17-Mile Drive
A private toll road along the rocky coast of the Monterey Peninsula, past cypress trees, sea lions and famous golf links.
Photo: Humanoid one · CC BY-SA 3.0
- Distance
- 27.0 km · 17.0 mi
- Highest point
- 120 m · 400 ft
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours with stops
- Best season
- All year; September and October are often the clearest months
17-Mile Drive guide: the gates and the per-vehicle fee, Spanish Bay, Bird Rock, the Lone Cypress, Pebble Beach, how long it takes, rules for motorcycles and tips.
17-Mile Drive at a glance
This scenic road loops through the gated community of Pebble Beach between Pacific Grove and Carmel-by-the-Sea. It is a private road, so every car pays a toll at one of the five gates and receives a map with numbered stops; the fee is refunded if you spend a set amount at a Pebble Beach restaurant. Motorcycles are not allowed, and bicycles enter free.
Along the coast, turnouts look over white-sand coves, granite points and rocks covered with sea lions, harbor seals and cormorants at Bird Rock. The most photographed stop is the Lone Cypress, a Monterey cypress that has clung to its granite outcrop for an estimated 250 years and is the symbol of the Pebble Beach Company.
Inland, the road winds through the Del Monte Forest and past golf courses, including Pebble Beach Golf Links, which has hosted the US Open several times. Allow two to three hours with stops; sunset over the Pacific is the classic time, and fog often hangs on the coast on summer mornings.
17-Mile Drive: stops along the way
-
1
Pacific Grove Gate
The northern gate, closest to Monterey and the Monterey Bay Aquarium, where you pay the toll and get the map.
-
2
Spanish Bay
A wide beach and dunes in front of the Inn at Spanish Bay, where a bagpiper plays at sunset.
-
3
Bird Rock
A rocky island just offshore, crowded with sea lions, harbor seals and seabirds.
-
4
Lone Cypress
A lone cypress on a granite rock above the waves, the most famous stop on the road.
-
5
Pebble Beach Lodge
The lodge, shops and restaurants beside the famous 18th green on Carmel Bay.
-
6
Carmel Gate
The southern gate, a few minutes from the shops and beach of Carmel-by-the-Sea.
17-Mile Drive: good to know
- Keep your gate receipt; it gives a refund on a meal at a Pebble Beach restaurant.
- Come on a weekday or late in the afternoon to avoid the busiest hours.
- Bring a jacket; the coast is often cool and windy, even in summer.
Road rules along the way
Laws change at each state line.
California
- Top speed limit
- 70 mph (113 km/h)
- Phone while driving
- Hand-held phones banned
Checked Oct 25, 2026; posted signs take priority.
Fuel, rest areas and charging
Counted along 20 km (13 mi) of road.
- Gas stations
- 4
- Rest areas
- 0
- Fast chargers
- 1
- Longest stretch without gas
- 20 km · 12 mi
Where to fill up
Never more than 20 km (12 mi) between gas stations.
Leg by leg
| Leg | Distance | Gas stations | Fast chargers | Rest areas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pacific Grove Gate → Spanish Bay | 3 km | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Spanish Bay → Bird Rock | 5 km | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bird Rock → Lone Cypress | 4 km | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Lone Cypress → Pebble Beach Lodge | 3 km | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Pebble Beach Lodge → Carmel Gate | 6 km | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Rest areas and service plazas
There are no official rest areas on this route; plan breaks at towns, viewpoints and gas stations.
OpenStreetMap data, Oct 28, 2026.
Photo gallery
No reviews yet. Been here? Be the first to share your tips!
Traveler reviews