Motorcycle

Pacific Coast Highway (Highway 1)

Cliffs, bridges and crashing surf from San Francisco to Los Angeles.

California
760 km
2 min read

Photo: Busition · CC BY-SA 4.0

Distance: 760 km · 470 mi
Difficulty: Moderate
Time needed: 3–5 days
Best season: April–October (September–October are best)

Pacific Coast Highway motorcycle guide: San Francisco to Santa Monica on Highway 1, Big Sur, Bixby Bridge, fuel stops, closures and the best direction to ride.

California State Route 1 is the coastal road everyone dreams about. South of San Francisco it passes surf beaches and lighthouses, then reaches Monterey and Carmel before the real show begins: Big Sur, where the road clings to cliffs high above the Pacific for about 140 kilometers.

Further south, the coast softens into golden hills, elephant seal beaches, the hilltop Hearst Castle, Morro Bay’s great rock and the Spanish-style city of Santa Barbara, before the road ends in the Los Angeles sprawl at Santa Monica.

Stops along the way

1

Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco

Start with a ride across the Golden Gate Bridge, then follow the coast south past Pacifica.
2

Santa Cruz

A classic surf town with a seaside boardwalk and amusement park from 1907.
3

Monterey & Carmel

The Monterey Bay Aquarium, Cannery Row and the 17-Mile Drive along the shore.
4

Bixby Creek Bridge

The iconic 1932 concrete arch bridge. Park only in the official pull-outs.
5

McWay Falls (Big Sur)

A waterfall that drops straight onto a beach, in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park.
6

San Simeon & Hearst Castle

Hearst Castle above the coast, and elephant seals at the Piedras Blancas viewpoint nearby.
7

Morro Bay

Morro Rock, a 177-meter volcanic plug, rises right out of the harbor.
8

Santa Barbara

Spanish mission, red-tiled roofs and a waterfront perfect for an evening stroll.
9

Santa Monica

The end of the road, and the end of Route 66, at the Santa Monica Pier.

Good to know

Ride north to south so you are in the lane closest to the ocean.
Fill up in Monterey; fuel in Big Sur is scarce and expensive.
Landslides sometimes close parts of Big Sur; check Caltrans QuickMap before you go.
Expect morning fog in summer; September and October are often clearer.