A private 3-day road trip from Los Angeles to San Francisco and back
Drive the Pacific Coast Highway the way it deserves: in a private luxury SUV with your own local guide-driver, stopping wherever the view is too good to pass. Over 3 days and 2 nights you will see Santa Barbara, the Danish village of Solvang, the cliffs of Big Sur, Carmel-by-the-Sea, the 17-Mile Drive and Monterey before arriving in San Francisco. On day 3 the morning is yours to explore the city, then we drive you home.
Starting in San Francisco? We run the same trip in reverse, with pickup at your San Francisco hotel.
At a glance
- Length: 3 days, 2 nights (night 1 in Carmel-by-the-Sea, night 2 in San Francisco)
- Route: Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Solvang, Big Sur, Carmel, 17-Mile Drive, Monterey, Stanford, San Francisco, then about 6 hours back to Los Angeles
- Vehicle: luxury SUV (Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Suburban or GMC) for up to 6 guests; larger vehicles on request
- Price: from $3,600 per group, not per person
- Included: your own guide-driver for all 3 days, hotel pickup and drop-off, bottled water and a route planned around you
- Not included: hotels, meals and entrance tickets. We are happy to recommend and help you book hotels along the way.
- Cancellation: free up to 48 hours before the trip starts
Why go private
No bus schedule and no strangers. You decide how long to stay at each stop, where to eat and which detours to take, from a wine tasting in the Santa Ynez Valley to a sunset walk on Carmel Beach. Your guide knows the road, the best viewpoints and the quiet places to stop for photos.
Your itinerary
Day 1: Los Angeles to Carmel, along the coast and through Big Sur
We pick you up at your hotel in the morning and head north along the coast. Choose the stops you like best:
- Santa Barbara: the “American Riviera”, with Spanish-style architecture, the Old Mission and the waterfront.
- Santa Ynez Valley and Solvang: hillside vineyards and a Danish-style village of half-timbered buildings.
- Pismo Beach, San Luis Obispo and Morro Bay: relaxed beach towns and the 576-foot Morro Rock.
- San Simeon: one of the largest elephant seal colonies on the California coast.
- Big Sur: dramatic cliffs, Bixby Bridge and McWay Falls, a waterfall that drops to the beach.
The day ends with dinner and an overnight stay in Carmel-by-the-Sea.




Day 2: Carmel to San Francisco
- Carmel-by-the-Sea: a morning stroll past fairy-tale cottages, art galleries and the white-sand beach.
- 17-Mile Drive: Pebble Beach, the Lone Cypress, and sea lions and otters on the rocks.
- Monterey: Cannery Row and the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
- Stanford University and Silicon Valley: the Stanford campus and a drive through the home of the tech giants.
- San Francisco: arrive in the afternoon, with time for a Golden Gate Bridge viewpoint, Fisherman’s Wharf or Chinatown.
Overnight in San Francisco.



Day 3: A free morning in San Francisco, then home
The morning is yours: ride a cable car, walk onto the Golden Gate Bridge, shop around Union Square or explore the neighborhoods. After lunch your guide drives you back to Los Angeles, about 6 hours, with drop-off at your hotel in the evening.
Starting in San Francisco? Then day 3 is a free morning in Los Angeles, and the drive takes you home to San Francisco.




Plan your trip
Tell us your dates, how many guests and where you are staying, and we will send you a day-by-day plan with timings. Email hello@classicexperiences.com or use the Request Custom Quote button above. Want more time on the coast? The trip can be extended to as many days as you like.
What our guests say
More reviews on Tripadvisor →“Cliff is a 10, very polite, and knows the places and their history very well.”
“The whole booking and payment process was easy and Tracy’s professional and speedy communication allowed me to personalise the tour to our requirements.”
“We had an afternoon tour, customized to what we wanted to see. Cam our driver was the best, down to earth easy going guy who really made the day.”
Not sure which tour is right for you?
Tell us what you’d love to see in Los Angeles and we’ll suggest the perfect route — no obligation. Prefer to chat? Message us and we’ll help you decide.











