San Francisco to Monterey Pacific Coast Highway Audio Tour

Start or end your PCH journey with the most scenic Taco Bell in the world, located right on Pacifica Beach. This is just an optional stop for fun.(10 min)

This walking and biking trail is located on a disused portion of Highway 1. This 1.3-mile one way hike, or 2.6 mile round trip, is right along the cliffs high above the Pacific Ocean, offering stellar views of the coast. Benches along the road offer plentiful opportunities to rest and enjoy the view. There is a small parking lot on either side of the hike.(1 hr)

A short but steep path leads down to a popular, sandy beach framed by cliffs on both sides.(30 min)

This family-friendly park invites people to explore and help preserve the shoreline. The park provides a self-guided walking tour that helps interpret the bluffs and the beaches, which include a number of tidepools. Just a 10 minute walk from the parking lot and ranger station takes you to the beach and tidepools.(1 hr)

One of the last remaining working fishing harbors in California. See what the local fishermen are up to, or grab a meal, a drink, or a souvenir in the shops and restaurants down by the harbor.(30 min)

Half Moon Bay is a popular day trip from the Bay Area. Main Street is full of enticing shops and restaurants, perfect for a break from driving or exploring beaches.(30 min)

The 11-mile Half Moon Bay Coastal Trail traces the shoreline along Half Moon Bay, with mostly easy paths and unobstructed views. We take you to access points, on either side of the Ritz Carlton Hotel.(1 hr)

One of the wilder beaches on this stretch of PCH, San Gregorio features a log-strewn beach and a couple sea caves to explore. The sea caves are to the right, as you walk down to the beach.(30 min)

One of the tallest lighthouses on the west coast, Pigeon Point is an automated lighthouse with grounds open for exploring. There's also a hostel on the premises.(15 min)

Año Nuevo State Park is famous as home to a colony of elephant seals. The seals are visible by walking a moderately difficult, 3 mile round-trip hike. During the breeding season in the winter, the park runs guided tours which are the only way to view the seals. Besides the elephant seals, the park offers easy beach access, a visitor center with exhibits on marine wildlife, and historical buildings from the park's time as a dairy farm.(1 hr)

This is one of the only onshore portions of the California Coastal National Monument, protecting open ranch land and small forests including some redwoods. From one trailhead, visitors can access a chain of three loop trails, starting easy and getting progressively more challenging.(1 hr)

This unmarked cove right off Highway 1 includes a beach and a large offshore rock that resembles the fin on top of a shark. Cliffs surrounding the cove provide unobstructed views of the beautiful spot. Access to the beach is down a steep path.(10 min)

Rock formations with natural arches sit in the water just offshore this family-friendly beach. Next to the visitor center, a eucyalyptus forest is a popular winter destination for migrating monarch butterflies.(1 hr)

This beautiful road clings to the coast as it passes a residential area and a park that includes a surfing museum. Easy, paved pathways are perfect for strolling, enjoying the views of Monterey Bay, and for watching people surf down on Steamer Lane, one of the most popular surfing spots in the area.(5 min)

Seafood restaurants and tourist shops dominate this wharf stretching over 2,000 feet into the ocean. Sea lions often congregate in the timbers below, providing an appropriate maritime ambience. The wharf is located next to Santa Cruz Beach and Boardwalk, and is a more affordable place to park while exploring this busy part of Santa Cruz.(30 min)

Old-fashioned fun abounds in this boardwalk amusement park open since 1907. The park is known for its giant corn dogs, saltwater taffy, arcade games, and the Giant Dipper, one of the oldest wooden roller coasters in the United States. The park is open year round, but some attractions have seasonal hours.(1 hr)

This heavily-forested park protects old growth and second growth redwood forests. Trails range from easy to challenging, though we suggest sticking to the trailhead at the very front of the park for the Old Growth Loop Trail and the Twisted Grove, where redwoods twisted over time to compensate for the ground shift from the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, which was centered in the park.(1 hr)

Moss Landing is located at the mouth of the Elkhorn Slough estuary, which is known as a popular wildlife watching hotspot. Harbor seals, abundant birdlife, and best of all, sea otters can be viewed onshore. Nearby businesses offer kayak rentals and wildlife watching tours. On the other side of the dunes is the beach, where you may spot people surfing in the waves.(15 min)