My ideal central CA coastal town?

[Rhonna]

Hi,

Hoping for locals who know the central CA coastal areas well and are open to suggesting towns (other than just the one they may love) if it fits what we are looking for.

From Monterey to Santa Barbara. Especially interested in the areas around San Luis Obispo (I think, lol).

I have been through CA on numerous road trips growing up but traveling as an adult to CA mainly by plane. For several years more recently concentrated on the area between LA and San Diego (had friends to stay with, rental car and hey, disney!)

We are thinking of a road trip again for relaxation and nostalgia and would like to check out the central CA coastal towns just to get an idea if we fall in love with an area to potentially live there. I know it's not the CA I grew up visiting. We would skip SF (please don't try to talk me into stopping there) drop over to the coastal highway below SF and drive the coast down to OC and cut over to DL. Avoid driving I-5 through LA.

Main stops:

Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Hearst Castle: one of the new night tours (spring or fall).
San Luis Obispo - for some reason it seems like a nice beach town? Thought of staying here for a few nights. We can do day trip to Hearst Castle and then drive to DL.
Doing disney and the new Cirque show "Iris" at the Kodak theater in Hollywood.

Any area below Monterey but before Santa Barbara that comes closest to these criteria:

1) balmy, mild climate - not above 80 on a regular basis in summer.
2) not too cold - don't like the morning fog some places have year round (like SF has).
3) good air quality - wind blows pollution away but not super windy all the time. But not up against the Mts. so pollution sits over the town.
4) good water quality
5) not extreme traffic problems
6) some job opportunities - university, public library or some cool place like Pixar or Monterey Bay Aquarium or somewhere with stable (recession proof) jobs.
7) Not super super crowded, busy area.
8) Not a town that is overwhelmingly boat-centered like a harbor or bay where all you can see are boats. (Like Newport)
9) Not someplace super touristy (I kind of feel that way about Solvang - not my style) nor mountainy (spent a year in Sonora).
10) Santa Cruz is probably too big, too far inland and too "young surfer" for us.
11) Santa Barbara is probably too super elite for us.
12) Don't want a super sleepy (dead, boring, no economy) beach town.
13) Carmel is beautiful but seems a bit "old money" and maybe stuffy or boring.
14) Prefer to avoid the whole area around the military bases like Lompoc.
15) Please don't try to go above SF area - definitely not interested in N. CA.
16) Looking for beach, not mountains or camping. Maybe a larger town nearby to shop.

We were at Seal Beach and there were a billion ships lined up waiting to dock in San Diego! Then there are the military bases. Some areas along the coast are just not pretty anymore.

Is there somewhere that kind of comes close to my "dream" check list that we could visit and get a feel for? We're not wealthy but are not focusing on the cost of living at this point, we all know CA living is expensive. Anyhow, just saying it's okay to comment on that aspect but don't want it to be the top subject of discussion at this point.

What top three towns would you recommend? And why?

If you absolutely feel you have to go inland from a great coastal town since you think a particular town is awesome - please don't make it more than a half hour drive to the coast.

Is San Luis Obispo the largest town right in that area? I know it has the university.

Thanks to anyone who read all this and has some insights on the area.

Rhonna

 

[CAFarmerGirl]

If you go to San Luis Obispo, try to go on a Thursday night for their Farmer's Market. I went to school there and still have fond memories of the FM. Also, it really isn't a "beach" town as it is inland by a couple of miles. It is still pretty, though. It does get that cold, foggy weather. I don't particularly like the coast, for that reason. I prefer my hot, stagnant valley weather.

 

[Rhonna]

If you go to San Luis Obispo, try to go on a Thursday night for their Farmer's Market. I went to school there and still have fond memories of the FM. Also, it really isn't a "beach" town as it is inland by a couple of miles. It is still pretty, though. It does get that cold, foggy weather. I don't particularly like the coast, for that reason. I prefer my hot, stagnant valley weather.

Thanks for the reply! I didn't think anyone would answer at this point.

How far inland do you mean by a couple of miles?

How many weeks/months of the year is it overcast in the mornings in SLO? Everything I read claims SLO is sunny 360 days a year (or something close to that). Maybe they mean after the AM fog burns off?

Thanks!

 

[CAFarmerGirl]

It does burn or blow off...SLO is often windy. I was warmer in the Colorado Rocky mountains during the winter (it was a *dry* cold).

