Highway 1 south: San Francisco to Santa Cruz and Monterey

Route description

Leave San Francisco on Highway 1 through Pacifica and the Tom Lantos Tunnels to Half Moon Bay, about 45 minutes away. The town has a small historic main street and a long coastal trail along the bluffs. South of it, Highway 1 runs as a two-lane road past pumpkin fields, artichoke farms and state beaches, with few services until Santa Cruz.

Pigeon Point Light Station stands on a rocky point beside the highway; the tower is closed but the grounds and the whale-watching bluff are open. A few miles south, Año Nuevo State Park protects a large elephant seal colony. From mid-December to the end of March you can see the seals only on guided walks, which must be booked in advance.

Santa Cruz has a classic beach boardwalk, surf spots at Steamer Lane and a wharf. On the west side of town, Natural Bridges State Beach has a surviving sea arch, tide pools and a monarch butterfly grove where the insects cluster from October to February. Parking in central Santa Cruz is tight for motorhomes; use the state beach lots.

The final leg to Monterey follows Highway 1 around Monterey Bay, about 45 minutes, past strawberry fields and the harbour at Moss Landing, where sea otters often float near the docks. The whole drive is about 120 miles and can be done in a day, but two days allow time for the seals and beaches. Book state beach campgrounds early in summer.