racetrack
WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca
Famous for the Corkscrew - a dramatic downhill left-right chicane
29 km · about 35 min drive
North AmericaUnited StatesCalifornia
Gonzales
California, United States · North America
About Gonzales
Gonzales is worth a stop: 20 minutes from Chualar, 44km from Big Sur & Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park.
Gonzales is in California, United States, with about 8,500 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Chualar, about 10 km away.
Gonzales is a city in Monterey County, California, United States. Gonzales is located 16 miles (26 km) southeast of Salinas, at an elevation of 135 feet (41 m). The population was 8,647 at the 2020 census, up from 8,187 at the 2010 census. Gonzales is a member of the Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments.Read more
Gonzales won the Culture of Health Prize from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in 2019.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Gonzales?
Within an hour or so of Gonzales: WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca (29 km), Big Sur (42 km), Nepenthe Restaurant (42 km), Monterey Bay Aquarium (43 km).
Are there any good drives near Gonzales?
The nearest famous roads are Pacific Coast Highway - Big Sur (CA-1), Pacific Coast Highway (Highway 1) and 17-Mile Drive.
Where is Gonzales?
Gonzales is in California, United States, about 10 km from Chualar.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 8,473
- Continent
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Region
- California
- Timezone
- America/Los_Angeles
- Coordinates
- 36.5066, -121.4444
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in United States
AAA roadside assistance: 1-800-222-4357. Right turn on red is legal in most states unless signed otherwise.
Full driving guide for United StatesTags
Worth the detour from Gonzales
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
scenic viewpoint
Big Sur
A rugged stretch of California coastline between Carmel and San Simeon with dramatic cliffs, redwood forests, and the iconic Bixby Creek Bridge.
42 km · about 50 min drive
cafe
Nepenthe Restaurant
A clifftop restaurant perched 800 feet above the Pacific on Big Sur's Highway 1, offering breathtaking ocean views and famous ambrosia burgers since 1949.
42 km · about 50 min drive
landmark
Monterey Bay Aquarium
World-class aquarium on Cannery Row showcasing the marine habitats of Monterey Bay with living kelp forests.
43 km · about 50 min drive
national park
Big Sur & Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park
Rugged coastal cliffs where the Santa Lucia Mountains plunge into the Pacific, featuring the iconic McWay Falls.
44 km · about 50 min drive
scenic viewpoint
Bixby Bridge Viewpoint (Big Sur)
The iconic concrete arch bridge spanning a deep canyon on the PCH, one of the most photographed bridges on the California coast.
44 km · about 50 min drive
scenic viewpoint
McWay Falls Viewpoint (Big Sur)
A pull-off overlooking an 80-foot waterfall that cascades directly onto a pristine sandy beach in a sheltered cove.
44 km · about 50 min drive
coastal drive
Pacific Coast Highway (Highway 1)
Iconic coastal highway stretching along California's stunning coastline
44 km · about 50 min drive
Driving roads near Gonzales
- 42 kmBig SurA rugged stretch of California coastline between Carmel and San Simeon with dramatic cliffs, redwood forests, and the iconic Bixby Creek Bridge.
- 44 kmBixby Bridge Viewpoint (Big Sur)The iconic concrete arch bridge spanning a deep canyon on the PCH, one of the most photographed bridges on the California coast.
- 44 kmMcWay Falls Viewpoint (Big Sur)A pull-off overlooking an 80-foot waterfall that cascades directly onto a pristine sandy beach in a sheltered cove.
- 44 kmPacific Coast Highway (Highway 1)Iconic coastal highway stretching along California's stunning coastline
- 44 kmPacific Coast Highway - Big Sur (CA-1)The cliff-edge stretch between Carmel and San Simeon over Bixby Creek Bridge, the definitive American coastal drive.
- 47 km17-Mile DriveLegendary private toll road winding through Pebble Beach and Pacific Grove, passing the Lone Cypress, crashing surf at Bird Rock, and fairways of Pebble Beach Golf Links.
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