Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Pfeiffer Beach (Pass By)

Grimes Point Scenic Overlook

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Seal Beach Scenic Overlook

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Partington Cove

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

McWay Falls (Pass By)

Big Creek Bridge

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Big Creek Cove Vista Point

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Limekiln State Park (Pass By)

Pitkins Curve Bridge

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Jade Cove

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Nathaniel Owings Memorial Redwood Grove

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Ragged Point

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Ragged Point Inn & Resort

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Piedras Blancas Light Station (Pass By)

Elephant Seal Vista Point

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Moonstone Beach Drive

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Nitt Witt Ridge (Pass By)

Harmony

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Cayucos

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Morro Bay

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

San Luis Obispo

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Bubblegum Alley

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Irish Hills Natural Reserve

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Avila Beach

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Dinosaur Caves Park

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Pismo Beach

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Monarch Butterfly Grove

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Guadalupe

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Rancho Guadalupe Dunes Preserve

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

The Murals of Lompoc

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Lompoc Wine Ghetto

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Jalama Beach (Pass By)

Arroyo Hondo Vista Point

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Refugio State Beach (Pass By)

Goleta Butterfly Grove

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Santa Barbara

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Thousand Steps Beach

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Carpinteria State Beach (Pass By)

Rincon Beach Park

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Faria Beach

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Ventura

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Point Mugu State Park (Pass By)

Sycamore Cove Beach (Pass By)

El Matador State Beach

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Point Dume

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Malibu

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Santa Monica

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Pacific Coast Highway

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

The Getty Villa (Pass By)

Zuma Beach

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Hearst Castle (Pass By)

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Near public transportation
Most travelers can participate
How To Access: After booking, you’ll get an email and text with setup instructions and password (search “audio tour” in emails and texts). • Download the separate tour app by Action • Enter the password sent by email and text. • MUST download the tour while in strong wifi/cellular. • Works offline after download.
How to start touring: Open Action’s separate audio tour guide app once onsite. • If there is just one tour, launch it. • If multiple tour versions exist, launch the one with your planned starting point and direction.
Go to the starting point No one will meet you at the start. This tour is self-guided Enter the first story’s point and the audio will begin automatically Follow the audio cues to the next story, which will also play automatically. Enjoy hands-free exploring. If you face audio issues, contact support. Stick to the tour route & speed limit for the best experience.
Go to the starting point No one will meet you at the start. This tour is self-guided Enter the first story’s point and the audio will begin automatically Follow the audio cues to the next story, which will also play automatically. Enjoy hands-free exploring. If you face audio issues, contact support. Stick to the tour route & speed limit for the best experience.

Savings tips: Driving tours: purchase just one tour for everyone in the car
New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want.
Audio Setup: Connect your phone to your car's stereo system using Bluetooth, USB, or AUX. For the best experience, consider using headphones for walking tours. Audio playback is compatible with Apple CarPlay, with navigation features coming soon. Support for Android Auto is also on the way.
The tour requires a supported mobile device for navigation. Please use an iPhone with iOS 15 or later, an Android device with Android 9 or later, or an iPad/tablet with GPS and cellular service.
Important Note: Highway 1 (Pacific Coast Highway) is closed between Big Sur and Ragged Point due to repairs from the Regent’s Slide. This 6.8-mile stretch is impassable. For current updates, visit the Caltrans site
As of April 16, 2025, the Overlook Trail to view McWay Falls at Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park is closed due to a long-term retaining wall repair project. The project is expected to continue into 2026 and will also limit parking spaces within the park. At this time, the only available viewpoint for McWay Falls is a small roadside viewing area along Highway 1. The Ewoldsen Trail remains open.
This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate

Supplied by

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)

Reviews

3.5

based on 24 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Don't waste your money.

Carl_B, May 2025

It's easy to get off the route if you aren't constantly looking at the screen as directions are minimal. Gives some good information about sites but no clear direction given to navigate to them. I ended up purchasing a competitive app that had much better navigation.

Response from Host, May 2025

Carl, I’m sorry the experience didn’t meet your expectations. After setup and downloading on a strong network, it’s essential to begin at the designated start point and follow the route shown. Connecting your phone to the car stereo can make it easier to listen hands-free, and keeping to the suggested speed helps the audio sync correctly with your location. If you can share where you felt the directions fell short, I’d appreciate the chance to improve things. I didn’t see any contact from you, but I’m happy to help now, whether that’s a refund or a replacement tour that suits you better. Let me know what works best.

Inoperative software.

Jose_R, Sep 2022

Every time I attempted to load the guided tour within google maps it took me to a housing community and then wouldn’t start the tour. The tour never ran. We ended up just finding our own way the old school way following signage.

Response from Host, Sep 2022

I double-clarified the starting address to avoid this confusion. I will happily replace your tour with the 100 tours I have in the US. My tours are valid for a lifetime.

Tour had large voids...

pattyfourj, May 2022

Tour had large voids during the trip. I’d suggest filling them with some local info & flair. Also, might be helpful to give more lead-up notice when approaching a site. There were a few that we would’ve like to have to have stopped at, but not enough notice to decide if it was worth our while until we were actually passing the landmark.

Response from Host, May 2022

Thanks for the feedback Patty! I’ve tried to strike a balance between talking/quiet time (so that I’m not talking your ear off the whole drive!) but will definitely take a look and see if there’s more I can adjust. Hope you give my other self-guided tours a try on your future travels around the country!

A must have.

Paul_M, May 2022

Travelling on our own for the first time doing this drive, we found the tour guide such a help, we didn't miss anything.. best money I've ever spent.

Response from Host, May 2022

Thank you very much Paul! I'm so glad you had a good time, and I'm so happy my tour helped make your drive memorable. I also have self-guided tours all over the country — hope you get the chance to try those next!

Très bien conçu et info pertinente.

Sylvie_B, Mar 2025

Très utile pour nous accompagner sur la PCH et mettre les lieux en contexte. Les enregistrements, par contre, coupaient sec souvent, ou débutaient en tronquant les premiers mots. L’emphase sur les lieux à visiter était bon, sauf à quelques endroits (trop long détour inutile à Santa Cruz, pas assez d’emphase sur le 17-mile drive, LA portion la plus belle selon nous). Aussi, le prix d’entrée à plusieurs sites ou parcs étaient erronés (à mettre à jour). Nous avons bien apprécié le fait de pouvoir arrêter, faire des détours et reprendre le tour n’importe quand. Je recommande !

Response from Host, Apr 2025

Sylvie, thank you so much for the kind words and helpful feedback! I'm glad you enjoyed the flexibility and context during your PCH drive. I have a separate tour just for 17-Mile Drive—it’s packed with stories, so we only included a few highlights in the PCH tour. I’ll also review the audio timing and update park fees where needed. I appreciate the recommendation!