17-Mile Drive is a private road that hugs the coast of the Monterey Peninsula between Pacific Grove and Carmel, winding past the Pebble Beach golf links, cypress forests and rocky coves where seals haul out. It's one of the most beautiful drives in California, and there's a fee to enter because the whole area is private property. At the end of the road, or the beginning depending on where you enter, is Carmel-by-the-Sea, a storybook village of stone cottages, with no house numbers and a white-sand beach at the foot of the main street. Together they make a perfect day from Monterey. Information checked on November 11, 2026.
Planning basics
- Price. $12.50 per vehicle, refunded if you spend $35 or more at a Pebble Beach Resorts restaurant.
- Hours. Sunrise to sunset.
- Not allowed. Motorcycles.
- Stops. 17 marked points; the most famous is the Lone Cypress, number 12.
- Time. An hour and a half to three hours, depending on how often you stop.
Where 17-Mile Drive starts and ends
It's one of the most searched questions, and there's no single answer: the road has several entrance gates and you can enter through any of them. The ones visitors use most are the Pacific Grove gate, to the north, if you're coming from Monterey, and the Carmel gate, to the south, if you're coming from the village. There are also gates off Highway 1. At each one you pay the fee and get a map of the numbered stops; the official map can also be downloaded as a PDF from Pebble Beach's website.
The most logical plan is to enter at Pacific Grove, follow the stops in order heading south and exit through the Carmel gate straight into the village. That way you end the day in Carmel for dinner and sunset on the beach.
The name comes from the original route, which measured about 17 miles, roughly 27 kilometers.
The stops worth making
You don't need to stop at all 17. These are the ones most people remember:
- Spanish Bay. A broad beach where, according to tradition, Spanish explorers landed in the 18th century. A good place to walk on the sand.
- Point Joe and the Restless Sea. A stretch of coast where currents from different directions collide and the water is always churning. Many ships wrecked here mistaking the point for the entrance to Monterey Bay.
- Bird Rock and Seal Rock. Rocks covered in seabirds, with sea lions and harbor seals sunning themselves. Bring binoculars.
- Fanshell Overlook. A fan-shaped beach where harbor seals give birth in spring; during that season it closes to protect them.
- Cypress Point Lookout. One of the widest coastal views, on clear days all the way to Point Sur.
- The Lone Cypress. A solitary cypress on a rock in the sea, more than 250 years old according to Pebble Beach. It's the most photographed tree in the region and the company's symbol, registered as a trademark.
- Pebble Beach Golf Links. One of the most famous golf courses in the world. You don't need to play: the restaurant and shop by the 18th hole are open to the public.
Carmel-by-the-Sea: what to see in the village
Carmel looks like something out of a picture book: houses with shingled roofs, gardens full of flowers, art galleries and hidden courtyards. The curious part is that its rules keep it that way. Houses have no street numbers; residents pick up mail at the post office. Chain stores are scarce and the town guards its look closely. Clint Eastwood was mayor from 1986 to 1988, and the town is famous for being very dog-friendly: many restaurants welcome dogs on their patios.
What to do:
- Walk Ocean Avenue, the main street, which runs straight down to the beach.
- Head down to Carmel Beach, with fine white sand and cypresses along the shore. It's the sunset spot.
- Visit the Carmel Mission, Mission San Carlos Borromeo, founded in 1771 by Father Junípero Serra, who is buried there. It's one of the best-preserved Spanish missions in California.
- Explore the passageways downtown, small courtyards with shops and cafés linking one street to the next.
Ten minutes south is Point Lobos, a state natural reserve with clifftop trails and coves of turquoise water. If you have a free morning, it's one of the most beautiful walks on the whole coast.
Getting there and pairing it with Monterey
The Monterey Peninsula is about two hours by car south of San Francisco. Monterey, Pacific Grove, Pebble Beach and Carmel are right next to each other: from the Monterey Bay Aquarium to the Pacific Grove gate is 10 minutes, and from the Carmel gate to the center of the village, five.
A weekend that works: Saturday morning at the aquarium, afternoon on Cannery Row; Sunday, 17-Mile Drive in the morning and Carmel in the afternoon, with sunset on the beach. If you continue south, Big Sur begins past Point Lobos; if you're heading to Los Angeles, check Caltrans first to see whether Highway 1 is open, because landslides close it often.
Without a car, 17-Mile Drive is tricky: there's no public transit inside and group tours from San Francisco or Monterey are the alternative. You can ride it by bike, which is a different experience, although the road has climbs and narrow stretches shared with cars.
Budget: what the day costs
17-Mile Drive itself is cheap: $12.50 per car, split among everyone inside. What's expensive is the setting. Lunch at the Pebble Beach restaurants, overlooking the 18th hole, costs what an elegant dinner would anywhere else; a sandwich and coffee in Carmel are much less. Sleeping in Carmel or Pebble Beach is among the most expensive in California; Monterey and especially Pacific Grove and Seaside have motels and chain hotels at more reasonable prices. If you'd rent a car in San Francisco just for this, compare it against a day tour.
When to go
The Monterey coast has a cool, changeable climate year-round. In summer, fog often blankets the coast in the morning and lifts by midday; September and October are the clearest, mildest months. In spring, seal pups at Fanshell; in winter, gray whales migrating offshore. Always bring a jacket.
Avoid the August weekend of Monterey Car Week and the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance: hotels sell out and the road gets crowded.
Tips to avoid mistakes
Keep your entry receipt: if you have lunch or a drink for $35 or more at a Pebble Beach Resorts restaurant (except the Pebble Beach Market), they'll deduct the $12.50. Stay within the viewpoints: many areas are private homes or golf courses. Respect the fences protecting the seals. And in high season, go early; by mid-afternoon the Lone Cypress parking areas fill up.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to drive 17-Mile Drive?
$12.50 per vehicle, according to Pebble Beach in November 2026. It's refunded if you spend $35 or more at one of its restaurants.
Where does 17-Mile Drive start?
It has several gates. The most practical is to enter at Pacific Grove, coming from Monterey, and exit at the Carmel gate.
What are the hours of 17-Mile Drive?
Sunrise to sunset, every day.
Can you ride 17-Mile Drive on a motorcycle?
No. Motorcycles are prohibited. Cars and bicycles are allowed.
What is there to see in Carmel-by-the-Sea?
Ocean Avenue, Carmel Beach at sunset, Mission San Carlos Borromeo and, 10 minutes away, the Point Lobos reserve.