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# Oct 4 (Sun) — Morro Bay → Big Sur → SFO — MS/LK depart
*All times are PDT.*
## Hard deadlines
- **9:30 AM** Depart Rockview Inn, Morro Bay
- Target the [SFO SIXT Rental Car Center](../bookings/transport/car-rental.md) by **4:00 PM**; booked/planned early return remains 4:30 PM, but the flight-day route should not rely on that later time
- UA8073 / AC573 SFO → YVR departs **7:30 PM** ([flights](../bookings/transport/flights-ms.md)) · Air Canada check-in · return bag fee at check-in
- Checked bags and boarding passes are required by **6:30 PM**; be at the gate by **7:00 PM**
## Road status checked 8:57 AM
- Caltrans reports Highway 1 open for through travel, with **one-way controlled traffic at Rocky Creek Bridge**, 15.7 miles south of Monterey
- Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park remains closed because of fire impacts; other Big Sur parks have service/trail restrictions. Do not plan park entries or hikes today
- Follow live navigation, Caltrans signs and emergency directions; if through travel closes, switch immediately to the fastest US-101 route
## Recommended route — Big Sur core, then fastest to SFO
The forced coastal route through Monterey is about **227 miles / 5 hours 10 minutes** baseline before live traffic, construction, stops and fuel. Starting at 9:30 AM leaves room only for two brief stops.
- **9:30 AM** Depart with fuel, water and portable food; no sit-down lunch
- **10:20–10:30 AM** [Elephant Seal Vista Point](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=35.6633,-121.2577) — free, roadside wildlife viewing
- **10:45–10:55 AM** [Ragged Point](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=35.78072,-121.33083) — brief cliff-and-ocean viewpoint/restroom stop
- **10:55 AM–12:30 PM** Drive the Big Sur coast; the road itself is the main sight
- **Around 12:30 PM** [Bixby Creek Bridge](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=36.37159,-121.90193) — drive-by only; do not enter the crowded pullouts with all luggage aboard
- **By 1:00 PM** Reach Monterey and switch to the fastest route via SR-156 / US-101 toward SFO
- **Around 3:30–3:45 PM** Fuel near SFO
- **3:50–4:10 PM** Return the vehicle to SIXT, complete the inspection and take AirTrain to the terminal
**Bailout:** if Monterey is reached after **1:00 PM**, stop nowhere else, take the fastest route to SFO and fuel only near the airport. Do not continue on Highway 1 through Santa Cruz and Half Moon Bay.
## Skip today
- McWay Falls / Julia Pfeiffer Burns: park restrictions, extra parking/walking and an uncertain seasonal waterfall
- Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park: closed
- Point Lobos: deserves at least 1½–2 hours and parking is capacity-limited
- Año Nuevo: elephant-seal viewing requires a 3–4 mile hike
- Full coast via Santa Cruz and Half Moon Bay: about **5 hours 35 minutes baseline** before stops and construction; unsafe for the 4:00 PM rental-return target from a 9:30 AM departure
All luggage remains in the vehicle. Carry valuables, conceal bags before departure, do not open the luggage area at stops and keep both stops short; roadside lots are not secure storage.
## Addresses
| Place | Address | Map |
|---|---|---|
| Rockview Inn and Suites — Morro Bay | 1080 Market Ave, Morro Bay, CA 93442 | [search](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=Rockview+Inn+and+Suites+1080+Market+Ave+Morro+Bay+CA+93442) |
| Elephant Seal Vista Point | Highway 1, San Simeon, CA | [35.6633, -121.2577](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=35.6633,-121.2577) |
| Ragged Point | 19019 Highway 1, Ragged Point, CA 93452 | [35.78072, -121.33083](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=35.78072,-121.33083) |
| Bixby Creek Bridge | Highway 1, Monterey County, CA | [36.37159, -121.90193](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=36.37159,-121.90193) |
| SFO Rental Car Center (SIXT) | 780 N McDonnell Rd, San Francisco, CA 94128 | [37.62813, -122.40025](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=37.62813,-122.40025) |