PCH three-day itinerary. Please help!

Question

Hi, everyone. Six of us – four adults and two teens, ages 16 and 14 – are taking a rather hurried trip that will begin with two full days in San Francisco, end with two days in Los Angeles and have the Pacific Coast Highway in-between. I realize that our plan is not ideal (some in our group love cities, other love nature) and we don’t have enough time, but we have to work with what we have. Does the following make sense for the PCH portion of the trip, or is it just too rushed?

Friday, June 6: Up early. Drive from San Francisco to Monterrey via Pacific Coast Highway. Take a whale watching tour in Monterey. Overnight Monterey.

Saturday, June 7: Wake up early. Take our time driving south on the PCH to McWay Falls. Short hikes, overviews, lunch, etc. Late afternoon, drive back north toward Monterey, have dinner, then drive south to a midway point between Monterey and Cambria and stay overnight. We’re doing this to open up some time on Sunday.

Sunday, June 8: Drive to Hearst Castle. Tour. Then take the PCH north to Ragged Point, Lucia and back, stopping along the way to see the elephant seal rookery. We then have to get two people in our group to San Luis Obispo for a 5:55 p.m. flight. After dropping them off, the rest of us will continue down the PCH toward Santa Barbara and, eventually, L.A.

If not for the road closures, we’d have done whale watching and kayaking in Monterey, but I don’t see how to fit that in. The road closure is what's making this difficult; without it, I think we'd have time for kayaking in Monterey, but as we all know, it is what it is. Any thoughts? Recommendations?

Thank you,

Dave

Answer

Your proposed three-day PCH itinerary is ambitious but feasible if your group is comfortable with early mornings, long drives, and a mix of short stops for sightseeing. The Pacific Coast Highway is incredibly scenic, but it’s slow going in many sections due to winding roads and potential traffic, so planning for flexibility is important.

Here’s a detailed breakdown and some suggestions to make your itinerary smoother and more enjoyable:

Friday, June 6 – SF to Monterey: Starting early from San Francisco is key. Driving the PCH to Monterey can take 3–4 hours without stops, but plan extra time for viewpoints along the way, like Half Moon Bay, Santa Cruz, or Capitola. Whale watching in Monterey is a great way to stretch your legs and enjoy nature; tours typically last 3 hours. Overnight in Monterey is sensible, allowing everyone to rest after a full day.
Saturday, June 7 – Monterey to Big Sur and overnight halfway to Cambria: Driving south to McWay Falls in Big Sur is spectacular but slow due to curves and limited pullouts. Short hikes like the McWay Falls overlook or Pfeiffer Beach are perfect for your group, including teens. Consider packing a picnic lunch to save time. Driving back north to Monterey for dinner and then south to a midway overnight stop is possible, but it involves quite a bit of extra driving; an alternative is to stay in Big Sur or near Cambria to cut back on backtracking.
Sunday, June 8 – Hearst Castle and north-south PCH sightseeing: Early departure to Hearst Castle is ideal since tours can take 1.5–2 hours. Continuing on the PCH to Ragged Point and Lucia is scenic, and seeing the elephant seal rookery near Piedras Blancas is a highlight. Keep a strict schedule for dropping the two travelers at San Luis Obispo by 5:55 p.m., factoring in any delays. After the drop-off, the remaining travelers can continue to Santa Barbara and eventually L.A., but expect another 4–5 hours of driving.

Additional recommendations and tips:

Keep your expectations realistic – fitting in kayaking in Monterey or extensive Big Sur exploration will be difficult with the road closure and packed schedule.
Early mornings are crucial to maximize sightseeing and avoid crowds, especially at popular spots like McWay Falls or Pfeiffer Beach.
Use apps like Google Maps or Waze for real-time traffic updates; PCH can have unexpected delays.
Pack snacks and water in the car; services along Big Sur are limited and can be pricey.
Consider shifting one night to stay closer to Big Sur or Cambria to minimize backtracking and long driving days.

Overall, your itinerary is doable but tight. Staying flexible and prioritizing a few key sights each day will make the experience enjoyable without feeling rushed. Focus on quality over quantity – taking time to savor a few stops rather than trying to fit everything in may be more rewarding for your group.

PCH three-day itinerary. Please help!

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