suggestions for California road trip

Question

Any suggestions for nice places to visit either south of Ventura or north or San Luis Obispo? A place with an interesting town to explore and some nice natural areas for hiking or scenic drives would be great. I've been to Morro Bay, Pismo Beach and Montana d'oro already.

Answer

California’s Central Coast and Southern California offer a mix of charming towns, scenic drives, and excellent hiking opportunities. Since you’ve already explored Morro Bay, Pismo Beach, and Montana de Oro, here are some additional recommendations both south of Ventura and north of San Luis Obispo that combine interesting towns with natural attractions.

South of Ventura:

Santa Barbara: Known as the “American Riviera,” Santa Barbara has a beautiful downtown with Spanish architecture, wine tasting, boutique shops, and restaurants. Nearby hiking options include Rattlesnake Canyon, Inspiration Point, and the Santa Ynez Mountains trails.
Oxnard & Channel Islands: Oxnard’s coastline is quieter, and you can catch a boat to Channel Islands National Park for excellent hiking, kayaking, and wildlife viewing.
Carpinteria: A small coastal town with a relaxed vibe, great beaches, and the Carpinteria Bluffs Nature Preserve with easy hiking and ocean views.
Los Padres National Forest: Offers scenic drives and trails for day hikes. The Piedra Blanca trail near Ojai provides dramatic rock formations and valley views.

North of San Luis Obispo:

Cambria & Moonstone Beach: A charming seaside town with art galleries, boutique shops, and access to coastal trails. Fiscalini Ranch Preserve has scenic hiking right along the coast.
Big Sur (north of San Simeon): While a bit of a drive, the scenic coastline is spectacular with hikes like Ewoldsen Trail in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park or the McWay Waterfall viewpoint. The town of Big Sur is small but iconic.
San Simeon & Hearst Castle: Hearst Castle offers tours, and the nearby beaches are great for spotting elephant seals. Coastal trails around Piedras Blancas provide beautiful ocean vistas.
Mendocino Coast (further north): If you want to extend the trip, Mendocino and Fort Bragg offer quaint towns, art galleries, and coastal hiking with stunning cliffside views.

Other suggestions:

Consider scenic drives along Highway 101 for coastal views and small towns, or Highway 1 for dramatic cliffside vistas.
Check out local wineries and tasting rooms in Santa Barbara, the Santa Ynez Valley, Paso Robles (north of SLO), and Cambria for a mix of culinary and scenic experiences.
State Parks like Los Padres, Montaña de Oro (already visited), and Piedras Blancas provide smaller, often quieter hiking options compared to Big Sur.

With this mix of coastal towns, wineries, and natural areas, you can craft a road trip that balances exploration, hiking, and scenic drives, offering both relaxation and adventure.

suggestions for California road trip

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