PCH: Big Sur Self-Guided Audio Tour from Monterey & Morro Bay
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About This Tour in San Luis Obispo
Why Visit San Luis Obispo?
San Luis Obispo, USA offers a wealth of attractions, cultural experiences, and activities for visitors. From historic landmarks to modern attractions, San Luis Obispo provides an unforgettable travel experience with something to discover around every corner. Explore local cuisine, discover unique culture, and create lasting memories in this remarkable destination.
Getting to San Luis Obispo
You can reach San Luis Obispo, USA by air, train, or road depending on your starting location. From the airport, you can take a taxi, rideshare service (Uber, Lyft), or public transportation to reach the city center. Many hotels also offer shuttle services, and rental cars are widely available for exploring the area.
What's Included
- Text transcripts of audio narration & Self-paced format (start/pause/resume anytime)
- Pre-recorded audio commentary (downloadable or streamable)
- This is a GPS-powered, self-guided audio tour that works through an app
- Lifetime access (no expiration) with Customer support (chat/email)
- This tour is NOT a ticket to any attraction or site
- Suggested walking/driving itinerary with stop-by-stop directions
- Offline GPS-enabled route map
- NO in-person guide or physical equipment (bring your own device & headphones)
What's Not Included
- Entrance fees, in-person guide, headphones, transport, parking, food,Wi-Fi or cellular data, rentals
Cancellation Policy
Additional Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- How To Access: After booking, you’ll get an email and text with setup instructions and password (search “audio tour” in emails and texts). • Download the separate tour app by Action • Enter the password sent by email and text. • MUST download the tour while in strong wifi/cellular. • Works offline after download.
- How to start touring: Open Action’s separate audio tour guide app once onsite. • If there is just one tour, launch it. • If multiple tour versions exist, launch the one with your planned starting point and direction.
- Go to the starting point No one will meet you at the start. This tour is self-guided Enter the first story’s point and the audio will begin automatically Follow the audio cues to the next story, which will also play automatically. Enjoy hands-free exploring. If you face audio issues, contact support. Stick to the tour route & speed limit for the best experience.
- Travel worry-free: Use the tour app anytime, on any day, and over multiple days. Start and pause the tour whenever you like, taking breaks and exploring side excursions at your own pace. Skip anything you don’t care about or explore bonus content for everything that interests you
- Savings tips: Driving tours: purchase just one tour for everyone in the car
- New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want.
- Audio Setup: Connect your phone to your car's stereo system using Bluetooth, USB, or AUX. For the best experience, consider using headphones for walking tours. Audio playback is compatible with Apple CarPlay, with navigation features coming soon. Support for Android Auto is also on the way.
- The tour requires a supported mobile device for navigation. Please use an iPhone with iOS 15 or later, an Android device with Android 9 or later, or an iPad/tablet with GPS and cellular service.
- Important Note: Highway 1 (Pacific Coast Highway) is closed between Big Sur and Ragged Point due to repairs from the Regent’s Slide. This 6.8-mile stretch is impassable. For current updates, visit the Caltrans site
- As of April 16, 2025, the Overlook Trail to view McWay Falls at Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park is closed due to a long-term retaining wall repair project. The project is expected to continue into 2026 and will also limit parking spaces within the park. At this time, the only available viewpoint for McWay Falls is a small roadside viewing area along Highway 1. The Ewoldsen Trail remains open.
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Customer Reviews
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Meeting and Pickup
Meeting Point
Pfeiffer Big Sur State ParkStart southbound on CA-1 (Cabrillo Hwy) near Edgewater Shopping Center in Sand City (Monterey area), with the shops on your left and the beach on your right. Suggested start; not affiliated, so staff won’t have tour info. Audio auto-starts—check email/text for setup, download on strong internet.
End Point
Start southbound on CA-1 (Cabrillo Hwy) near Edgewater Shopping Center in Sand City (Monterey area), with the shops on your left and the beach on your right. Suggested start; not affiliated, so staff won’t have tour info. Audio auto-starts—check email/text for setup, download on strong internet.
Pickup Information
Pickup Option: All travelers must meet at start point
Itinerary
Tour Itinerary
Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park is a state...
Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park is a state park in Monterey County, California, near the area of Big Sur on the state's Central Coast. It covers approximately 1,006 acres of land. The park is centered on the Big Sur River. It has been nicknamed a "mini Yosemite." Redwood trees are known to live up to 2,200 years. NOTE: The tour is over 120 miles long, with more than 70+ audio stories, and takes about 2-3 hours to complete. New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want.
We'll continue driving past Carmel and into the...
We'll continue driving past Carmel and into the natural wonder of Point Lobos Natural Reserve.
Next, we enter the world-famous Big Sur portion of the PCH
Next, we enter the world-famous Big Sur portion of the PCH. The Pacific Coast Highway, popularly known as PCH, Highway 1, or Route 1, is one the most scenic roadtrips in the US.
Small, remote inlet & rugged beach reached by... 5 minutes
Small, remote inlet & rugged beach reached by a dirt trail, wooden bridge & tunnel.
The scenic drive takes us through Garrapata State... 5 minutes
The scenic drive takes us through Garrapata State Park, where we'll have the chance to stop and check out the Garrapata Beach. As we drive, we'll learn about the wildfires that often rage through forests like these.
