PCH Drive -Monterey to Los Angeles November 2025

Question

Hi! We are going to visit Yosemite and then Sequoia National Park. From Sequoia we wanted to head to the PCH to Los Angeles. From what I understand there are a lot of road closures. Wondering, should we start in Monterey and go to Big Sur (until where the road closes) and then turnaround and take a different route to LA, so that we get some of the PCH in? We do have a time crunch, wanting to start in Monterey on a Friday morning and end in LA on Saturday night. Or do we need to skip Sequoia National Park and head to Monterey Thursday to start this trip? We need to be in LA Saturday night for the Steelers-Chargers game on Sunday. Open to help and suggestion, totally lost, but want to experience some of the PCH and any highlights suggested.

Answer

Driving the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) from Monterey to Los Angeles in November requires some careful planning due to seasonal road closures, particularly along Big Sur. Many portions of the PCH south of Carmel, including the famous Big Sur section, can be closed due to landslides, maintenance, or weather, especially after winter rains. As of November 2025, it’s likely that some sections will be open, but it’s critical to check real-time Caltrans updates before traveling.

Given your time constraints—starting in Monterey Friday morning and arriving in Los Angeles Saturday night—here are some considerations:

Attempting to drive the full PCH from Monterey to LA in one go is ambitious, even under ideal conditions. The route is slow due to winding roads, narrow stretches, and scenic stops.
From Monterey, you could drive south along the PCH to the points that are open in Big Sur (for example, Bixby Creek Bridge, McWay Falls, and Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park). If the road is closed further south, you would need to turn around and take inland Highway 101 or CA-1 alternatives toward LA.
This approach allows you to experience iconic PCH scenery without relying on the full route. You could treat the Big Sur segment as a half-day scenic detour rather than trying to cover it all.
Skipping Sequoia National Park would free up more time for the PCH drive, but if seeing Sequoia is a priority, you can still do it by leaving Sequoia early Thursday or Friday morning, heading west toward Monterey, then planning a half-day PCH drive on Friday, finishing the drive to LA on Saturday.

Suggested strategy:

Option 1: Sequoia → Monterey Thursday, explore Monterey and Carmel. Friday, drive PCH south as far as possible (Big Sur highlights), then return via inland route toward LA Saturday. This allows you to experience Big Sur without rushing.
Option 2: Skip Sequoia, drive from Yosemite area to Monterey Thursday. Full PCH experience Friday with scenic stops, then inland to LA Saturday. More relaxed for the PCH, but misses Sequoia.

Highlights along the Monterey to Big Sur route worth including if road is open:

Carmel-by-the-Sea for quaint town charm and beaches
Bixby Creek Bridge
McWay Falls at Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park
Pfeiffer Beach (purple sand beach, small parking lot)
Point Lobos State Natural Reserve just south of Carmel

For the inland portion toward Los Angeles, consider:

Highway 101 for a faster drive with occasional coastal glimpses
CA-46 through Paso Robles for wine country stops

In summary, it’s practical to experience some PCH highlights without trying to cover the full route. The best plan is to either start in Monterey Thursday if skipping Sequoia, or allow an early start Friday after Sequoia to maximize Big Sur stops and still reach LA on time for the game.

PCH Drive -Monterey to Los Angeles November 2025

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