Central California Coast Road Trip: The Itinerary
The bright side of an international pandemic is that you’re forced to rethink exotic travels and discover roads you may have otherwise overlooked; in this case, it was my own backyard.
Southern California is a great place to grow up, but I will admit you do get used to beautiful vistas. Dare I say, you take them for granted. The snowcapped mountains of Big Bear welcomed skiing and sledding in the winter to my east, the rugged wildlife of Catalina just a boat ride away to my west, the buzzing nightlife of Los Angeles to the north and the sleepy surf towns near San Diego to my south. Great weather and sunshine are the norm year round in California. The Golden State is home to some of the most dynamic coastal stretches and drives in all of the United States.
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But it was only after the pandemic put a damper on international travel and we found ourselves looking to plan a trip that didn't require air travel and the Central Coast of California popped up on my radar as an area I hadn't really discovered yet, even as a native Californian. The trip up the California Central Coast that we ended up taking was one for the books and a bucket list for anyone, even a California native.
This is a quintessential California Central Coast road trip that takes you up one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world. You will amble from Santa Barbara up to Carmel over twelve luxuriously slow-paced days with plenty of time to relax, drink wine, soak in the views and explore some of the most charming towns that California’s central coast has to offer. Feel free to pick and choose where you want to visit if you have an abbreviated timeline but we recommend two days per destination so you can get a feel for each town’s nuances and avoid feeling like you’re living out of your car. So, let’s jump in!
CENTRAL CALIFORNIA ROAD TRIP ITINERARY
DAYS 1-3: Santa Barbara + Montecito
DAYS 4-5: San Luis Obispo
DAYS 6-7: Paso Robles
DAYS 8-9: Big Sur
DAYS 10-11: Carmel
DAY 12: Monterey
ITINERARY DETAIL
DAY ONE: SANTA BARBARA
Logistics: Drive from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara (1.5 hours)
Accommodations: Giving you options here, stay for 3 nights:
Splurge Hotel: Belmond El Encanto
Mid-range Hotel: The Upham
Cute Airbnb: Jasmine Cottage (or any of the 4 rooms on this quaint property)
Day: Brunch outdoors in the courtyard of Scarlett Begonia and then cruise State Street for your dose of retail therapy.
Night: Spend the evening in the uber cool Funk Zone, one of Santa Barbara’s popular places for beer and wine tasting rooms, art galleries and restaurants. Eat dinner at The Lark.
DAY TWO: SANTA BARBARA
Day: Pick your hiking poison - Inspiration Point for an easy climb or Rattlesnake Canyon to get your sweat on. Either way, you’ll need some caffeinated sustenance after at Handlebar Coffee Roasters; don’t sleep on their fresh scones. Spend the day on one of Santa Barbara’s sandy beaches - Arroyo Burro is a great option if you can find parking or the nearby Leadbetter Beach is beautiful as well.
Night: Happy hour at one of the many wine tasting rooms in Downtown Santa Barbara. Dinner will be on the romantic terrace of Oku for fresh sushi.
DAY THREE: MONTECITO
Day: Head to Montecito mid-morning to grab a bomb ass breakfast sandwich at Bree'osh Bakery and order a few to-go sandwiches for a beach picnic lunch later. Take some time to meander Coast Village Road and shop local in some of Montecito’s upscale boutiques. When you’re ready for some sun, head to Miramar Beach for the day which, in my humble opinion, is one of the best beaches in all of California. It feels like old world Europe and to top it all off, the new Rosewood Miramar Hotel has a happening terrace bar for late afternoon bites + spritzes.
Night: Pizza pies and vino at Bettina in the Montecito Country Mart. I dream about the artisanal pepperoni and little gem caesar.
DAY FOUR: SAN LUIS OBISPO
Logistics: 1.5 hour drive (without stops) from SB to SLO; 40 minutes from SB to Solvang
Accommodations: La Lomita Ranch (2 nights)
Day: If you’ve never visited Solvang, it’s absolutely worth a visit to the Danish-inspired town. The villages has some delicious places to eat but delightful pastries at Mortensen’s is a highlight. Grab a bottle of wine from one of the many tasting rooms and head out to La Lomita Ranch to spend the afternoon wandering the amazing property (formerly an Arabian horseback riding and training facility) and visiting with all of the animals.
Night: Pick up some decadent BBQ from Firestone Grill and enjoy a glass of local Syrah as you watch an incredible sunset over the Santa Ynez Valley.
DAY FIVE: SAN LUIS OBISPO
Day: You have two options in San Luis Obispo County, both 15 minutes from downtown SLO:
Head to Pismo Beach or nearby Avila Beach for another lazy day of relaxing in the sun and drive ATVs on Oceano Dunes Natural Preserve, one of Pismo’s main attractions.
Stroll the Morro Bay Embarcadero, a popular spot for for souvenirs, chowder and spotting sea otters. Morro Rock can be seen clearly and is one of the most distinctive landmarks of Morro Bay
Night: Head back towards SLO and grab the latest reservation at Tolosa Winery, one of the best places to taste Edna Valley’s finest Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. After freshening up, head into Downtown San Luis Obispo, which was named in 2010 as the happiest city in America by Dan Buettner in his book "Thrive: Finding Happiness the Blue Zones Way". The shops will be closing at 7p but stroll around this quaint college town before dinner under twinkly lights at Novo.
