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.

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.

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!!

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.