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17-Mile Drive

17-Mile Drive

17-Mile Drive
4.5
About
Take in the stunning coastal scenery of Monterey along the 17-Mile Drive. This scenic road, which winds through Pebble Beach's gated community, offers panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean and other natural landscapes. Amid the beautiful mansions and golf courses, you can see pelicans diving from sea stacks, have a refreshing dip at Fanshell Beach, and watch the seals and sea lions from the Pescadero Point lookout. And don't forget the iconic Lone Cypress tree. There is a toll for non-residents to access 17-Mile Drive, but you can get it reimbursed with a minimum spend at Pebble Beach. Consider a driving tour from San Francisco or a bike tour of Monterey's beautiful coastline. – Tripadvisor
Duration: < 1 hour
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  • Mediatrice
    Karlsruhe, Germany1,923 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Wonderful, Magical
    The 17-Mile Drive is a private road and costs $12 to enter. It is mainly a peninsula, a huge modern golf course and a residential area for the super-duper rich. Below is the sea, above it is the 17-Mile Drive, then there are golf courses/hotels and directly on/in these and above them are various villas, castles and modern super buildings. And in the middle is a rustic, enchanted cypress forest with the ultimate photo motif - the Lone Cypress. There were loads of people hanging around by the cypress waiting for the sunset. Every few hundred meters there is a vista point with a fabulous view of the sea. Most of it is cliff beaches, only at the beginning is there a longer sandy beach. After that comes Bird Rock and Seal Rock. Sea lions are supposed to hang around on Seal Rock, but on both rocks the birds had the say and there were only a few sea lions. As soon as you got out of the car, you could smell the strong smell of guana/chicken coop. Without binoculars or a lens, you can only see everything from the beach, because the rocks are 100-200 meters away. The most impressive thing here were the pelicans floating around. In formation, just soaring through the air without flapping their wings much. Adding to the mystique was a coastal fog (banks of gouty fog), which made the whole thing seem even more magical and meditative. I could have watched for hours. For me, that was the highlight of our vacation. On the golf course, a deer ran across the lawn, completely lost in thought, and was not at all impressed, and a young deer, still with white spots on its fur, stood by the side of the road and looked at us completely indifferently. If you had stuck your hand out of the car window, you could probably have petted it. You could easily spend a day here. Sit somewhere, watch the pelicans and the surf. Look for great photo opportunities and don't just jump out at the designated points. But since it gets dark in 2 hours, we unfortunately had to hurry here. Inconveniently, there are only toilets at the end of the tour - in the Pebble Beach Visitor Center. We were doubly lucky and were allowed in quickly, after that it was 7 p.m. and they locked up behind us. On weekdays they are only open until 6 p.m.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 23 January 2024
  • ClockworkNellie
    Essex, United Kingdom798 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    The lone Cypress Tree is interesting - not so bothered about the houses!
    We wanted to see the famous lone Cypress Tree so ended up doing 17 mile drive. You do have to pay the $12 fee to drive through, but there are some nice views. Not so bothered about the big houses - most of which you can't see and in any case are just nice houses in a nice place. Nice golf courses. Worth being about to visit the tree and read a bit of the history.
    Visited January 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 26 January 2024
  • Manish Khanna
    Mumbai, India390 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fabulous Nature, Scenery, Beaches and so much more.
    This was a vital part of our amazing drive from Mountain View to LA. We made sure we take Route 1 as much as possible and this section was fabulous. Stunning views, beaches, scenery. So much to take it, so little time. We were zipping through too fast. Need to come back and spend more time to take in nature and everything around. Recommended to ANY ONE and everyone!!
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 31 March 2024
  • Corrado R
    Vedano al Lambro, Italy1,195 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Awesome drive
