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Question: Central california vacation ideas?

(Posted by: Justin on 2009-05-16 14:28:47)

The wife and I live in Los Angeles and doing a local vacation this year. We want to do a central California tour (sort of) and we plan on staying first in Santa Barbara, with a day in Solvang and then I suppose San Luis Obispo. So my questions are: Is San Luis Obispo worth going to? How much farther would Monterey be? The only other thing we wanted to do was a day at Hearst Castle. Where would be the best place / places to stay on the central coast? Ideas for things to see and do? Is there a wine tasting tour that would pick us up and give us a tour of wine country??

Posted by: Steve H on 2009-05-17, 23:03:03

For information on wineries and things to do along the Central Coast you should check out cheers2wine.com/ central-coast-wine-tasting.html One of my favorite places to stay along the Central Coast is Sycamore Mineral Springs just south of San Luis Obispo. It is a unique place with a great spa, trails, and grounds. Each room has its own private outdoor jacuzzi that you fill with hot mineral water after arriving. It's great. They also have a wonderful restaurant on the premises. Pismo Beach is a small beach town in the area that's fun to visit. Ocean Dunes has a large sand dune area. You can rent an ATV or take a guided hummer tour of the dunes. It's a blast! There's lots of wineries in the San Luis Obispo area and a popular farmer's market is held in downtown San Luis Obispo every Thursday night. In addition to Hearst Castle....Cambria is a charming town that's fun to explore. Most of the wineries in Santa Barbara County are actually closer to Solvang than to Santa Barbara. Have fun!

Posted by: dllewiszz on 2009-05-16, 17:48:33

Santa Barbara is a great start. Solvang is also quite interesting. You can stay overnight in Solvang or in nearby Lompoc. In San Luis Obispo, a hike up Bishop's Peak is excellent. Downtown SLO on Farmer's Market night is loads of fun, unlike anything I've seen before. You can stay overnight there in SLO, or even take a side trip to Morro Bay while in the neighborhood. I'd recommend going on over to San Simeon for the Castle Tour, then on up the coast through Big Sur and up to Monterey. In the Big Sur area are some great state parks for hiking and wonderful views too. Stay overnight at a great B &B in Pacific Grove - there are several but we really like Gosby House. We have recommended that to others who have come home thanking us for recommending it. If you don't go all the way to San Francisco, and have more time, drive east from Monterey to Yosemite and spend a day there before heading back down to LA. We've visited Napa and Sonoma for wineries, but that may be too far out of the way, so check out the Santa Ynez valley wineries around Solvang for tours since that area is becoming more popular as a wine region (especially after the movie Sideways). Closer to your home -- we really enjoy the Ventura and Oxnard areas as well.

Posted by: gosh137 on 2009-05-17, 16:11:17

In San Luis Obisop there is Tolosa Winery, 4910 Edna Road that gives tours. Their web site is tolosawinery.com. Nearby Templeton is olive oil country. Olea Ferms,295 Templeton Rd will tell you all about it. Their web site oleafarm.com. For something completely different, once you are up in the southern Bay Area, return home by heading east, then south on Route 49, through California's gold country. Prettiest route I have ever been on (at least it was back in the 1970's), and I've been all over the country.