Taking the 17 Mile Drive

When I was 12 my aunt and uncle took me on a trip up north. We stopped in Monterey and drove the 17 Mile Drive through Pebble Beach. It was the highlight of my trip. When I came home I couldn’t stop talking about it and it’s stayed in my memory ever since. When planning this trip I knew I was going to drive it myself and share with my sister the beauty I had seen all those years previous.

The 17 mile drive is a loop that is between Carmel and the quaint town of Pacific Grove. Along the drive is located the exclusive town of Pebble Beach, famous for it’s golf courses and mansions. In order to drive along this route you need to pay a $10 toll. It may sound steep but it’s well worth it as you’ll pass through some of the most beautiful scenery California has to offer.

The drive will take you through dense forests and along rugged coastlines. There’s beauty at every turn…if I hadn’t been driving I’d have many more pictures to show you. When you pay your toll you’re given a guide to some of the scenic spots and they’re clearly marked along your drive. We made sure to stop at a few and I was able to snap some pics.

The highlight of the drive is the famous Lone Cypress. This amazing tree is over 250 years old and sits alone on a rocky outcrop.

As beautiful it is in pictures it’s even more stunning in person. If you’re in the area, I highly recommend taking the drive. It’s amazingly beautiful and you never know what you may see. While driving along my sister and I saw a lone buck standing on a golf course! Now my recent trip on the 17 Mile Drive is just as memorable as my first.