If we wanted to go to the beach, Avila beach was the most convenient and I *think* it was about 15 minutes away???? Sorry...I lived there 20 years ago. Morro Bay was about 30 minutes...but, again, we are working on a very distant memory. It was a quaint college town, but I really don't even have a desire to go back to visit. I might consider it for the Farmer's Market in the late spring when the strawberries are in full season, though. I used to eat those by the flat!

 

[Rhonna]

Well, we will be driving down the coastal highway so we will see what looks interesting to check out. Thought of skipping Santa Barbara but now maybe we will check it out too.

 

[CAFarmerGirl]

Do not discount Santa Barbara...I think you will like it! It also has a university and is bigger than SLO.

 

[lcasa]

There are some nice towns around SLO - Morro Bay ( with the famous rock), Pismo Beach, Avila Beach -- if you like wine tasting there are lots of wineries in that region too. I think Pismo had a kind of old-fashioned boardwalk type area complete with taffy stores. Carmel is pretty nice too - lots of art galleries ( unless that's stuffy? I think they can be fun if you don't take it all too seriously).

 

[Rhonna]

We were going to travel down I-5, skipping northern (and southern) CA.

We would move over to the coastal highway below SF to hit the central CA coast. We will take the coastal Hwy. to avoid LA central until we can come back inland to disneyland. While at DL we will take one day to see the new Cirque show 'Iris' in LA.

So we were thinking on the way down to stop, spend a night or two in two or three places and tour some towns. We are going to tour Hearst Castle on the way down and the Monterey Bay Aquarium on the way back home. Not really intending to spend time around SF but want to go to the Aquarium.

So along the way I was trying to find both good places to spend a night or two and places we would like to get a feel for the towns. I was originally thinking SLO since we can drive to Hearst Castle (have been there years ago) from there and the beaches. I was thinking Santa Barbara, just because we'd like to see it.

If we did Santa Barbara/Montecito, would probably go to the LotusLand and maybe Casa del Herrero - they both looked really interesting when I looked them up.

So, our interests: architecture/old homes like Hearst Castle and Casa del Herrero. Animals - Monterey Bay Aquarium - (have been to San Diego Zoo several times). And botanical gardens. We would like to see the beaches and walk on them, or beachfront towns, etc. But not actually swimming or surfing. No wine tours (I wish, lol!) due to some health issues. Since time is limited, art galleries wouldn't be top on our list.

So don't know exactly the best places to stop. I guess so far I have SLO, SB and on the way home Monterey. I can't add a lot of stops so I would have to exchange one of the ones on our list if some other town was a better choice.

If you were spending a couple of nights would you stay at SLO or a nearby town like Morro Bay, etc.

Around Santa Barbara, were would you stay? Nearby or right in town?

And for Monterey, same question.

 

[Rhonna]

There are some nice towns around SLO - Morro Bay ( with the famous rock), Pismo Beach, Avila Beach -- if you like wine tasting there are lots of wineries in that region too. I think Pismo had a kind of old-fashioned boardwalk type area complete with taffy stores. Carmel is pretty nice too - lots of art galleries ( unless that's stuffy? I think they can be fun if you don't take it all too seriously).

Probably would skip Carmel - I remember touring it before. And no wine tasting. Hoping SB isn't too stuffy.

The boardwalk area of Pismo Beach sounds interesting. Which of those towns you named would you stay at for a couple of nights? It will be home base for walking on beach, seeing the towns in that area and going on a tour of Hearst Castle.

 

[CAFarmerGirl]

I would also look into Capitola (south of Santa Cruz, north of Monterey). There are surfers there, but the town is right on the ocean and there are lots of shops/sidewalks fronting the ocean.

Here is an ocean view of Capitola when we took our kids surfing there one Thanksgiving:

Keep in mind (maybe you already know this), the beaches are foggiest in the summer.

 

[Rhonna]

Thanks, we will either be going spring or fall.

We have to have a half way stopping point somewhere between Monterey and Santa Barbara so that's why I was thinking SLO or somewhere close to that.

 

[mamacatnv]

Capitola is like Monterey - it can be cold and foggy often.
The little cities in that area: Aptos, Rio Del Mar etc are all nice.

Many years ago when DH and I lived in LA we drove to Santa Barbara for an interview for him and we liked Ojay(inland but close to the coast) and Carpenteria. If I remember correctly they are both south of Santa Barbara.
Morro Bay is a favorite of mine, I just like the feel of it. I have several friends who love Pismo

Carmel is very spendy and thinks very highly of itself

I'm not really sure at this point in time if there truly are any jobs that are recession proof.