    Awesome drive on the oceanfront. At the gate (12$ fee) they give yo ua map with all the observation points that deserve a stop. It's really hard to say which is better, from the Lone Cypress to Birds Rock, to other incredible views on the ocean. Really unmissable when in the area
    Visited April 2024
    Travelled with friends
    Written 15 April 2024
  • Journey14599190004
    Omaha, Nebraska1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Enjoyed Monterey/Santa Cruz trip
    Recently went to the Monterey, Santa Cruz area for a short vacation. Very much enjoyed the wharf in Santa Cruz and Monterey, the Whale Watching, and 17 mile drive and the beautiful views. We stayed at La Quinta Inn & Suites in Santa Cruz and were pleasantly surprised by how nich it was and how close it was to the beach/wharf area.
    Visited April 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 22 April 2024
  • German_Addick
    Muenster, Germany756 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Along the coast
    The 17 Mile Drive is mainly known for the Lone Cypress, but the other viewpoints are also worth a visit. To get into this private area, you have to pay $12 per car at the entrance. Equipped with a map, you can then drive to the viewpoints. There are some very good photo opportunities.
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 1 May 2024
  • J D
    6 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Take your time and enjoy the sights - well worth the cost.
    This was so nice! We didn't know what to expect, but found ourselves stopping often taking pictures as well as taking short walks to catch better views. We also found our way to Pebble Beach Golf Resort - what fun! Had an inexpensive lunch by getting a sandwich and chips at the Resort Market and ate it outside with a beautiful view.
    Visited April 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 6 May 2024
  • BushkaTexas
    564 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Carmel- Scenic Road is stunning!
    We didn't have time to do the entire 17 mile drive but I think between touring Point Lobos State Park and going to the best part of this in Carmel we saw the highlights. If you don't have time put in your GPS the Clinton-Walker -Frank Lloyd Wright house in Carmel and park along the street. Stunning views, can walk down to the ocean, beautiful, unique homes.
    Visited May 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 26 May 2024
  • Valerie G
    North Port, Florida288 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Gorgeous Scenic Drive
    Absolutely gorgeous scenic drive with incredible views down the entire coast. Could easily spend the entire day doing this. Well worth the cheap cost of entry. An absolute must for anyone in the area!
    Visited February 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 26 May 2024
  • M H
    2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Not to be missed.
    Take your time and enjoy this amazing and breathtaking scenic journey. 12 dollars was well worth it. Be mindful of the cool wind so dress accordingly. You do not want to miss a stop on the route.
    Visited June 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 15 June 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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wendy L
Evanston, IL480 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2021
Although this is without a doubt a beautiful drive - the fact that not all 17 miles are ocean front, and that it costs $10 to enter the drive, were facts that caught us a bit off guard. This is clearly an area yielding lots of tax dollars for keeping up the roads (think mansions, golf courses, etc.), and although it is really beautiful in places, much of it is through the woods and even along the ocean front you can do similar drives for free almost anywhere up and down the coast. The map you are given is also a bit vague when it comes to turns along the route, so we kept ending up having to turn around and go in a different direction due to a wrong turn. Having said all that, the stops we did enjoy were well worth the $10 to get there (especially Pebble Beach Golf Club and the Lone Cyprus venue). Be aware that on a busy day parking at some of the stops is limited, as many are merely pull-offs alongside the road. But this is a very enjoyable way to see the scenic Monterey and Carmel areas. Helpful tip: I would not recommend inexperienced bikers taking this route. The roads are narrow and drivers are often checking their maps to navigate, so it is risky for bikers who are also insecure on these roads. Pay your $10 and drive instead.
Written 9 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

