Big Sur to San Francisco drive

Here's a sample itinerary for a drive from Big Sur to San Francisco. If you're planning a road trip to San Francisco, 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 1 hour

4:18 pm  Golden Gate Bridge
stay for about 3 hours
and leave at 7:18 pm
drive for about 10 minutes

7:28 pm  arrive in San Francisco
eat at Ike's Place
stay at Top of the Mark

driving ≈ 3.5 hours

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 San Francisco.

You can also see most people recommend as the best amount of time to visit. Find out how many days in San Francisco to stay.

If you're looking for a quick answer, you can check out Top of the Mark, which was mentioned 13 times on Trippy.

Here are some more hotels people talk about:

Want to research more popular hotels in San Francisco? Click the blue button below.

Need some recommendations on somewhere to get food?

Trippy members suggest Ike's Place, which was mentioned 23 times.

Here are some more restaurants people talk about:

Want to research more popular restaurants in San Francisco? 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!

For example, here are some questions people have asked about San Francisco. Click on any question to see answers from the community!

 Jessica from asked:
Best seafood restaurant in S.F.?  (29 answers)

 Dina from Dallas asked:
What are the top 5 can't miss tourist attractions in S.F.?  (20 answers)

 Valerie from Los Angeles asked:
What is your favorite restaurant in San Francisco?  (19 answers)

 Julie from Atlanta asked:
Best activities for kids  (19 answers)

 Kenneth from Portland asked:
Best views in San Francisco?  (17 answers)

Click the button below to explore more questions and answers related to San Francisco.

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 San Francisco 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 2.5 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 San Francisco. Or get a full Big Sur to San Francisco 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!