From Carmel to LA

I'd recommend staying in Cambria as your home base for Morro Bay, Paso, and wineries. You could easily spend a week here, but to hit the highlights, I'd think you'd need about 2.5 - 3 days. Some recommendations:
- Cambria Christmas Market
- Hearst Castle tour
- Elephant Seals
- Harmony Headlands State Park (fantastic hike)

For accommodations, The Cambria Pines Lodge or any of the hotels along Moonstone Beach.
Don't miss The Brown Butter Cookie Company (in Paso, San Luis Obispo, and Cayucos), Main Street Grill, Linns, Robin's, Moonstone Beach Bar and Grill in and around Cambria. Dorn's is delicious and worth the drive for dinner in Morro Bay.

Another great stop between the Central Coast and Santa Barbara is Montana de Oro State Park and Avila Beach, just outside of SLO. In SLO, visit the farmers market and the mission.

Weather should be lovely. Cool in the mornings and evenings, but nice (mid-60s or so) during the day.

Enjoy!

Highway 1 is closed. Has been, and won't reopen for years. The only way to get to Santa Barbara from Carmel is 101. And if you think Santa Barbara hotels are expensive you're not going to like Carmel or Paso Robles. I seriously think you need to revisit the order of places you want to visit.

I’ll be in Carmel this weekend. I’m staying at the Carmel fireplace inn . I can report back when I get there. But there’s no breakfast included. I think that free breakfasts are pretty unusual in Carmel. I think there’s a best western close by and they usually have a free breakfast.

smrtannie,
The farmer's market in San Lius Obispo on Thursday nights is a fun place to have dinner and enjoy the street entertainment, plus buy some yummy produce. If you spend that night in a hotel/motel there, there is a free shuttle bus covering some areas and near many hotels. We (from SoCal) often plan our road trips to coincide with the Thursday evening festivities. There will be lots of places to taste wines, as well as olive oil tastings around Morro Bay, Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo......that whole section of central California. To be honest, you can find wineries in just about every nook and cranny in California. Okay, to begin in Carmel.....

Your drive south from Carmel will bring you inland to Hwy 101 from Hwy 1. Carmel is an upscale town so hotel prices can be high. But depending on when in December you go, you may find some bargains. Get a paper map and look around the area for nearby towns to stay in. By the way, the Mission in Carmel is lovely and is where Fra Junipero Serra is buried. They have a nice little garden. You could spend about an hour there. And some coastal streets in Carmel provide beautiful views of the ocean.

Cambria comes before the Morro Bay area. Just north of it is Seal Beach, where the elephant seals give birth. It makes a nice half-hour stop if the seals are around. (They are really ugly and big!) The Cambria Pines Lodge is very nice place to stay and they have a good buffet breakfast. They also have a restaurant with good food, but last time there our server was horrible (drunk, I think). I would still stay there again. The town is small but nice. On the way there on 101 the Moonstone Beach Bar is a nice place to watch the sun set with a cocktail. It's pretty close to Cambria, so a doubling back for a drink is not unreasonable. 2-3 days in Cambria is too much, IMO, and I would head south. But you can spend another day there to visit Hearst Castle, which needs a reservation, I believe. It is worth seeing once, but if you don't have enough time, about 4 hours, I wouldn't feel bad. It is basically a copy of a European chateau, beautiful, but still cobbled together from European parts. Interesting back story, however.

On the way south from Cambria, all of the central Calif. towns you mentioned are great to visit....laid back, not a lot of museums but lots of natural beauty and a good ambience. (BTW, it is spelled Morro Bay). As mentioned above, try to schedule a Thursday night for the area and the SLO market in town.

Montana de Oro is great for a nature walk and exploration. I would give this area 2-3 days, minimum. Paso Robles and Atascadero are near lots of wineries. Spend one night in Paso Robles and one in SLO (not too far apart), esp. if the SLO night is a Thursday. Then a brief drive to the coast to stay in Morro Bay, Grover Beach, Arroyo Grande, Pismo Beach, Cayucos, all close to each other. Cayucos, dolphins frolicking in the surf. Pismo Beach, Monarch butterflies migrating.

