Savor the Ride to our breath-taking BIG SUR Coast

        Let's go to Big Sur! the famously beautiful stretch of Pacific Ocean coastline, a few hours' drive south of San Francisco and San Jose. Australian painter, Frances McComas, is frequently quoted as calling the Big Sur coast "the greatest meeting of land and water in the world." Its Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) also just named "Number 1" by popular travel website Rustic Pathways. 

      Why Go with Us to Big Sur...or as far south as McWay Falls?
        Why not just rent a car and drive ourselves? Much cheaper, yes. Be aware, however, that the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) is two winding lanes over steep ups and downs, for over a hundred of its miles. Passengers get to enjoy the ever changing scenery--the driver must focus on the road.  From decades of experience we know the best, safe pull-overs for panoramic vistas. Besides, how much time do you want to spend looking for clean restrooms and those scarce gas stations? We show you the off-the-beaten-path places many visitors miss, let you determine our pace and choose where we lunch...helping you remember that you're on vacation, minimizing your stress, maximizing your enjoyment. It is, however our most expensive single-day tour...$890 (NOT per-person, for 1-7 passengers) for the usually 10-11 hour itinerary, plus meals. But when are you going to be in our region again? 

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       Usually we go 2-3 hours south and come back on the same day. We include stops in Monterey &  Carmel--they're both en route. Mostly you enjoy the panoramic views, occasionally hopping out of our van to breathe in the pure ocean air and for memorable photos. On this tour we always visit the iconic Bixby Bridge--it's the one you've seen in nature calendars and sportscar ads. (FYI the best photo ops vary with traffic, access to a rocky coast, and mostly whether fog compromises the vistas...which it does sometimes but usually not.) You may choose to enjoy lunch on the terrace of the legendary Nepenthe restaurant or at the exclusive Post Ranch Inn, one of Zagat's highest rated--both sit on cliffs overlooking the Ocean; if we're pressed for time, however, we can grab lunch from a gourmet deli and enjoy it sitting above Carmel's white-sand beach or in a park. If you're up for a really long day, we can plan to travel all the way to the little known yet spectacular! McWay Falls waterfall, which shoots out from a cliff and drops 80 feet to the beach below--for which we charge a little more. No one lucky enough to see the Big Sur coast on a clear day fails to say "Wow", then "Wow!"

      Back in Carmel or Monterey, you can browse a few of Carmel's hundred art galleries and soak in its quintessential quaintness, visit the beautiful 1770 mission church...recently sainted Spanish missionary Junipero Serra is interred there...and novelist John Steinbeck's (tarted up) Cannery Row, the views from Clint Eastwood's restaurant and,or the world-class Monterey Bay Aquarium. You may drop in to taste at one of the great local Carmel Valley wineries, or choose to appreciate the unique "fairytale" and modern home designs for which Carmel is known. Depending on your priorities, some attractions better fit an overnight itinerary--which allows for a more leisurely itinerary (including hikes, window shopping, wine tasting) that is significantly more expensive. 
      
     This is one of our most popular tours. Very few (if any) sightseeing companies go as far south from San Francisco or San Jose. Why? Because it makes for a long day (10-11 hours). Even without stops for photos of breath-taking vistas, the drive from downtown San Francisco is nearly 6 hours round-trip. Our fee is based on our guide/driver's time, gas, and a few incidentals, but there are no hidden or surprise add-ons. So expensive, yes. But when are you going to have this opportunity again?       

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