Second Visit to California’s 17-Mile Drive 🌊

Day Trip from Carmel to Monterey Just under a two-hour drive from San Francisco via the stunning Highway 1 🚗💨—take it slow and enjoy the views! Must-see spots: Lover’s Point 💑 Kissing Rock 💋 ❤️ 17-Mile Drive lies between Monterey and Carmel Enter from the Pacific Grove Gate and explore each viewpoint. Note: some stops are for hotels or golf courses—skip those unless you’re staying or playing 🏌️‍♂️⛳ Sunset here is gorgeous 🌅, though many miss it. The coast offers fantastic sunset views anywhere, especially with rocks or trees framing the scene. Highlights along 17-Mile Drive: 3 Spanish Bay – Where Spanish explorers camped in 1769 while searching for Monterey Bay ⛺ 5 Point Joe – A historic shipwreck site due to hidden rocks 🚢⚓ 7 Bird Rock – Covered with seabirds 🐦 9 Fanshell Beach – Also packed with birds 🦅 10 Cypress Point Lookout – Spot the famous tree and seals lounging on rocks 🌲🦭 12 Lone Cypress – My personal favorite ❤️ 13 Pescadero Point – Best at high tide for dramatic waves 🌊 ❤️ Carmel-by-the-Sea A beautiful village 🏡, though accommodations can be pricey. If you’re heading south, don’t linger too long here—or consider returning for a meal when the crowds thin out 🍽️😊 ❤️ Point Lobos State Natural Reserve A must-visit state park recommended by my local cousin—breathtaking views and plenty of seals 🦭🌿 ❤️ Bixby Bridge An iconic spot you can’t miss 🌉 If time allows, continue south to explore Big Sur 🏞️ ❤️ Hearst Castle A bit farther away but truly unique—once a pilgrimage site for celebrities and politicians. Book ahead for a guided tour and step into the world of historic hospitality 🏰✨ #TravelTheWorld #OffTheBeatenPath #MyHiddenGemsJourney #Travel 🌎✈️