Part of your trip will be on Hwy 101, a drive we always enjoy. The section to the north of Santa Barbara has some great views of the coast. Then it cuts inland to go around Vandenburg Air Base and takes you through Lompoc, a small, basically agricultural based town that has some interesting murals to see as you drive through. (Of course you will be coming from the north.) Also, near Lompoc is La Purissima Mission State Park, where they try to simulate the old mission sways of agriculture. Sometimes there are docents to guide you around. (Check the tourist website for Lompoc). Not far along the road is Hitching Post II, the restaurant featured in the movie"Sideways". Yummy and terrific for carnivores! Solvang is close by here. There is another mission to visit in Solvang, Mission Santa Inez, still an operating church. IMO Solvang is a bit touristy/tacky, but interesting to see once, briefly. (Too many souvenir shops)

Out of space....oops!

Re Hwy 1 closure. Only a section around the 17 Mile drive is closed (landslides). But a good part of the unavailable coastal drive is unavailable because it is part of Vandenburg Air Base. You have always had to go inland for part of this drive.

Once you hit the coast again (after Solvang and Lompoc, the drive along the coast is lovely. There are some nice state parks and beaches to stop for a beach stroll or a picnic lunch (north to south are Gaviota State Park/Beach, Refugio State Beach, El Capitan State Beach.....then, Santa Barbara, not as pricy (or snooty) as Carmel, but very popular year-round. Carpinteria is just south, a beach town, but sometimes cheaper, yet popular also. I have no specific recs for where to stay or eat here. Do check out the Moreton Bay fig tree near the pier and the mission here is beautiful and still an operating church.

Closer to LA county are Ventura and Oxnard. Good beaches in both towns. Ventura had a mission church. Oxnard has a military presence and a large marina. We have visited both towns, and I prefer Oxnard (small and off the tourist beat). There are the US Navy Seabee Museum, the Channel Islands Maritime Museum, and a Carnegie Art Museum, all worth your time (not huge, but interesting). It's more of a working class/retiree type of town...low key and with a good beach.

I hope you have a great road trip. California has so many things to see and do, both big and little, you can find something around almost every turn. Enjoy!

Re Hwy 1 closure. Only a section around the 17 Mile drive is closed (landslides). But a good part of the unavailable coastal drive is unavailable because it is part of Vandenburg Air Base. You have always had to go inland for part of this drive.

I don't think this is quite correct:
a) the 17 Mile Drive is on the Monterey peninsula, is not part of Hwy 1, and is not closed (at least not that I can see). The closure is much further south - south of Big Sur. Your travel around the Monterey peninsula will not be affected;
b) there is also no closure around Vandenburg SFB. Hwy 1 goes right by the base.

The Big Sur closure is disappointing as this is an astounding highway, but you can still see lots of great things. You'll just have to take 101 from the Monterey area to Paso Robles / Morro Bay / San Luis Obispo, instead of 1. Then south of SLO, its 101 you want anyway.

Watch the movie Sideways before going to Buellton / Solvang!

Darren, I apologize for not making myself clear. The coastal road I refer to near Vandenburg is the drive next to the coast. One has always had to go inland to skirt the base. If you are lucky you may be in the area when a rocket is launched from there. It is quite the sight! And yes, I realize the closure below Carmel isn't exactly on the 17 mile drive. BTW, be aware that here is a fee to take the 17 mile drive. It is private land belonging to Pebble Beach Resorts, and the fee is for maintenance they say. About $12-$13 per car per day. If you spend $35.00 at one of the Pebble Beach retail establishments, the fee is refunded. Having driven up and down along the entire California coast (except at Vandenburg), multiple times in the 67 years I have lived in California, I can say that the view from the 17 mile drive is gorgeous, but no more so than many other places along the coast. However, for a one time visit, it is okay. Just very expensive with funds going to an already expensive location. Like Hearst Castle, a one time visit is worthwhile, but not worth a repeat. You may feel differently.

That's a great time of year to see the elephant seals north of Cambria. We love staying at Moonstone Beach but there are more affordable options closer to Hearst Castle. If you stop at Morro Bay, walk on the boardwalk and/or drive out to the rock to see otters.

I’m in Carmel now, staying at the Carmel Fireside Inn. Quite comfortable located on the north side of the downtown area. About a block south is a Best Western that seems to provide breakfast. Most of the hotels are small quirky inns of 10-15 rooms. There are hotels that have full restaurants but they are pricey. The Fireside Inn is running about $300/night for a random day in December.

I have attended the Pebble Beach car week for several years and I try to drive highway 1 through Big Sur whenever I am able. Amazing scenic highway. The latest update for re-opening is March 2026. Going south from Carmel to visit Cambria and Hearst Castle would mean a western and northern detour off highway 101 via highway 46. It's certainly worth it to see those sights and Morro Bay.

