Remember, though - motorcycles are not allowed on the drive. 17-Mile Drive has been a popular point of interest. There’s an entrance gate just off PCH, at the junction with Highway 68 between Carmel and Monterey. The 17-Mile Drive is a privately owned scenic drive that runs along the coast of the Monterey Peninsula, passing through the gated community of Pebble Beach. 17-Mile Drive, and the other roads in Del Monte Forest are owned and maintained by Pebble Beach Company. If you’re not staying in Monterey or Carmel, you can still do the 17-Mile Drive from the Pacific Coast Highway. Doing the Drive from the Pacific Coast Highway But armed with advice from Bobby, we found our way back onto the drive to return to Carmel by the equally lovely inland route, driving through woodland and back to the gate where we came in. Here you’ll have to do a bit of smart navigating if you’re to continue the drive inland, as it’s another area where the directions are not clearly marked. Eventually the drive brings you into Pacific Grove, not too far from the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Cannery Row. In all there are 21 stops marked on the map, including Bird Rock, where you should see plenty of birds as well as harbor seals and sea lions, the Seal Rock Picnic Area, and the Cypress Point Lookout. The fee helps towards the upkeep of the drive, and provides you with a very helpful map showing the highlights, and scenic places to stop. The drive is actually a private road, with a small entrance fee to pay (just under $10 at the time of writing), although cyclists and local residents are exempt. There are five entrances to the drive, one of which was just a half-mile from the Lamp Lighter Inn. As he lived in Pacific Grove and worked in Carmel, it was a drive he was very familiar with. We were staying at the Lamp Lighter Inn in Carmel and the manager, the very helpful Bobby, not only encouraged us to take the drive he gave us advice on his personalized version, to help us get the most out of it. Likewise, if you’re staying in Monterey you should make the drive to Carmel and spend a day in this beautiful and unique little town. If you’re staying in Carmel you’ll want to spend at least a day in Monterey, where there’s plenty to do including visiting Cannery Row and the amazing Monterey Bay Aquarium, which is on our list of the top sights to see on the whole of the Pacific Coast Highway.
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