Best Monterey and Carmel Private and Small Group Tours

9:00 AM: A Complementary pick-up at your hotel in San Francisco downtown, in the Fisherman's Wharf, in South San Francisco or in Silicon Valley. We also offer complementary pick-ups at SFO international airport. After your complementary pick-up at your hotel or home, the tour guide will drive you south to Monterey Bay on highway 101 and then on the famous Pacific coast highway 1. As we drive you south on highway 101 through the world famous Silicon Valley, you can picture famous firms, like Google, Oracle, Microsoft, Ebay among others. The term originally referred to the region's large number of silicon chip innovators and manufacturers, but eventually came to refer to all the high-tech businesses in the area. Today Google, Apple, and Facebook are the top firms in Silicon Valley.

10: 20 AM: After passing Morgan Hill and Gilroy Outlet, our tour guide may offer you an optional stop at a local farmers' market to enjoy garlic food , garlic ice cream and garlic wine. Gilroy is the southernmost city in Santa Clara county well known for its garlic crop and for the annual Gilroy Garlic Festival, featuring various garlicky foods, including garlic ice cream. Gilroy also produces mushrooms in considerable quantity. Gilroy's nickname is "Garlic Capital of the World," although Gilroy does not lead the world in garlic production. While garlic is grown in Gilroy, its nickname comes from the fact that Gilroy Foods processes more garlic than any other factory in the world. Gilroy which was once inhabited by the native Ohlone Indians, was founded in the 17th by trailblazers led by Father Junípero Serra in the 1770s when the Spaniards founded San Juan Bautista mission, near the Pajaro River.

11: 30 PM: Capture the outstanding beauty of the green fields of garlic, red and green lettuce, artichoke and broccoli as we drive you through Santa Clara and Benito County. Admire the sharp contrast between the gold coast ranges, the green agricultural valleys and farmlands of Santa Cruz and Monterey counties. You may also stop anywhere along this scenic drive at a local farmers' market to taste our local raspberries, strawberries or picture the green fields of artichokes, asparagus, cauliflower , broccoli and carrots.

Please note that our tour guide may vary your tour itinerary to avoid the busy highways and crowded sites. We may start your adventure in Carmel or even north Big Sur and wind the road along the 17 Mile Drive on the way to Monterey Cannery Row.  

12: 00 PM: Buckle-up and let our tour guides drive you on scenic highway one, the best-known scenic drive in Monterey County, and one of the top scenic drives in the world. Highway One shows off a wide range of amazing geography from flat wetlands, green fields to breathtaking craggy coastline and towering cliffs. Photo stops will be scheduled along the highway and on old and stunning bridges on California highway one.

12:30 PM: Take a walking tour with our local tour guide to hidden beaches situated off scenic highway one where you can picture endangered species including sea otters. You may also enjoy lunch break off highway 1 at an oceanfront hidden restaurant where you can picture the dramatic setting of Big Sur rugged coastline and picturesque rocky points. You may also see dolphins or whales swimming by from this overlook.

1:30 PM: If you don't wish to visit Monterey or Carmel, you can also ask your tour guide to drive you to the breathtaking views of Carmel Valley wine country situated at the foothills of the Santa Lucia Mountains. You will see spectacular canyons, mansions and cattle grazing on beautiful rolling hills. You can also visit Mission Carmel known as Mission "San Carlos Borroméo del río Carmelo". It's is a Roman Catholic mission church which was once the headquarters of the original upper Las California Province missions headed by Father Junípero Serra (from 1770 until his death in 1784) where he is buried today.

2:00 PM: Discover the idyllic seaside village of Carmel-by-the-Sea Carmel-by-the-Sea is a small city famous for its natural sceneries and rich artistic history. This sophisticated town has inspired some of the world's finest artists, sculptors, photographers, and writers. Carmel is also renowned for being one of the world-class shopping destination, quaint restaurants, colorful cottages, eclectic mansions, and outstanding art galleries. Carmel-by-the-Sea is an upscale village where notable people and celebrities live today. Carmel is also a heaven for couples with or with kids, nature lovers and photographers. An optional stop at Clint Eastwood's mission ranch may be scheduled! If you are a photographer, please let us know ahead of time so we assign the right tour guide on your tour.

After our break in Carmel, we will embark on the 17 Mile Drive to visit Pebble Beach. At Pebble Beach, you will enjoy a walk to the iconic golf course, the historic lodge and see the elegant shopping boutiques along the golf course. A number of photo stops will be offered to you so you enjoy iconic sights and breathtaking sceneries along the famous 17 Mile Drive including Cypress Point, the Bird Rock, Spy Glass vista point, seals rock, China rock, Point Joe and or at the Spanish Bay. You will also drive through Pacific Grove and by the old lighthouse on the way to Monterey Cannery Row.

3:30 PM: Enjoy Monterey Cannery Row or the Old Fisherman's Wharf. Monterey Cannery Row is a premiere visitor destination and attraction which was originally called View Avenue and was re-named as "Cannery Row" in honor of John Steinbeck. Today's Cannery Row is anchored by the Monterey Bay Aquarium and features quaint shops, elegant hotels, restaurants, art galleries, museums, wine tasting rooms. You may also take a walk to Pacific Grove where thousands of monarch butterflies meet every year or add overtime to your tour to discover Monterey Bay Aquarium, dedicated to marine research and conservation. The Monterey Bay Aquarium is known throughout the world for its interactive exhibits and ability to present marine life on a truly grand scale

4:30 PM After such a full day exciting adventure in Monterey County, your tour guide will drive you back to San Francisco. This may take a couple of hours or more before you get back to San Francisco. This depends on traffic and weather conditions. We may also vary our routes and tour itinerary on the way back to San Francisco to show you more sights and wonders. Thank very much for choosing Golden Horizon Travel. We will do our very best to meet and exceed your expectations.