Here's a sample itinerary for a drive from Big Sur to Mill Valley (California). If you're planning a road trip to Mill Valley (California), you can research locations to stop along the way. Make sure you check road conditions to double check the weather. Traveling with a dog or cat? Find pet-friendly stops. Camping along the way? Search for RV campgrounds. Find the best hotels, restaurants, and attractions based on the most talked about places recommended by Trippy members.
9:00 am start in Big Sur
drive for about 47 minutes
9:47 am Monterey
stay for about 2 hours
and leave at 11:47 am
drive for about 49 minutes
12:36 pm Santa Cruz
eat at Gayle's Bakery & Rosticceria
stay for about 1 hour
and leave at 1:36 pm
drive for about 37 minutes
2:13 pm San Jose
stay for about 1 hour
and leave at 3:13 pm
drive for about 54 minutes
4:07 pm San Francisco
stay for about 4 hours
and leave at 8:07 pm
drive for about 33 minutes
8:41 pm arrive in Mill Valley (California)
stay at Pelican Inn
driving ≈ 3.5 hours
Monterey (167 answers)
Monterey Bay Aquarium (41 mentions)
Pebble Beach (21 mentions)
Point Lobos (9 mentions)
Point Lobos State Reserve (8 mentions)
17-Mile Drive (6 mentions)
restaurants around Monterey:
Passionfish
Katy's Place
Epsilon Fine Greek Restaurant
Flaherty's Seafood Grill & Oyster Bar
Sunset Lounge
hotels around Monterey:
Mission Ranch Hotel
Lodge at Pebble Beach
Seven Gables Inn
Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa
La Playa Hotel Carmel-By-The-Sea
questions about Monterey:
Restaurant recommendations for a large group dinner?
What to do for a family outing in Monterey?
Things to do with the kiddos besides the aquarium
hotels in Monterey, CA
Santa Cruz (85 answers)
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk (20 mentions)
Natural Bridges State Beach (4 mentions)
The Mystery Spot (4 mentions)
Santa Cruz Beach (4 mentions)
Seabright State Beach (3 mentions)
restaurants around Santa Cruz:
Gayle's Bakery & Rosticceria
Marianne's Ice Cream
questions about Santa Cruz:
Activities during reunion in santa cruz
What are some must places to go to in Santa Cruz, CA
Are there any good restaurants in Santa Cruz?
Names of beaches that aren't so crowded
Best Things To Do In Santa Cruz?
San Jose (39 answers)
The Tech Museum of Innovation (3 mentions)
San Jose Museum of Art (3 mentions)
Santana Row (3 mentions)
Winchester Mystery House (2 mentions)
California's Great America (2 mentions)
questions about San Jose:
What's the best neighborhood in San Jose for a first time visitor?
Hotels with airport parking in San Jose
Best missions to see & other good activities for kids
Neighborhood for young professional in San Jose
Free things to do in San Jose?
San Francisco (630 answers)
Golden Gate Bridge (130 mentions)
Golden Gate Park (112 mentions)
Alcatraz (85 mentions)
Fisherman's Wharf (82 mentions)
Union Square (79 mentions)
restaurants around San Francisco:
Ike's Place
Swan Oyster Depot
Tony’s Pizza Napoletana
Kokkari Estiatorio
Tartine bakery
hotels around San Francisco:
Top of the Mark
Hotel Vitale
The Fairmont San Francisco
San Francisco Marriott Marquis
Cavallo Point
questions about San Francisco:
Best seafood restaurant in S.F.?
What are the top 5 can't miss tourist attractions in S.F.?
What is your favorite restaurant in San Francisco?
Best activities for kids
Best views in San Francisco?
Are you going straight to a hotel, or looking for a vacation rental or Airbnb?
The best resource on neighborhoods, areas, and hotels is the Trippy page on where to stay in Mill Valley (California).
If you're looking for a quick answer, you can check out Pelican Inn, which was mentioned 8 times on Trippy.
Here are some more hotels people talk about:
Want to research more popular hotels in Mill Valley (California)? Click the blue button below.
Need some recommendations on somewhere to get food?
Trippy members suggest The Buena Vista Cafe, which was mentioned 9 times.
Here are some more restaurants people talk about:
Want to research more popular restaurants in Mill Valley (California)? Click the blue button below.
This section could be endless, so rather than trying to suggest every local activity or attraction, we'll leave it open-ended.
These are some of the places people talk about on Trippy:
Of course, Trippy is the perfect place to ask questions because there's an entire community of travelers talking to each other and sharing tips and advice. Trippy is where you can get answers personalized for your tastes, budgets, trip dates & more!
Click the button below to explore more questions and answers related to Mill Valley (California).
Yes, even this step is optional, because if you're on vacation who wants the trip to end? It's okay, you can start planning your next trip!
Want to plan the trip back? Get the reverse directions for a Mill Valley (California) to Big Sur drive, or go to the main page to plan a new road trip.
Looking for ideas for more destinations within driving distance of Big Sur? Try searching for places within 3 hours of Big Sur.
You can also compare the travel time if you're flying or driving by calculating the distance from Big Sur to Mill Valley (California). Or get a full Big Sur to Mill Valley (California) flight plan.
Don't forget about exploring your own hometown with a staycation. You can also find some cool day trips or get away for a weekend. Maybe try typing in a faraway location like London, Hong Kong, or Sydney, and get inspired for your dream trip around the world.
And if you know Big Sur well, please help your fellow travelers and answer their questions about Big Sur!
More info on this route: