17-Mile Drive and the Monterey Peninsula 🌊
One of the most famous coastal routes in California is the 17-Mile Drive on the Monterey Peninsula, and it’s an easy addition to a wider San Francisco itinerary. This private scenic road ($11.25 for cars, re-imbursed with $35 spend in Pebble Beach restaurants; free for cycles) winds through Pebble Beach, past dramatic coastline, wind-shaped cypress trees, and iconic viewpoints. It’s also a personal favourite for many people on gym exercise bikes, however sacrilegious that might sound to purists — the route is instantly recognisable and endlessly photogenic!
Importantly, 17-Mile Drive does not strictly require a car, although driving is the simplest option. There are direct bus services from San Francisco International Airport to Monterey, making it possible to reach the area without renting a vehicle at all. Once there, many visitors choose to cycle the route, and bike hire is readily available in Monterey and nearby Pacific Grove. Cycling offers a slower, more immersive way to enjoy the scenery, though you should be prepared for wind and occasional hills.
Car or no car on the California coast 🚴♂️🚗
That said, a rental car makes life easier if you want to combine 17-Mile Drive with other highlights of the region. Driving allows you to continue south along the Pacific Coast Highway, explore Big Sur at your own pace, and stop freely at viewpoints that are difficult to reach by bus. While tours do exist, they rarely allow the same flexibility, especially if you enjoy spontaneous stops and quieter stretches of coast.
In short, Monterey and 17-Mile Drive sit right on the boundary between doable without a car and far better with one. Confident cyclists and slow travellers can make it work without driving, but for most visitors coming from San Francisco, a car turns a great experience into a truly memorable one.