 

[Rhonna]

Many years ago when DH and I lived in LA we drove to Santa Barbara for an interview for him and we liked Ojay(inland but close to the coast) and Carpenteria.

Morro Bay is a favorite of mine, I just like the feel of it. I have several friends who love Pismo

What did you like about Ojay and Carpenteria? Was it more reasonable living than SB/Montecito (which is notoriously expensive and has a rep for being snotty - sorry if anyone is offended but they don't call it the riviera of America for nothing). Were the areas you liked still nice places? For example, I've heard Ventura is nice and I've also heard it's the slums of SB. I have no idea.

And what drew you to Morro Bay as opposed to SLO or Pismo? The actual beach or the town, and why?

Thanks for all the replies, it will help me get an idea of where we would like to spend some time.

 

[hockeybabe]

I haven't been yet, but I am planning a coastal trip from Monterey (after Yosemite) stopping at Morro Bay, then down the coast the next day. I was thinking of Pismo Beach for a while, but I think I am switching to Morro Bay. We want to do some beach horseback riding (J & J riding), and kayaking (either in Monterey or further down) and I wanted accommodations right on the beach somewhere. I looked at google maps, found a town I wanted to look into, and went to trip advisor and researched opinions there. The original plan was to stay at the Pismo Lighthouse Suites or Sandcastle in Pismo, then I found the Anderson Inn in Morro Bay. It looks great, and with Giovanni's fish and chips in town, and the view of the Rock, and the bay for kayaking, I'm leaning towards Morro. We're still 8 months out, but planning is half the fun!

 

[Miss Peach]

I am from Southern California, but spent six years living in Santa Barbara. I think you might like it. There is a vast monetary divide. The super rich in Montecito and the people that live on the westside ( gangs, poverty, crime).

Lotusland is a trip. Look into buying a membership, it works out to only being slightly more expensive than regular day tickets and it allows you more flexibility as to when you may visit. The quality of the visit depends a lot on the docent leading your tour, good luck!

There are some great hikes in the mountains, waterfalls, etc. If you like beaches, try walking on Burro Beach, the cliffs are right above you.

The cemetery is great too, if you like cemeteries ( I do). (The main one, not the small Catholic one.)

Unique shopping in Montecito on the Coast Village Road. Lots of fancy places to eat.

Santa Barbara, I find, to be a fun place to visit, but living there was a bit remote for me, and I was glad that we had a vacation home in Southern California, so I could get away regularly!! To each his/her own!!

Cathy

 

[Rhonna]

I haven't been yet, but I am planning a coastal trip from Monterey (after Yosemite) stopping at Morro Bay, then down the coast the next day. I was thinking of Pismo Beach for a while, but I think I am switching to Morro Bay. We want to do some beach horseback riding (J & J riding), and kayaking (either in Monterey or further down) and I wanted accommodations right on the beach somewhere. I looked at google maps, found a town I wanted to look into, and went to trip advisor and researched opinions there. The original plan was to stay at the Pismo Lighthouse Suites or Sandcastle in Pismo, then I found the Anderson Inn in Morro Bay. It looks great, and with Giovanni's fish and chips in town, and the view of the Rock, and the bay for kayaking, I'm leaning towards Morro. We're still 8 months out, but planning is half the fun!

Thank you! I looked at the Anderson Inn and it really does look great. (update: just noticed the prices - yikes!) We won't be as adventurous with outdoor activities as you but I since it's a coastal road trip I like the idea of actually being on the water. I hope it isn't a noisy area but the reviews are great. It would be easy to get to Hearst Castle and all the other small towns nearby (SLO, Pismo Beach) from Morro Bay. I think we have that location settled.

Now I just need to find a great place somewhere near or in Santa Barbara that isn't too expensive for a few nights. I love the old spanish courtyard type style of architecture - or a 'Hollywood bungalow' type place. We do need a room with two double/queen beds so no B&B's.

Also, on our way back up the coast after DL we need to find an area and place to stay near the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Not familiar with the area to know a good place.

 

[lcasa]

My son and daughter-in-law live in Ventura - I don't think they consider it a slum of SB! It has a nice beach and pier area as well as a cute downtown with antique stores and used books stores and pubs. SB is a lot of fun too though - rent a bike or segwey or one of those little bike cart thingies and peddle up and down the boardwalk. Both towns have McConnell's Ice Cream stores - pricey but really good. Further south than Ventura can get a bit scuzzy - Camarillo has some not so great areas but does have an outlet mall.

