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Home / Tours / Big Sur Half-Day Tour

Ag Venture Tours · Monterey Peninsula

Big Sur in a half day

A local guide picks you up on the Monterey Peninsula and drives about 30 miles down Highway 1, with four or five short stops that reach the redwoods of Pfeiffer Big Sur. Pick it if you are staying in Monterey or Carmel and want the northern coast with someone who knows it, without giving up a whole day.

Big Sur Coast Half-Day Tour from Monterey

About this experience

Big Sur is a 90-mile coast, and this tour covers the top third of it. The listing describes about 30 miles of northern coast: Bixby Bridge, the Big Sur River and a short redwood walk in Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, about 26 miles south of Carmel. McWay Falls, 37 miles from Carmel, is not on the route, and nothing further south is either.

That is the honest trade. You give up the south coast and get three hours instead of twelve, a pickup at your hotel and a guide who talks about redwood biology, geology and wildlife at every stop. Stops run short, in the 15 to 20 minute range by most accounts, so this is a look-and-learn drive, not a hike. Pfeiffer Big Sur reopened on 16 October 2026 after the Timber Fire with the Redwood Grove Boardwalk and River Path open; Pfeiffer Falls Trail is still closed.

Two pieces of fine print. Groups of three or fewer pay a $60 fuel fee on top of the $227 per person price, and the tour needs at least two people to run. Mirrors of the listing disagree on cancellation (one says seven days), so read the cancellation terms on the listing before you pay.

  • Hotel pickup anywhere on the Monterey Peninsula
  • Bixby Bridge with someone else driving and parking
  • A redwood walk in Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park
  • The Big Sur River and the Big Sur Valley
  • Small group, capped at 12

How the day runs

  1. PickupYour Monterey Peninsula hotel

    The van collects you from your hotel. Pickup in San Jose or San Francisco is not offered.

  2. The drive southPoint Lobos and the Garrapata coast

    Highway 1 leaves Carmel past Point Lobos and the granite coves at Garrapata. Your guide chooses the short stops.

  3. About 13 miBixby Bridge

    The 1932 arch over Bixby Creek. Monterey County banned parking near the bridge in August 2026, which is one more reason to let a guide handle it.

  4. About 24 miBig Sur River and the valley

    The road drops inland into the Big Sur Valley, where the river, the inns and the general store are.

  5. About 26 miPfeiffer Big Sur redwoods

    A short walk among coast redwoods with a talk on how they grow. This is the furthest point south.

  6. ReturnBack to your hotel

    Same road north, roughly an hour of driving, with Point Sur off to the left.

Bixby Bridge seen from the northA ring of coast redwood trunks

What's included

Included

  • Hotel pickup and drop-off on the Monterey Peninsula
  • Guide commentary on geology, wildlife and history
  • 4 to 5 short stops with walks
  • A redwood walk in Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park
  • Restroom and shopping stops
  • Cold drinks for groups of 4 or more

Not included

  • $60 fuel fee for groups of 3 or fewer
  • Food and drinks (cold drinks only for 4+)
  • Pickup in San Jose or San Francisco
  • McWay Falls and the south coast

Who it suits

Book it if

  • You are staying in Monterey, Pacific Grove or Carmel
  • You want Big Sur without driving Highway 1 yourself
  • You have half a day, not a whole one
  • You like a guide who explains what you are looking at

Skip it if

  • McWay Falls is the reason you came
  • You are a solo traveller (the tour needs two)
  • You use a wheelchair or are afraid of heights
  • You want long hikes rather than short stops

Tips before you book

  • Book for the afternoon from June to August: summer fog often sits on the coast in the morning and burns off by midday.
  • If you are two or three people, budget for the $60 fuel fee. At four or more it disappears and cold drinks appear.
  • Read the cancellation terms on the listing; do not assume a 24-hour free window.
  • Wear layers. The coast runs in the 50s and 60s F much of the year, and the redwood grove is cooler again.
  • Want the south coast too? Do this in the morning and drive yourself to McWay Falls later, or look at the private McWay Falls tour.

Read next:

Frequently asked questions

How far south does the Big Sur half-day tour go?

To Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, about 26 miles south of Carmel. It covers roughly 30 miles of the northern coast and does not reach McWay Falls.

Does it pick up in San Francisco?

No. Pickup is at Monterey Peninsula hotels only. From San Francisco, look at the full-day tours instead.

Is there an extra fee?

Groups of three or fewer pay a $60 fuel fee on top of the per-person price. Groups of four or more get cold drinks instead.

Is the redwood walk open after the 2026 fire?

Pfeiffer Big Sur reopened on 16 October 2026 with the Redwood Grove Boardwalk and River Path open. Pfeiffer Falls Trail stays closed for now.

Ready to book

Book Big Sur Half-Day Tour

Three hours on the coast with a local guide: hotel pickup on the Monterey Peninsula, four or five stops and a redwood walk.

Check availability on GetYourGuide Compare all tours

Compare with

Old Coast Road E-Bike TourTwelve miles of dirt road above Point Sur on an e-bike, ages 15+. Compare with the half-day van tour.★ 5.0 · 2.5 hours · from $2501965 Ford Mustang Convertible RentalA 1965 convertible for three hours from Monterey; you choose the road. Compare with the guided half day.New · 3 hours · from $499Private Big Sur & McWay Falls Day TourThe only tour here that reaches McWay Falls, private for up to five. Compare with the shorter private tours.★ 4.9 · 12 hours · from $890

Plan your date before you go

Three hours on the coast with a local guide: hotel pickup on the Monterey Peninsula, four or five stops and a redwood walk.

Check dates for the half-day coast tour from Monterey