How to Get from San Francisco to Carmel

A day trip from San Francisco to Carmel takes you on two of California's most scenic roads. First, you'll cruise down the coast on the Pacific Coast Highway, and then have 17 Mile Drive that leads to Carmel-by-the-Sea. Take a look at our favorite Carmel tours for a stress-gratis twenty-four hours trip!

Driving down the Pacific Coast Highway is one of our favorite past times. We're so passionate about day trips on the PCH that we've already written nearly how to get to Monterey from San Francisco on this travel web log. Just nosotros wanted to brand sure to emphasize there is another boondocks, as equally scenic as Monterey. Only caput a little farther due south to find a small-scale enclave called Carmel by the Sea.

Between Carmel and Monterey is the 17 Mile Drive. This breathtaking road hugs California's coastline as it cuts through the quaint coastal boondocks of Pebble Beach. This town is most famous for hosting the Pebble Embankment Pro-Am Golf Tournament.

Interestingly enough, the 17 Mile Drive is part of a privately endemic route. Non-residents of Pebble Beach must pay a fee to ride along the 17 Mile Drive. This romantic drive of California'due south coast is i of the best routes to get from San Francisco to Carmel via Highway 1.

Once in Carmel by the Sea, you can explore the European inspired Carmel Village in the "downtown" expanse. Here you can walk amidst cottage-style businesses filled with quaint bistros, art galleries, and boutique shops.

A day trip from San Francisco to Carmel

Bixby Creek Span on the PCH is just south of Carmel.

What is the distance from San Francisco to Carmel?

You're looking at a drive that'south a piddling over 2 hours, each manner, to get from San Francisco to Carmel by the Sea. This sleepy littoral boondocks is about 130 miles south from San Francisco.

How far is Carmel from Monterey?

Most travelers observe themselves heading to Carmel by the Sea after visiting Monterey because of just how shut these two waterfront towns are to each other. The altitude from Monterey to Carmel is less than 10 miles (about 20 minutes away). This makes visiting Carmel well worth a visit if you find yourself on a twenty-four hours trip to Monterey!

The Best Tours from San Francisco to Carmel


Monterey & Carmel Explorer with optional Aquarium

Extranomical Tours

Savour the breathtaking bulldoze of Carmel with Extranomical Tours. The beautiful bulldoze to Carmel by the Sea begins after a long lunch break in Monterey. Your drive will take the most scenic entrance to the 17 Mile Drive, through Pacific Grove. Along the drive, y'all'll have two photo stops along this memorable stretch of highway.

Outset upwardly will exist a photo terminate at Lone Cyprus. Sometimes, this famous tree is incorrectly referred to equally the Lone Oak. The Monterey Republic of cyprus only grows in this region of Monterey County, and then the copse are uncommon outside of Northern California. Lonely Cyprus is peculiarly special because this 250-year-old tree sits on a lone outcrop of rocks that overlook the Pacific Ocean. On this cliff, Alone Republic of cyprus is whipped by the brutal Westerly WInds and massive waves during storms.

Next up on the 17 Mile Drive is a visit to the Pebble Beach Golf Links Pro Shop. Golf fans will instantly recognize this golf game course as the namesake for the Pebble Peach Pro-Am PGA Tours. The Pro Shop really has an astonishing view of the 18th hole green!

On the other side of the 17 Mile Bulldoze will be the picturesque boondocks, Carmel by the Body of water. You'll have an hr and a half to explore art galleries filled with local artists, shop at boutique stores, and savour a meal at a gourmet restaurant.


Monterey, Carmel and 17-Mile Bulldoze Solar day Trip from San Francisco

Tower Tours

Tower Tours is a small local tour company with big bus tours from San Francisco to Carmel. Bigger buses mean more than availability, specially if yous're looking for terminal-minute tickets to Carmel.

An expert driver will take y'all down the PCH on the fashion to Monterey, where you'll stop for an extended break to explore historic Cannery Row and enjoy tiffin from the condolement of a waterfront eating place. After dejeuner, you'll deviate from California's Highway 1 and onto the privately owned 17 Mile Bulldoze. Along this drive you'll stop for photos of the Alone Cyprus before continuing on to Carmel past the Sea.

The altitude from Carmel to San Francisco on the return trip volition be about 2.v hours. Tower Tours volition bring you dorsum to San Francisco via Silicon Valley. The bus is fully equipped with WiFi, and so you'll be able to start sharing pictures from your day trip on the ride back!


Day Trip to Monterey and Carmel via California Declension

Gray Line of San Francisco

Cruise downwards the PCH from San Francisco to Carmel.

The beauty of the San Francisco to Carmel drive will not be lost on this budget bout. Especially if you get a 17 Mile Drive tour included! Gray Line Tours offers iii different photograph stops along this amazing road lined with expansive views of the Pacific Body of water and a sea of mansions.

Your showtime end volition be looking out onto the Pacific Bounding main from Bird Stone Beach. This beach is named later (you guessed it) the insane amount of marine birds nesting on the outcrop of rocks in the Pacific.

Adjacent, you lot'll end to take photos of one of the most famous trees in the earth — The Lonely Cyprus. This 250 yr sometime tree has withstood the test of time. After centuries of being wind-whipped by strong gusts and dilapidated by the brutal waves of Pacific the Lone Cyprus even so stands. A testament to the perseverance of California's natural beauty.

Your last end along the 17 Mile Bulldoze earlier arriving from San Francisco to Carmel, will exist at the world-renowned Pebble Beach Golf Course Club House. Pebble Beach is habitation to the annual Pro-Am contest, but you lot don't have to be a fan of golf to appreciate the beauty of the greens.

You'll take a couple of hours to explore the quaint Carmel Village, a town where Clint Eastwood was a one-time mayor, earlier heading dorsum to San Francisco. Traveling from Carmel by the Ocean to San Francisco on the way back will be a breeze after such a long day exploring.


Ready to explore the all-time of the Bay Surface area after your trip downward to Carmel-by-the-Sea? Volume our famous minibus bout to visit San Francisco's most iconic sights, neighborhoods, and spend over an 60 minutes in Muir Woods!

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