Ojai has a luxury resort that is supposed to be fabulous. Don't know much else about it. Kind of inland - hotter.

Every October we go up to the Morro Bay area for a golf tournament - sometimes it's been in SLO, sometimes in Morro. They're both nice and very close to each other -if you're going to Hearst castle SLO will be more convienient. There's the (in?) famous bright pink Madonna Inn there that might be fun to stay in - each room is different ( and they're all on the internet ). For what you're planning. If you want beach front or close Morro is probably a bit better. Can't help with hotels - we always take a big group and use vrbo to rent a house ( last time there were 10 of us!). I know I saw a place renting kayaks in Morro - and they do cool boat trips where you can see the fish ( not glass bottom - more like glass side).

Do at least some of the 17 mile drive in Monterrey - some of the prettiest sights in CA and maybe the world.

 

[Rhonna]

I am from Southern California, but spent six years living in Santa Barbara. I think you might like it. There is a vast monetary divide. The super rich in Montecito and the people that live on the westside ( gangs, poverty, crime).

Would you stay in Santa Barbara itself or nearby at some of the smaller towns next to it? We have no idea where would be a good place to look for accommodations.

By 'westside' do you mean the western part of SB or do you mean Ventura?

And why is Lotusland a 'trip'? I was hoping for a beautiful botanical garden day tour - is it funky/weird or gorgeous?

Thanks for the input!

 

[Rhonna]

My son and daughter-in-law live in Ventura - I don't think they consider it a slum of SB! It has a nice beach and pier area as well as a cute downtown with antique stores and used books stores and pubs. SB is a lot of fun too though - rent a bike or segwey or one of those little bike cart thingies and peddle up and down the boardwalk. Both towns have McConnell's Ice Cream stores - pricey but really good. Further south than Ventura can get a bit scuzzy - Camarillo has some not so great areas but does have an outlet mall.

Ojai has a luxury resort that is supposed to be fabulous. Don't know much else about it. Kind of inland - hotter.

Every October we go up to the Morro Bay area for a golf tournament - sometimes it's been in SLO, sometimes in Morro. They're both nice and very close to each other -if you're going to Hearst castle SLO will be more convienient. There's the (in?) famous bright pink Madonna Inn there that might be fun to stay in - each room is different ( and they're all on the internet ). For what you're planning. If you want beach front or close Morro is probably a bit better. Can't help with hotels - we always take a big group and use vrbo to rent a house ( last time there were 10 of us!). I know I saw a place renting kayaks in Morro - and they do cool boat trips where you can see the fish ( not glass bottom - more like glass side).

Do at least some of the 17 mile drive in Monterrey - some of the prettiest sights in CA and maybe the world.

Thank you. I was considering staying in Ventura because I thought prices might be too high in SB but wasn't sure there was much to do around there. And I don't know how much to believe that SB is super stuffy and Venture is slums. Is there a middle ground, lol?

Ojai seems too far inland and too expensive.

Why would SLO be more convenient to Hearst Castle than Morro Bay? On the map, Morro Bay is a bit closer to San Simeon and it looks like there is only the coastal hwy. to get there anyhow?

(The Madonna Inn is a bit too funky for our taste )

We will be doing Monterey on the way home and will stop there for a night or two for the Aquarium. If the 17 mile drive is close, we will do it. We have done a lot of that when I was young. I remember the drive, the wind blown trees, Carmel and Hearst Castle. I don't know what towns we stayed in but it was always Motel 6 and Denny's. We'd like a bit nicer accommodations but without breaking the bank.

 

[hockeybabe]

Thank you! I looked at the Anderson Inn and it really does look great. (update: just noticed the prices - yikes!) We won't be as adventurous with outdoor activities as you but I since it's a coastal road trip I like the idea of actually being on the water. I hope it isn't a noisy area but the reviews are great. It would be easy to get to Hearst Castle and all the other small towns nearby (SLO, Pismo Beach) from Morro Bay. I think we have that location settled.

Now I just need to find a great place somewhere near or in Santa Barbara that isn't too expensive for a few nights. I love the old spanish courtyard type style of architecture - or a 'Hollywood bungalow' type place. We do need a room with two double/queen beds so no B&B's.

Also, on our way back up the coast after DL we need to find an area and place to stay near the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Not familiar with the area to know a good place.

Embarcadero Inn in Morro Bay is a little more reasonable.