California
Road trip from Los Angeles to Big Sur in 2 days
A road trip on the Pacific Coast highway is said to be a must.
The iconic highway 1 goes along most of the California coast to Oregon & Washington.
Stop 1: Ojai
Known for its hippie utopia reputation, this small town in the CALIFORNIA valley is worth stopping at.
Be sure to stop by famerandthecook for breakfast/lunch. Afterward walk around the village center dotted with art galleries and cute boutiques.Known for its hippie utopia reputation, this small town in the CALIFORNIA valley is worth stopping at.
Be sure to stop by famerandthecook for breakfast/lunch. Afterward walk around the village center dotted with art galleries and cute boutiques.
Stop 2: Santa Barbara
We made a stop briefly in historical State Street.
This is filled with cafes, restaurants and unique boutiques – perfect for a stroll.
Stop 3: Solvang
A cute little town with a faux- Danish vibe filled with endless bakeries and gift shops.
Be sure to stop by Mortensen’s Danish Bakery for their pastries and our favorite solvang spice merchant for spices from all around the world.
Super friendly shop owner is full of little anecdotes.
Stop 4: Pismo Beach
Next stop on our list was Pismo Beach to catch the famed California sunset. It was fun to watch the surfers doing their thang and the brilliant sunset from the pier
Stop 5: San Luis Obispo
Next stop was SLO. We got here pretty late in the evening so didn’t have time to explore too much. We just walked around the Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa – a 1700s Spanish museum. Nearby, pieces of chewed gum cover the walls of Bubblegum Alley. SLO is home to the famous Madonna Inn – a whimsical resort.
Stop 6: Paso Robles for the night
Paso robles is wine country – lots of vineyards. We halted at the Calipaso winery & villa. It’s a quiet and luxurious private inn tucked away from the main road. The suites are large with nice views onto the vineyard, luxurious linens with complimentary wine tasting, wine and cheese and wonderful service. Make sure you get the breakfast before you leave – freshly baked muffins and eggs. Please do ask for the homemade salsa.
Stop 7: Big Sur
The drive from Paso Robles to route 1 is picturesque passing through lots of vineyards until you get to route 1. This pacific coastline road is one of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen. We stopped a little north of San Simeon on route 1 to catch the elephant seals – its free and easily visible. All along the route upto Big Sur expect the going to be slow since there are so many vistas en route. Be sure to stop at Nepenthe for breathtaking views and equally good food. After a quick lunch here we headed back to LA. On our way back we were in perfect time to get dinner at First and Oak in Solvang.
It was the perfect end to a lovely trip.