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A Pacific Coast Highway road trip

Itineraries · California · San Francisco to Los Angeles, CA · 4 days

A 4-day Pacific Coast Highway road trip from San Francisco to Los Angeles: the Santa Cruz Boardwalk, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Point Lobos, Bixby Creek Bridge and Big Sur, the Piedras Blancas elephant seals, Hearst Castle, Santa Barbara, and El Matador beach in Malibu.

This plan is for a group sharing one car and the driving. It covers about 470 miles over four days, with nights in Monterey, San Simeon and Santa Barbara, and no day has more than about four hours behind the wheel. Big Sur gets its own day, because the road is slow and the stops are the point of the trip.

Day 1

Santa Cruz and Monterey

6 stops
  1. 8:30 AM8:30 AMTravelSan Francisco, CA to Drive to Santa Cruz400 Beach St, Santa Cruz, CA · Map of Drive to Santa CruzAbout 75 miles and two hours down Highway 1 through Pacifica and Half Moon Bay
  2. 10:30 AM10:30 AMDoSanta Cruz Beach Boardwalk400 Beach St, Santa Cruz, CA · Map of Santa Cruz Beach BoardwalkFree to walk in; you pay per ride. Ride the Giant Dipper and get lunch on the boardwalk
  3. 1:30 PM1:30 PMTravelSanta Cruz, CA to Drive to Monterey886 Cannery Row, Monterey, CA · Map of Drive to MontereyAbout 45 miles and an hour on Highway 1
  4. 2:30 PM2:30 PMDoMonterey Bay Aquarium886 Cannery Row, Monterey, CA · Map of Monterey Bay AquariumBuy timed tickets ahead. Hours vary by date, and last entry is an hour before closing
  5. 6:00 PM6:00 PMStayPortola Hotel & Spa2 Portola Plaza, Monterey, CA · Map of Portola Hotel & SpaOr wherever the group is staying. A short walk from Fisherman's Wharf
  6. 7:00 PM7:00 PMEatOld Fisherman's Grotto39 Fisherman's Wharf, Monterey, CA · Map of Old Fisherman's GrottoSeafood on the wharf; book a table online

If we have time

Day 2

Carmel and Big Sur

6 stops
  1. 9:00 AM9:00 AMDoPoint Lobos State Natural ReservePoint Lobos State Natural Reserve, Carmel, CA · Map of Point Lobos State Natural ReserveThree miles south of Carmel. Opens at 8 AM; vehicles over 21 feet can't enter
  2. 11:00 AM11:00 AMDoBixby Creek BridgeHighway 1, Big Sur, CA · Map of Bixby Creek BridgeAbout 20 minutes south of Point Lobos. Parking near the bridge is banned, so take it in as you drive across
  3. 12:00 PM12:00 PMEatNepenthe48510 Highway One, Big Sur, CA · Map of NepentheLunch on the terrace above the coast, served until 4:30 PM. Café Kevah downstairs is quicker
  4. 1:30 PM1:30 PMDoJulia Pfeiffer Burns State ParkJulia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, Big Sur, CA · Map of Julia Pfeiffer Burns State ParkWalk the Partington Cove trail, about a mile round trip, from the turnout with a green gate. The McWay Falls Overlook Trail is closed for repairs
  5. 3:00 PM3:00 PMTravelJulia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, Big Sur, CA to Drive to San Simeon9415 Hearst Dr, San Simeon, CA · Map of Drive to San SimeonAbout 60 miles of curves; allow two hours with work-zone delays. Fill the tank before Big Sur, because services are sparse
  6. 5:00 PM5:00 PMStayCavalier Oceanfront Resort9415 Hearst Dr, San Simeon, CA · Map of Cavalier Oceanfront ResortOr wherever the group is staying. Cavalier Coastal Kitchen on site is easy for dinner

If we have time

  • DoPfeiffer Big Sur State ParkReopened in October 2026 after the Timber Fire; the River Path and Redwood Grove Boardwalk are open, but Pfeiffer Falls is still closedMap of Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park
Day 3

