I am heading to NorCal for a wedding next week...flying into SFO Wednesday , then renting a Boxster to drive down to Carmel/Monterey/Big Sur for a few days before heading back to SF for the wedding.

My question is, what is the best/most scenic route from SF to Monterey Peninsula?
Google Maps gives me 2 choices (US 101 to CA-1, US 280 to 85 to 17 to CA-1)....but I was thinking from SFO -- immediately to CA-1 (North of San Andreas lake or just south of it)all the way down?
Is this route too crowded? I want scenic roads and some twisties, but don't want to be parked in traffic all day obviously...adding and extra 30-45 minutes is ok with me.


any suggestions...things to see/places to stop along the route?
We are staying at L'Auberge in Carmel by the Sea for 2 nights, then heading down to Big Sur and lunch at Sierra Mar - Post ranch Inn.

thanks,
kevin

 

ca1 isi slow but it’s ok u have boxster drop the top
and take kn the scenery

avoid 17

280 avoid at rush hour

 

Hwy 1 is the most scenic - half moon bay is nice, santa cruz is nice, over all allow 2-5 hours for the drive - and stopping at the various overlooks offers some spectacular views - hwy 1 itself shouldn’t be too crowded - but some of the road leading to Hw1 might be

combinations of Hwy 35, 9 and 236 will offer very twisty very scenic drive as well - but it will be “forest/mountain” scenic, not coastal scenic - once you get to Santa Cruz Hwy 1 south the best route all the way into Carmel - and offers it’s own scenic routes

basically I see choices

• Most Direct route:
  • SFO -> 101 -> 68 -> 1 -> Carmel - limited scenery but most direct and probably fastest route
• Direct - some scenic when you get to Hwy 1 route:
  • SFO -> 380 -> 280 -> 101 -> 156 -> 1 -> Carmel - most direct least amount of delay - least scenic
• Semi Direct - Only slightly longer than route above - 17 & Hwy 1 scenic, 17 some limited twisty route:
  • SFO -> 380 -> 280 -> 17 -> 1 -> Carmel - semi scenic - equal time to route above - 17 south after mid day can be very congested due to beach traffic (silly-con valley heading to the beach)
• Most twisty - longest route - very scenic mountains/forest route:
  • SFO -> 380-> 280 -> 92 -> 35 -> 9 -> 17 -> 1 -> Carmel (Mountain Scenic, very very twisty) - Alice’s Restaurant is on this route and is a common weekend PCA social event - this route will be very scenic and probably the longest - the twists are quite slow - but low chance of congestion
• Medium duration - much coastal/beach scenery/places to stop route:
  • SFO -> 380-> 280 -> 92 -> 1 -> Carmel - Costal Scenic - costal scenic - medium duration (longer than 280/101, shorter than 92/35/9/17
  • ALT: SFO -> 380 -> 280 NORTH -> cut over to Pacifica, then 1 south - longer route, most coast, get to go through long tunnel - un-necessary but more coastal view

Monterey and vicinity is just crowded during the summer - it will be congested, recommend 17 mile drive for access to some wonderful coast, great homes, and driving through various golf courses including pebble beach - stopping and walking along the beach in this area has rewarding scenery, calming ambiance, and wonderful tide pools.

Note - 156 west from 101 will take to Carmel via Monterey - 68 will do the same thing with less costal access - but is further south on 101 - 68 might be slightly more scenic than 156 -but dumps you in closer to Carmel - but 68 will have far less Hwy 1

the _REAL_ scenery is south of Carmel on Hwy 1- and some of the most spectacular coastal scenery in the world - if you have time a drive south of Carmel on Hwy is Both twisty and scenic, but also popular so you’ll need some patience - if you really really have time driving down to Morrow Bay is a nice destination and a wonderful seaside town - you also can stop along the way and Visit Hearst Castle - but that’s a 1 or 2 day trip - beware once you get on 1 south below Carmel the _ONLY_ destination is Morrow bay and small towns between Carmel & Morrow - there is _NO_ meaningful roads over to 101 - so you go south on Hwy - the ONLY way back is North on Hwy 1 - unless you drive downt o Morrow, cut over to San Luis Obispo and take 101 North back to the bay area

the Carmel -> Cambria -> 46 east -> Vineyard Road -> Paso Robles (great food stop - really really excellent food choices) -> 101 North -> Bay Area is a fantastic 1-3 day drive that I highly recommend - or Carmel -> Morrow Bay -> San Luis Obispo -> 101 North is also great.

enjoy your trip!

 

There's some great driving north of town as well, a 6am run over Mt Tam to Ridgecrest, down BoFax to Bolinas is pretty sweet provided you get an early start. Those roads are junk shows by mid morning on weekends. A Boxster is a perfect car for those sections, lots of 2nd gear corners.

 

Easiest way to remember it is to avoid 101, 280, 17, and 85. Any other road is likely to be nice if it looks nice on the map. If you’re looking to detour on the peninsula or around, 84, Pescadero Creek Road, skyline, and 9 are excellent, but would require some time on highways as well.

 

thanks boys,

how does this route look?

380-280-35-92-1

 

It depends how much ocean you want. A better “drive” would be to stay on 280 until 84 going west, then turn left on pescadero creek road until it hits 1 (or even better take the 92 exit but then turn left on Skyline until it hits 84 and a very famous road stop, Alice’s). Pescadero is a nice town to stop in. Some excellent markets (one with excellent fresh bread) and an amazing taqueria in a gas station. Don’t forget to stop at Swanton Berry farm for some jam samples.

 

Take the route Mayor Adam West laid out. The 35 > 84 > Pescadero detour will make a world of difference.

 

+1 Mayor's route.

 

sounds good...thanks guys...should be in the car and on the road by noon on a weekday so hopefully avoid too much traffic.

so let me get this straight ==SFO-- 280--92--left on Skyline (35)--Alice's at 35/84 intersect ---right on LaHonda (84)--left on Pescadero creek---striaght to CA-1, then a left south along the coast to Monterey and Carmel?

should be easier than 1500 miles through 5 countries and 1000 year old cities when we didn't speak the language(s) in the GT3RS back in November ED, LOL


Did the northern route up through Marin to Sonoma, Mendocino and then waaaay up to Trinidad and Big lagoon and Redwood Forest a few years back to visit family...more spectacular scenery

 

correct. Lots of fun little places to stop as well.

 

I have always enjoyed 9 from Saratoga to Santa Cruz. Fun road...

 

One could say driving down 101 from SFO is scenic....Google, Facebook, Oracle, lovely buildings.

 

I'd +1 Rocky's suggestion.

Highway 1 between San Francisco and Monterey is just "okay," whereas the mountain roads and redwoods are great. Highway 1 south of Monterey is an amazing, word-class route — so I'd suggest you optimize for and take in the mountains and redwoods on your way down to Monterey, and then spend the following days exploring Highway 1 down to and south of Big Sur (and consider driving down to Ragged Point and back).

https://goo.gl/maps/DX5jnLhrJNbfW2747

 

This is a very good route! You'll get some traffic passing through Santa Cruz. Enjoy!