Highway 1 in 6 days
Hello travelers,I need some advice on stopping points and places to see, I have done some research into my trip that I will be doing in June. Currently I plan on the following overnight stops;
Monterey, Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo (2 nights), Santa Ynez Valley, Santa Barbara
I used to live in northern California, and am spending a week in Sonoma prior to the road trip, I will have a car and i am traveling alone so not looking for romantic B&B's but more to be in the center of things. Looking for views, wine, good food and some laughs - fyi i am 34!:) (tips on great wineries and restaurants appreciated - oh and I am in the restaurant business) I planned to use SLO as a base for 2 days as it seem central to a lot, is that good? Solvang seems very touristy, is there anywhere else people would recommend staying? I fly out of LA late on the last day so dont want to have a night there, been there often enough. any recommendations for a place to stay in santa barbara? not looking for super expensive and my backpacking days are behind me:) although also been looking into 'couch surfing' - any one done this? Also not too fussed about the beach - I live in the Cayman Islands:)
Thanks for all advice!!
2
If not two nights in Monterey, then how about a night in Cambria or Morro Bay? Both are right on the coast and much more scenic than Paso. Cambria is kind of artsy, and is very close the Hearst Castle. Be sure you are in SLO for the Thursday Night Market. You can tour Paso area wineries as a day trip from SLO.Instead of trying to stay in the Santa Ynez Valley, I'd spend a day touring it on the way fro SLO to Santa Barbara, and stay a couple of nights i Santa Barbara.
As for wineries--do you have a particular experience in mind? A style of wine? Really small ones you've never heard of? Over-the-top places you can laugh about?
Big Sky Cafe in SLO.
If you are in the area on a weekend, see if you can find some barbecue in Santa Maria (between SLO and Solvang). You've probably run into Santa Maria barbecue before--tri tip cooked over oak, served with beans & salsa, and some sides. Charities set up barbecue stands in parking lots along the main drag (Broadway) on Saturday & Sunday. If you drop into a supermarket, you can buy a bag of pinquito beans ot take home--they are grown only in the area. Otherwise, Santa Maria is pretty unremarkable.
If you'd rather try it at a restaurant, there are links on that web site.
That reminds me. Stop for lunch at Duartes in Pescadero, between SF & Santa Cruz.. Pronounced Doo-arts. Famous for artichoke soup and olallieberry pie.
Nutrax
The plural of anecdote is not data.
3
Duarte's artichoke soup is spectacular, but I was underwhelmed by the pie.I agree that it's not worth staying in Paso Robles, since anywhere you can reach from there you can reach from SLO with only a few minutes more driving. Consider spending a night in Big Sur, which will allow you to do some relaxed hikes at scenic spots along the coast. Since there are only a few places to stay in Big Sur, (and even fewer that are budget accommodations), they book up early. But you're planning early.
4
http://theranchhouse.com for a meal perhaps?
