17-Mile Drive, Monterey & Carmel: How to Visit and What to Do Nearby

The 17-Mile Drive is a scenic road loop through Pebble Beach and Pacific Grove on the Monterey Peninsula, passing between dense Monterey cypress and pine forests and the rocky Pacific coastline. The route includes designated viewpoints at Bird Rock, Fanshell Beach, the Ghost Tree—a bleached cypress skeleton on a cliff above Pescadero Point—and the Lone Cypress. Entry requires a per-vehicle toll, currently $11.75, collected at any of the five access gates. The drive takes roughly 30 minutes without stops. is just one of many options in Monterey & Carmel. Major attractions worth considering include Big Sur, Cannery Row, and Carmel Mission.