Our self-guided drive now brings us to Bixby Creek Bridge 5 minutes
Our self-guided drive now brings us to Bixby Creek Bridge! This is one of the most photographed bridges in California due to its aesthetic design, graceful architecture, and magnificent setting. It is a reinforced concrete open-spandrel arch bridge.
We'll continue driving, while admiring and learning about...
We'll continue driving, while admiring and learning about Point Sur and the Point Sur Lighthouse.
Our tour then takes us through the Andrew...
Our tour then takes us through the Andrew Molera State Park, another natural wonder of this drive. We'll also learn about Big Sur's literary fame.
Bixby isn't the only beautiful bridge in Big...
Bixby isn't the only beautiful bridge in Big Sur; Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge has it's own charm.
Pfeiffer Beach in the Big Sur area is...
Pfeiffer Beach in the Big Sur area is definitely off the beaten path, but well worth the detour. Just south of Big Sur Station on Highway 1 is unsigned Sycamore Canyon Road which winds its way down to the shore.
Grimes Point Scenic Overlook has got one of...
Grimes Point Scenic Overlook has got one of the best views of the Big Sur coastline. It's easy to see what brings people to a place like Big Sur.
Our self-guided drive takes us to Seal Beach Overlook where -- you guessed it
Our self-guided drive takes us to Seal Beach Overlook where -- you guessed it! -- we'll be able to spot some sunbathing seals.
Another must stop is at McWay Falls
Another must stop is at McWay Falls. This stunning 80-foot-tall waterfall on the coast of Big Sur in central California that flows year-round.
Next, we drive over the Big Creek Bridge
Next, we drive over the Big Creek Bridge. This is a 589-foot-long, open spandrel, concrete deck arch bridge connecting this scenic, mountainous coast.
Big Creek Cove Beach is under the Big...
Big Creek Cove Beach is under the Big Creek Bridge on Highway 1 along the Big Sur Coast. Landels-Hill Big Creek Reserve is the land area adjacent to the creek and the California marine protected areas named Big Creek State Marine Reserve and Big Creek State Conservation Area.
Our tour continues to Limekiln State Park, featuring beaches, forests, and more
Our tour continues to Limekiln State Park, featuring beaches, forests, and more.
As we cross the Pitkins Curve Bridge, we'll... 5 minutes
As we cross the Pitkins Curve Bridge, we'll learn all about the landslides, mudslides, rockfalls, earthquakes, and other natural disasters that continue to threaten the PCH infrastructure.
Jade Cove features a beach full of nephrite jade
Jade Cove features a beach full of nephrite jade.
Nathaniel Owens Memorial Redwood Grove is one of...
Nathaniel Owens Memorial Redwood Grove is one of the largest redwood stands for miles. Did you know that the coastal redwood is the tallest living thing on the planet? It's true! These behemoths can grow to around 350 feet, which is as tall as a 35-story building!
The stretch of highway between San Simeon and... 10 minutes
The stretch of highway between San Simeon and Ragged Point is some of the most picturesque in the world. The roadway follows where the majestic Santa Lucia Mountains meet the Pacific Ocean, with jaw-dropping views around every twist and turn. As you drive, plenty of turnoffs offer moments for taking in the region’s grandeur. As you drive to Ragged Point, you will feel like a star in your own private car commercial on Highway 1.
As we drive past the Piedras Blancas Lighthouse,...
As we drive past the Piedras Blancas Lighthouse, we'll have the option to stop and detour for a visit.
Nothing beats the Elephant Seal Vista Point
Nothing beats the Elephant Seal Vista Point. The largest seal in the northern hemisphere, the Northern Elephant Seal migrates to the rookery, twice each year. While offshore, the elephant seal spends eight to ten months diving up to 5,800 feet deep for up to two hours. The remaining months of the year, they mate, birth, molt, and rest onshore between trips.
As we drive through San Simeon, we'll have the option to detour to Hearst Castle
As we drive through San Simeon, we'll have the option to detour to Hearst Castle. Conceived by William Randolph Hearst, the publishing tycoon, it was built between 1919 and 1947.
Moonstone Beach Drive, a beautiful detour along Moonstone Beach 5 minutes
Moonstone Beach Drive, a beautiful detour along Moonstone Beach. Don’t worry, you’ll be able to get back on the highway easily enough!
The one with the blue paint and all the terraces
The one with the blue paint and all the terraces? That’s Nitt Witt Ridge, a peculiar landmark here in Cambria. You might not be able to tell at first glance, but a lot of that house is built from trash. Seriously! It was built by an eccentric artist named Arthur Harold Beal who had an odd fascination with garbage. He actually worked as a garbage collector in the mid-1900s and used some of what he collected to build his home. There are beer cans, car rims, washer drums, you name it, built into the structure of the house. **
Finally, we'll reach Morro Bay, San Luis Opispo,... 10 minutes
Finally, we'll reach Morro Bay, San Luis Opispo, and Pismo Beach, where this segment of our PCH tour ends. You've now experienced the beauty of Big Sur!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cancellation policy?
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
How do I book this tour?
Click the "Book Now" button on this page to complete your reservation through Viator's secure booking platform. You'll receive instant confirmation via email.
Is this tour suitable for all ages?
Please check the age requirements and physical fitness level requirements listed in the tour details above. Some tours may have age restrictions or require a certain level of physical fitness.