heumanntouch
Huntington Beach, CA1,106 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
I can not emphasis that if you are in the area that you would do yourself a disservice not going on the drive. There are so many stops and points of interest that the $10.50 price is the best value in town (bear in mind that is the car price not per person). WE went early and that was an excellent choice as when we were leaving the area it started to get very crowded.
Written 25 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

simbadusty
Macomb, MI164 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2019
Very secenic drive with lots of places to stop and enjoy the beautiful views and take pictures. You enter into a private drive, pay a $10 fee and off you go. There are signs everywhere so you won't miss any of the stops. Great opportunity to see stunning views and nature at it's finest. Watched a 4some tee off on one of the most beautiful holes you will ever see right on water and took a tour of Pebble Beach. Took a good 4 hours to get thru everything but a must see and well worth the price of admission.
Written 1 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Nar M.
California27 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2021
Great slow drive, with an outstanding view. It cost $10 per vehicle to enter, which comes with a map. You can use three gates to enter. I DO NOT recommend using Gate 1, since it will take you through the residential area, and you will be driving for a while before you even get to the coastline. The better choices are either the Pacific Grove Gate or the Carmel Gate, which will take you directly to the coastline. Just make sure your passenger, if you have one, is paying close attention to the map, so you don't end up making the wrong turn somewhere. Anyway, have fun.
Written 7 October 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Oded Sinai tour guide
Jerusalem, Israel15 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Solo
That place includes 17 stops and is running along the beach. It’s length is 17 miles and it costs about $10. It was difficult to sea seals and bird island is far. I waited near the tree for the sunset - it was nice. If you sre going there, enter not later than 4 hours before sunset , if you intend to stop.
Written 27 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Steven C
Martinez, CA496 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2022
The sky was leaden and the wind blustering the day we drove the famous 17-Mle-Drive, which made us glad that the way to see it is to drive from lookout point to lookout point. And the threatening weather did not detract from the beauty of the drive in the least. I don't remember how many stops there are exactly, but our favorites were Bird Rock, where we tarried for several minutes watching gulls, cormorants, pelicans and more circling the rock and taking turns taking off and landing at its highest point; Restless Seas, a very interesting spot where prevailing currents come in from 2 different directions and meet, causing to waves to push up and break over one another; and of course Lone Cypress, which is as enigmatic in real life as it is in paintings and photos. Although it is not really alone- a line of cypress lead to the promontory on which it stands. On the day we were there Seal Rock was unfortunately not occupied, nor did we see any passing whales which are often spotted. Guess we'll have to visit again.
Give yourself time to drive slowly and spend a little while enjoying each spot; each has something to recommend it.
If you are not a resident or guest in the area, it costs about $10 per car to take the drive, but it's worth it.
Written 22 February 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

MangAndres
San Joaquin, CA716 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2021
This is one of those places a person must experience in his/her lifetime. The sceneries are breathtaking and the route was well worth the $10.50 entrance fee. Plenty of things and places to see. One can even hike a little bit along the way. Plan to be in this area for about 4 - 6 hours if you want to stop at each of the 17 stops on the guide.
Written 2 March 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Melody Ladeen Snow
Ocean Shores, WA13 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
Along the rocky, curving shores of Monterey Bay lies a scenic drive of 17 miles. In the winter, migrating gray whales are visible from the shore. The rocky coastline is covered in sunbathing seals and sea lions. The skies are patrolled by cormorants and pelicans. Whales and dolphins showboat just off the shoreline. You’ll see an array of gulls, cormorants, and pelicans hovering above the coastline, as well as the Common Murre, Sooty Shearwater and Sanderling along Bird Rock. An array of California sea lions on the outer rocks, sea otters among swirling canopies of giant kelp in Headland Cove, wildflowers clinging to chinks ("bluff lettuce" at right) in the granite walls, and the delicate and harmless lace lichen bearding dead under story limbs. A mix of salt spray and wind make up the Pebble Beach perfume.
Written 12 May 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

carmella m
260 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2022 • Family
The park is magnificent. The point of interests are well marked. The road is easy to maneuver around and very clean. The view is magnificent. The entrance fee is inexpensive and if spend $35 at any restaurant the fee will be reimbursed.
Written 4 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

TankerBear
Dunfermline, UK153 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
We never actually drove this section of the coastal highway as I was confused to find a stretch of road I had to pay for. I asked the security guard what was happening and he said we had to pay to drive down that section of road. I asked him if we could turn around and go another route, and he said yes.
All in all, a strange experience.
Written 1 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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17-MILE DRIVE (2025) All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos) - Tripadvisor

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