DAY SIX: PASO ROBLES
Logistics: 30 minutes from SLO to Paso
Accommodations: The Piccolo (2 nights)
Day: Paso Robles, wine country that we consider Napa Valley’s less fussy little sister, is not a well known wine region and has a more familial and casual feel about it. Opt for wine tasting with Katie, a sommelier who runs Niche Wine Tours. The wineries she chose were amazing, with the highlight being a private tasting in a winemaker’s Italian villa and residence.
Night: Delightful French at Les Petites Canailles followed by a nightcap and live music at Tetto Rooftop Bar, which is conveniently situated atop The Piccolo.
DAY SEVEN: PASO ROBLES
Day: Take an early morning stroll around the quaint neighborhoods near downtown and prepare for day two of wine tasting. Hire Katie for another day of boutique wineries or hire Larry Long, private driver at a great price point that will drive your car for you.
Recommended wineries: Cass is unassuming and doesn’t offer much in terms of views but the wine is award-winning and Daou is known for delicious cabernet sauvignons and gorgeous vistas. Food and Wine has an amazing hit list here as well.
Night: For a festive affair, head to Fish Gaucho for Mexican. For a more romantic vibe (and handmade pasta), make your way to Il Cortile.
DAY EIGHT: BIG SUR
Logistics: 40 minutes from Paso to Cambria; two-hour drive from Cambria to Big Sur
Accommodations: You’re basically shelling out or roughing it if you plan to stay in Big Sur as there aren’t many options as far as lodging goes. A few choice options below, stay for 2 nights:
Splurge Hotel: Post Ranch Inn
Festive: Glamping at Ventana Big Sur or Treebones Resort (although you’ll need to book this far in advance as it’s in demand)
Rustic: Glen Oaks Big Sur
Day: Explore Cambria, hippy dippy small town chock full of antique shops, in the morning before admiring the nearby Moonstone Beach. Grab lunch at Madeline’s Restaurant & Wine Cellar, known for French cuisine and a killer wine list. Then head to San Simeon to visit Hearst Castle, the home and opulent estate of business mogul William Randolph Hearst which is well worth a visit if you like architecture and light history. A highlight here is also the Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery where you can go for a quiet walk on a trail by the sea and see elephant seals up close in their breeding ground. Spend the rest of the day meandering up Pacific Coast Highway up to Big Sur; the coastline from San Simeon up to San Francisco is part of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, a protected area teeming with marine life, kelp gardens, tide pools, sea lions and whale watching. Central Coast California and it's natural beauty will stun you at literally every turn so leave ample time for photo ops on this scenic drive.
Night: Pack a picnic and watch the sun set over the Pacific Ocean from any (seriously any!) Big Sur viewpoint.
DAY NINE: BIG SUR
Day: You have two things to do today: get outside and breathe the fresh ocean air. Pick a trail to hike or check out some of the more famous viewing spots like Point Lobos State Natural Reserve, Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park and McWay Falls.
Night: Four course tasting menu and views for days at Sierra Mar located at Post Ranch Inn
DAY TEN: CARMEL + MONTEREY
Logistics: Depending on where you stay, 45 minutes - 1.5 hours Big Sur to Carmel
Accommodations: Carriage House Inn (2 days)
Day: The 17-mile Drive in Pebble Beach is a MUST, it is one of the best drives in the Bay Area. Be sure to look at the weather forecast and choose whichever day is clearest day to do this. You can take your car but for the more adventurous spirits, rent electric bikes from Mad Dogs Carmel and use and abuse the pedal assist. Lunch at The Pocket, followed by Pinot and Chard tasting near Carmel Beach at Talbott Tasting Room (reservations necessary).
Night: Delightful French cuisine at the casual La Bicyclette; they don’t take reservations and the wait can be 1-2 hours so put your name in and grab another tasting at KORi Wines or Wrath Wines
DAY ELEVEN: CARMEL
Day: Grab an early cup of joe at Carmel Valley Coffee Roasting Co and head down to Carmel Beach to walk through the eclectic neighborhood. Brunch at Stationaery and pass the afternoon away popping in and out of local shops and tasting more wine at Albatross (reservation needed), all in Carmel-by-the-Sea
Night: Al fresco, upscale Oaxacan food at Cultura
DAY TWELVE: MONTEREY
Day: Head to Monterey for your last morning on the road. Pit stop at Parker-Lusseau for a latte and almond croissant (cross your fingers for no line) and explore Old Fisherman’s Wharf, Cannery Row and the Monterey Bay Aquarium before making the trek home.
Pro tip // If you have a few extra days to spend on the west coast and want to dip into Northern California, Santa Cruz is a beach town just an hour north of Monterey County and has a lot of fun things to do as a family. San Francisco Bay Area is just 1.5 hours north of that and is one of California's most vibrant cities with iconic sights like the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz Island.
A NOTE ON NATIONAL PARKS
California has an amazing assortment of national parks and areas for outdoor enthusiasts. This particular itinerary hugs the coast so it doesn’t include any visits to national parks or the inland area of California, but here are a few to keep on your radar that are (mostly) in the Calfornia’s Central Valley:
Channel Islands National Park | Collection of 5 islands housing a unique ecosystem of plants, animals and wildlife | 1-2 hours by ferries that depart from Ventura County
Sequoia National Park + Kings Canyon National Park | Kill two parks with one stone; valleys, mountains and more giant sequoias | 3 hours from Paso Robles
Death Valley National Park | Known for sand dunes + salt flats | 5 hours from Paso Robles
Yosemite National Park | Yosemite Valley is filled with impressive ancient sequoia trees, Half Dome, epic vistas + hiking galore | 4 hours from Monterey
Lake Tahoe | The perfect place for water sports, hiking, camping + general nature lovers | 5.5 hours from Monterey
