San Francisco to Monterey Pacific Coast Highway Audio Tour

Duration11h - 12h

Free cancellationFull refund up to 24 hours before

Instant confirmationYour booking is confirmed right away

TicketMobile or paper ticket accepted

LanguagesEnglish

Private tourOnly your group will participate

Overview

Drive the Pacific Coast Highway from San Francisco to Monterey with a tour that plays from your phone as you go. Follow clear GPS directions, hear local stories, and stop whenever the coast calls your name.

Cruise past ocean cliffs, surf towns, beaches, and redwood groves as you make your way down Highway 1. See the Golden Gate Bridge, Half Moon Bay, Pescadero, Santa Cruz, and Monterey Bay. Watch waves crash at rugged overlooks, look for sea lions near the shore, and learn why this road is one of California’s most loved drives.

Along the way, hear fun stories about beach towns, old missions, shipwrecks, wildlife, and the people who shaped the coast. Your phone points out scenic stops, photo spots, food ideas, and short side trips, so you do not miss the best parts.

The tour works without cell service once it is set up. You can start, pause, and replay it any time, and keep it for future trips.

Download the Shaka Guide app to access the purchased tours

What's included

Pause, rewind, or replay anytime
Lifetime access after purchase
Built-in turn-by-turn route guidance
Self-paced experience with no fixed start time
Storytelling based on firsthand travel and research
GPS-triggered audio with automatic playback at each stop
Offline access after download

Private Transportation
Entrance Fees
Parking Fees
Meals & Refreshments

What to expect

Pacifica State Beach
10m

Start or end your PCH journey with the most scenic Taco Bell in the world, located right on Pacifica Beach. This is just an optional stop for fun.
Devil's Slide Trail
1h

This walking and biking trail is located on a disused portion of Highway 1. This 1.3-mile one way hike, or 2.6 mile round trip, is right along the cliffs high above the Pacific Ocean, offering stellar views of the coast. Benches along the road offer plentiful opportunities to rest and enjoy the view. There is a small parking lot on either side of the hike.
Gray Whale Cove State Beach
30m

A short but steep path leads down to a popular, sandy beach framed by cliffs on both sides.
Fitzgerald Marine Reserve
1h

This family-friendly park invites people to explore and help preserve the shoreline. The park provides a self-guided walking tour that helps interpret the bluffs and the beaches, which include a number of tidepools. Just a 10 minute walk from the parking lot and ranger station takes you to the beach and tidepools.
Pillar Point Harbor
30m

One of the last remaining working fishing harbors in California. See what the local fishermen are up to, or grab a meal, a drink, or a souvenir in the shops and restaurants down by the harbor.
30m

Half Moon Bay is a popular day trip from the Bay Area. Main Street is full of enticing shops and restaurants, perfect for a break from driving or exploring beaches.
Half Moon Bay Coastside Trail
1h

The 11-mile Half Moon Bay Coastal Trail traces the shoreline along Half Moon Bay, with mostly easy paths and unobstructed views. We take you to access points, on either side of the Ritz Carlton Hotel.
30m

One of the wilder beaches on this stretch of PCH, San Gregorio features a log-strewn beach and a couple sea caves to explore. The sea caves are to the right, as you walk down to the beach.
15m

One of the tallest lighthouses on the west coast, Pigeon Point is an automated lighthouse with grounds open for exploring. There's also a hostel on the premises.
Ano Nuevo State Reserve
1h · Admission ticket not included

Año Nuevo State Park is famous as home to a colony of elephant seals. The seals are visible by walking a moderately difficult, 3 mile round-trip hike. During the breeding season in the winter, the park runs guided tours which are the only way to view the seals. Besides the elephant seals, the park offers easy beach access, a visitor center with exhibits on marine wildlife, and historical buildings from the park's time as a dairy farm.
Cotoni-coast Dairies National Monument
1h

This is one of the only onshore portions of the California Coastal National Monument, protecting open ranch land and small forests including some redwoods. From one trailhead, visitors can access a chain of three loop trails, starting easy and getting progressively more challenging.
Shark Fin Cove
10m

This unmarked cove right off Highway 1 includes a beach and a large offshore rock that resembles the fin on top of a shark. Cliffs surrounding the cove provide unobstructed views of the beautiful spot. Access to the beach is down a steep path.
Natural Bridges State Beach
1h · Admission ticket not included

Rock formations with natural arches sit in the water just offshore this family-friendly beach. Next to the visitor center, a eucyalyptus forest is a popular winter destination for migrating monarch butterflies.
West Cliff Drive
5m

This beautiful road clings to the coast as it passes a residential area and a park that includes a surfing museum. Easy, paved pathways are perfect for strolling, enjoying the views of Monterey Bay, and for watching people surf down on Steamer Lane, one of the most popular surfing spots in the area.
Santa Cruz Wharf
30m · Admission ticket not included

Seafood restaurants and tourist shops dominate this wharf stretching over 2,000 feet into the ocean. Sea lions often congregate in the timbers below, providing an appropriate maritime ambience. The wharf is located next to Santa Cruz Beach and Boardwalk, and is a more affordable place to park while exploring this busy part of Santa Cruz.
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
1h

Old-fashioned fun abounds in this boardwalk amusement park open since 1907. The park is known for its giant corn dogs, saltwater taffy, arcade games, and the Giant Dipper, one of the oldest wooden roller coasters in the United States. The park is open year round, but some attractions have seasonal hours.
Forest of Nisene Marks State Park
1h · Admission ticket not included

This heavily-forested park protects old growth and second growth redwood forests. Trails range from easy to challenging, though we suggest sticking to the trailhead at the very front of the park for the Old Growth Loop Trail and the Twisted Grove, where redwoods twisted over time to compensate for the ground shift from the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, which was centered in the park.
Moss Landing State Beach
15m

Moss Landing is located at the mouth of the Elkhorn Slough estuary, which is known as a popular wildlife watching hotspot. Harbor seals, abundant birdlife, and best of all, sea otters can be viewed onshore. Nearby businesses offer kayak rentals and wildlife watching tours. On the other side of the dunes is the beach, where you may spot people surfing in the waves.

Meeting and pickup

Meeting point

San Francisco–Highway 1 southbound just south of the highway interchange with Highway 35.

End point

Highway 1 southbound, east of Monterey near Exit 404 for Sand City

Additional information

Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Travelers must have a smartphone compatible with the Shaka Guide app.
The app must be downloaded and the tour redeemed before arrival.
Strong Wi-Fi or cellular data is required to download the tour in advance.
Location services (GPS) must be enabled on the device
Travelers are responsible for securing any required entrance passes, reservations, or permits before starting
The route passes through Half Moon Bay and Santa Cruz, where you’ll find numerous dining and shopping options.
Cell service can be inconsistent along portions of the coast.
Many beaches and viewpoints require walking on uneven terrain.
The average tour duration is approximately a full day.

Cancellation policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.