San Francisco

15 Best Monterey & Carmel Day Trips

The Monterey days: south along the coast to the 17-Mile Drive’s cypress points, Carmel’s cottage streets and Monterey’s wharf. The scenery does the talking for most of the day.

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

Discover California’s stunning coast with this full-day tour from SF to Monterey, Carmel, and the iconic 17-Mile Drive—perfect for scenic lovers and first-timers.

Most Popular★ 4.0

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

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4.Monterey, Carmel and Pacific Coast Explorer from San Francisco

Discover California’s stunning coast on a full-day tour from San Francisco, visiting Monterey, Carmel, and iconic scenic spots with expert guides and breathtaking views.

★ 4.0

“Our day-long tour is a breeze and very enjoyable with Danilo. He was very engaging as we go along the route and he drives like a pro; safely and smoothly. I would definitely recommend this tour to my friends and hopefully they will have Danilo…”

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5.From LA: SF, Yosemite, Santa Barbara and Carmel 3-Day Tour

Experience iconic California highlights on this 3-day tour from LA, including Yosemite, San Francisco, Carmel, and Santa Barbara, with expert guides and stunning sights.

★ 4.4

“Jacob was a fantastic driver and guide. He had a lot of knowledge and gave us lots of interesting information. The planning was great and one or two anecdotes were unexpected but always positive. I can highly recommend this tour.”

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6.From San Francisco: Carmel, Monterey & Big Sur Private Tour

Experience California's stunning coast on a private 10-hour tour from San Francisco to Carmel, Monterey, and Big Sur, tailored to your interests.

★ 4.9

“My private tour to Carmel, Monterey and Big Sur was truly memorable. I'm not sure I can put into words how glorious Big Sur is. If you can, take this tour. You will be so glad that you did. In addition to the magnificent natural…”

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7.Monterey, Carmel, 17 Mile Dr, Big Sur & Mcway Falls Pvt Tour

Experience California’s stunning coast on a private, customizable tour covering Monterey, Carmel, 17-Mile Drive, Big Sur, and McWay Falls. Perfect for nature lovers and scenic road trip fans.

★ 5.0

“Thanks to Pablo, we had an amazing day trip. He has great positive energy and really knows ins and outs of the spots. He guided us hidden gems and perfect vista points. I definitely recommend Pablo.”

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8.Best of Monterey Peninsula & Carmel-the-Sea Small Group Tour

Experience California's stunning coast on this full-day small-group tour from San Francisco, exploring Carmel, Big Sur scenery, and iconic landmarks.

★ 4.5

“Absolutely wonderful. Ron, our driver was lovely. There were only 6 of us so could easily spread out which was nice. The views were spectacular, places visited were beautiful. Maybe a little longer in Cannery Row and Carmel by the Sea would be my only…”

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9.Monterey Peninsula and Carmel by the Sea Small Group Tour

Discover California’s scenic coast on this small-group tour from San Francisco, featuring iconic stops like Cannery Row, Pebble Beach, and Carmel.

★ 4.5

“We liked the tour overall and ours was on a sunny day so we're able to see all the views well! Worth seeing this entire 10 hours tour to explore the coastline along SFO”

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10.17-Mile Drive,Carmel & Monterey Day Trip from San Francisco

Explore California’s coast on a guided 17-Mile Drive, Carmel, and Monterey trip from San Francisco. Expect scenic views, informative guides, and flexible options.

★ 3.0

“We'd like to thank Anthony Wen for a wonderful day! He was very punctual and brought us around just as it was described in the itinerary. He is very friendly, a good driver and tour guide and is bilingual too (able to speak English and…”

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11.Carmel, Monterey and Big Sur Tour Private Tour from San Francisco

Discover the California coast from San Francisco to Big Sur on a private, customizable tour. Enjoy stunning views, expert guides, and authentic experiences.

★ 5.0

“Brian was a wonderful tour guide. He was very knowledgeable. He was friendly and made us feel comfortable. He took us to beautiful spots along the pacific coast and stopped at places that we would never have found. We stopped at a fruit stand, a…”

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13.Carmel / Monterey Hwy 1 tour

Explore the scenic California coast on a private tour from San Francisco, visiting Carmel, Monterey, and the iconic 17-Mile Drive with expert guides.

★ 5.0

“The whole coast line is a miracle of nature!!..Carmel is out of this world charming! Pacific ocean’s wilderness and beauty are immersive!”

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