Elephant seals, Hearst Castle and Santa Barbara

6 stops
  1. 8:00 AM8:00 AMDoPiedras Blancas Elephant Seal RookeryHighway 1, San Simeon, CA · Map of Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal RookeryFree roadside viewing 4.5 miles north of Hearst Castle, open every day. No restrooms
  2. 9:30 AM9:30 AMDoHearst Castle750 Hearst Castle Rd, San Simeon, CA · Map of Hearst CastleBook the Grand Rooms tour ahead and allow about two hours
  3. 12:30 PM12:30 PMEatFirestone Grill1001 Higuera St, San Luis Obispo, CA · Map of Firestone GrillAbout 45 minutes south of Hearst Castle; opens at 11 AM
  4. 2:00 PM2:00 PMTravelSan Luis Obispo, CA to Drive to Santa Barbara36 State St, Santa Barbara, CA · Map of Drive to Santa BarbaraAbout 95 miles and two hours on US 101
  5. 4:30 PM4:30 PMStayHotel Californian36 State St, Santa Barbara, CA · Map of Hotel CalifornianOr wherever the group is staying. Steps from the beach and Stearns Wharf
  6. 7:00 PM7:00 PMEatBrophy Bros.119 Harbor Way, Santa Barbara, CA · Map of Brophy Bros.Seafood at the harbor; join the waitlist early

If we have time

Day 4

Santa Barbara to Malibu and LA

5 stops
  1. 9:30 AM9:30 AMDoOld Mission Santa Barbara2201 Laguna St, Santa Barbara, CA · Map of Old Mission Santa BarbaraSelf-guided tours open at 9:30 AM Monday to Saturday and 12:30 PM on Sundays
  2. 11:00 AM11:00 AMTravelSanta Barbara, CA to Drive to Malibu42505 Pacific Coast Hwy, Malibu, CA · Map of Drive to MalibuAbout 65 miles and 75 minutes on US 101, then Highway 1 down the coast from Oxnard
  3. 12:30 PM12:30 PMEatNeptune's Net42505 Pacific Coast Hwy, Malibu, CA · Map of Neptune's NetCasual seafood, open daily
  4. 2:00 PM2:00 PMDoEl Matador State BeachRobert H. Meyer Memorial State Beach, Malibu, CA · Map of El Matador State BeachSmall paid lot on the bluff, then stairs down to the beach. Check the tide first
  5. 3:30 PM3:30 PMTravelEl Matador State Beach, Malibu, CA to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)1 World Way, Los Angeles, CA · Map of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)About 40 miles; allow at least 90 minutes in afternoon traffic. Return the rental car first

Tips

  1. Highway 1 through Big Sur has been open from Carmel to Cambria since September 2026, after slide repairs at Regent's Slide and the summer's wildfire closures. Storms can still close it with little notice, and work zones often run one-way traffic control, so check Caltrans QuickMap the morning you drive.
  2. Book Hearst Castle tours online ahead of time; daytime tours start at 9 AM. If you book two tours, leave at least two hours between them.
  3. Monterey County banned parking along Highway 1 on both sides of Bixby Creek Bridge for 12 months starting in August 2026. Plan to see it from the car as you cross.
  4. After the 2026 Timber and Plaskett fires, trails east of Highway 1 in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park are closed indefinitely, and the McWay Falls Overlook Trail is closed for repairs. Check the State Parks page for current closures before you go.

Plan it together in Freya

Every stop goes on your trip with its place from Apple Maps, so the group gets directions, drive times and the weather. Then swap things out, vote and split the costs.

Add to FreyaCustomize in the builder

Change any stop, move things between days or add your own, then add your version to Freya. Not on an iPhone? Copy the plan for the group chat.

Questions

Is 4 days enough for San Francisco to Los Angeles?

For a first visit, yes. This plan fits 23 stops into 4 days (Day 1: Santa Cruz and Monterey; Day 2: Carmel and Big Sur; Day 3: Elephant seals, Hearst Castle and Santa Barbara; Day 4: Santa Barbara to Malibu and LA). Add a day if your group likes a slower pace.

When is the best time to go to San Francisco to Los Angeles?

April to October; Big Sur's stretch of Highway 1 is most likely to close in winter storms.

Where should a group eat in San Francisco to Los Angeles?

This plan stops at Old Fisherman's Grotto, Nepenthe, Firestone Grill, Brophy Bros. and Neptune's Net. Vote on dinner in Freya if the group can't agree.

What if the group wants to split up?

The ideas under “If we have time” (Natural Bridges State Beach, Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa and Stearns Wharf) are optional. In Freya, set who's going on a stop so everyone knows where to meet back up.

How do we use this plan as a group?

Tap Add to Freya on an iPhone. Every stop goes on a shared trip with its place from Apple Maps, so the group gets directions, drive times and the weather. Friends join from a link with just their first name, then swap stops, vote on plans and split the costs.

More itineraries

Have your own plan in a Google Doc, a Google Sheet or an AI chat? Paste it into Freya, or import it in the builder. Here’s how, or plan together with our Google Sheets and Docs templates. Or make your own version of this plan in the builder.