Take It Slow On This Enchanting California Road Trip
March 26, 2019
Linda Barnard
You’ve got to get out of the car to make the most of a California Central Coast road trip.
How else will you get close enough to count the whiskers on playful otters, taste exceptional small-batch wines, explore a castle built for American publishing royalty, or stand on the beach to marvel at surfers catching just the right wave?
With the Pacific Ocean on one side and fields and mountains on the other, a drive up the Highway 1 Discovery Route — which is between Los Angeles and San Francisco — lives up to its name.
Most people have as their goal driving the spectacular scenery of winding, coast-hugging Highway 1 to Big Sur. But taking your time and making stops along the way in the Central Coast has its payoffs, as this four-day itinerary will show.
Day 1: Hit Farm Country
Pick up a rental car in Santa Barbara (tip: for great views and less stress, take Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner from Union Station in downtown Los Angeles to Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone nabe) and head into San Luis Obispo County, affectionately known as SLO. It got the name with good reason — it’s relaxed vibe and rural surroundings will force you to slow down
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The road swings inland initially, past farmland and vineyards. The first stop is just over an hour down Highway 1, near Nipomo, and it’s a quirky one: a free tour at the Luffa Farm. You may know them as loofah shower sponges. They’re actually gourds. Cool.
Now the road heads to the Pacific. Nearby Avila Beach is a pretty ocean-front town. Kraken Coffee Co. brews a killer cup of java and there are boutiques and surf shops, good beaches and a promenade.
Overnight at the Avila Village Inn, a newish Arts and Crafts-style hotel that’s just outside of town.
Day 2: Thrills on Asphalt and Water
Drive along the Pacific Ocean for all those sun-and-surf views you’ve heard so much about. Pismo Beach and Avila Beach next door are small surf towns with great beaches, dunes, and Instagram-worthy piers. A morning kayak adventure with Central Coast Kayaks got me whisker-close to sea otters and harbor seals. My guide shared knowledge of local wildlife and history while we paddled. After we beached our kayaks, we climbed a set of stair to tour the restored circa-1890 Point San Luis lighthouse. You can also hike to the spot from the road, but there are no otters, which makes kayaking the right choice.
Head back inland
Head back inland to the Edna Valley, just south of San Luis Obispo via State 227, to taste impressive wines at more than two dozen small producers like Claiborne & Churchill Winery and Stolo Vineyards estate. Download a wine trail map from the SLO Country wine producers website to guide you.
to the Edna Valley, just south of San Luis Obispo via State 227, to taste impressive wines at more than two dozen small producers like Claiborne & Churchill Winery and Stolo Vineyards estate. Download a wine trail map from the SLO Country wine producers website to guide you.
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