Breathtaking Big Sur & McWay Falls: Iconic CA Coast Tour

We had a great guide Tina who was informative and a very friendly person who knew a lot about the area. Definitely would recommend her and use her again if we get in the area.

Great experience, you can customize what you would like to do. Our driver Joe was excellent and made our day very enjoyable. Highly recommend.

Outstanding day trip! We had amazing Tina as our guide. She showed us the most beautiful spots to enjoy the scenery from, was unhurried and super friendly. We got a tour of Carmel as a bonus which we loved! Highly recommend if you are short on time and want to see everything comfortably and efficiently.

It was great to have a knowledgeable driver and not have to worry about driving the winding road. Try to work in Pfeiffer Beach to see the rock formations. Also, skip the lunch and stop at general store for snacks instead. Use that time to see the sites.

The tour made the whole Big Sur experience super easy. The driver picked us up from the hotel and dropped us off at the hotel. We had Tina assigned to our tour, and she was awesome! We had five stops and took as long as we’d like at each stop. We didn't miss any views since we weren't driving, which is a huge plus, as the whole reason we booked this tour is to eliminate the hassle of driving ourselves around. We hopped off and on at each stop and did not have a worry in the world. Tina pointed at all spots and landmarks to look at, and she had great suggestions. Every time we got in and out of the car, she held the door for you with the biggest smile. We had a great time touring with her. The trip can be pricey, but given the rental car cost + gas and the stress of parking and missing out on the incredible views, the tour was worth it for us.

Definitely drive the Pacific Coast Highway to Big Sur. You can leave from Monterey and head South on the PCH. It is some of the most beautiful and rugged scenery I have ever seen! This central California coastline is a National Marine Sanctuary and you will see beautiful wildlife, including sea lions, seals, so many species of sea birds, sea otters, and more! It’s more remote so cell connections are spotty and bring snacks. You definitely need a good portion of the day to drive Big Sur and back to Monterey to be able to enjoy everything (I did 10 AM to 4PM). There are LOTS of pullouts driving south so you can stop all along the way to enjoy the absolutely breathtaking scenery. Note though, there are not many pullouts coming back north on the PCH, so you will want to have plenty of time for pull-offs as you drive south to Big Sur and beyond, until you come to the road closure after McWay Falls, due to land slide repairs. The status for road closures can change, so it’s always a good idea to get this updated information before you head south on the PCH down the coastline. It’s super easy to turn around and come back north to Monterey. Travel tip- I combined the scenic 17-mile drive from Monterey along the beautiful coastlines, then got on the PCH and headed south to Big Sur. Also, bring binoculars.

Tina was fantastic and talked about many places and gave historical context. Super considerate! Fun!

I typically rent a car when visiting Carmel but this time I really wanted to travel stress free and enjoy the scenic drive from Carmel to Big Sur. Juan and Ben were both awesome. Ben suggested places for our itinerary that we had not seen before and was excellent with pre and post trip follow up. Juan was a delight and adjusted the itinerary to stop whenever we asked him to for a photo op. He showed up at our hotel on time and was a very safe driver. We could not have asked for a more delightful stressfree trip. I would highly recommend California Pacific Excursions.

The scenery was spectacular and our Driver was very polite. However we expected a tour guide and not just a driver. Our driver was a little hard to understand and did not offer any commentary on the history of the area, what we were seeing, or any other information typically offered by a tour guide. There were no new learnings from this tour. Not what we were expecting, especially given the price for the tour.

Afforded unparalleled views of the central California coast. Our tour from Carmel through Big Sur was very good. Our driver, Juan, was helpful in capturing the experience by allowing us to stop frequently at vistas along the way to take in the scenery and the views. Hit both Bixby Bridge and McWay Falls. Afterward, we did a portion of the 17 Mile Drive and hit the highlights of Pebble Beach. Good tour and very satisfying experience. Great way to spend a day!