When I attend the car week, I try to stay at Asilomar State Park and Conference Grounds in Pacific Grove, which is less than 10 miles from Carmel. This historic property rents to the public and is adjacent to Asilomar Beach and sand dunes. A 5 minute walk to the dunes from the grounds. The historic buildings were designed by the same architect who designed Hearst Castle, Julia Morgan. Newer buildings were added in the 70s to match the historic style and are quieter and better insulated. IMHO, staying there is a better experience than Carmel. Many of the rooms have ocean or forest views for a price much less than Carmel Inns. You can easily drive to Carmel or enjoy the small quaint town of Pacific Grove. Breakfast can be obtained at the Asilomar dining building, if needed.

I also like to visit the La Purisma Mission by Lompoc. before I get to Santa Barbara. I have been to 15 of the 21 California missions. I think this one is the most authentic and sizeable, even though it too was rebuilt at a nearby site after an earthquake destroyed it in 1812.

In Orange County, my favorite beach town is Laguna Beach, which has a great coastline and plenty of shops & art galleries.

Enjoy your trip!

Other thoughts, from north to south …

One price-modest place to stay on the Monterey Peninsula is Asilomar. It is a state park and conference center, adjacent to the ocean and immediately north of the 17 mile drive. Spectacular coastal setting, modest lodgings. No need to be part of a conference to stay there, but get on it if you want to reserve there for next month. LATE NOTE: If you stay at Asilomar, I’d recommend breakfast elsewhere at least some of your days. We usually get at least one breakfast at the Lighthouse Cafe, near the Pacific Grove/Monterey boundary. And, we’ll dine once at Passionfish in Pacific Grove. Carmel has a number of fine dining restaurants, though one place we enjoy there is Yafa (Greek and Lebanese, very good) which apparently does not meet Yelp’s definition of fine dining.

The Pacific Coast Highway, SR 1, is a lovely drive and day trip south from Carmel. It would be high on my list. (2-1/2 hours of driving, RT) Stops would include Point Lobos State Park (1 hour), the iconic Bixby Bridge (10 minutes), Big Sur state park (where there are hikes through Redwood groves; at least an hour), lunch at Nepenthe or Ventana, and Julia Pfeiffer Burns state park on the ocean. With Highway 1 closed south of the Big Sur area, you’ll need to return to Carmel … unless you camp out in Big Sur SP or spring for lodgings at Ventana ($$$-$$$$) or elsewhere in the Big Sur area. A good 6 hour day trip.

Another nice 1/2 day trip is Carmel Valley and its many galleries, inland from Carmel. As part of that day, you could also drop in at Mission Carmel. Of course there’s more to do in Carmel and Monterey (and Pacific Grove): galleries, great dining, bicycling (if you choose to rent bikes, you can do the 17 mile drive, or any part of it, without paying the price of admission), oceanfront walks, the Monarch Butterfly sanctuary and the Monterey Aquarium.

Solvang (mentioned above, north of Santa Barbara and south of San Luis Obispo, Cambria, and Hearst Castle) is quite touristy. Yes lotsa shops and eateries and Danish bakeries, but there are quieter towns and many wineries elsewhere in the Santa Ynez valley to visit.

Another interesting area to visit is Ojai, inland from Ventura, with its galleries, eateries, and interesting cultural history.

I’d skip Orange County.

7 - 10 days …

• 3 to 4 days (4 or 5 nights) in the Monterey, Carmel area, minimum. That allows a day trip to Big Sur, a day in Carmel, the day that includes Carmel Valley, with its mild weather and many galleries. The 4th day could include walking or biking in Monterey along the coast trail from the Monterey Aquarium to Lovers Point. There’s also the Monarch Butterfly sanctuary in Pacific Grove, walking distance from Asilomar.
• 2 days (3 nights) Cambria, Morro Bay and Hearst Castle; Paso Robles and wineries on the way from Carmel to Cambria - or more time there - is up to you. I am agnostic about whether to stay in Paso Robles or Cambria. Looks like it’s a 35 minute drive from one to the other. If you want to spend more time at wineries, stay in PR. If you want to spend more time by the ocean and spend a half day at Hearst Castle, then perhaps choose Cambria.
• Santa Ynez Valley en route to Santa Barbara and a night in or near Santa Barbara. I’d stay in Santa Barbara (1 night). You’ll find something that’s not a budget breaker. BTW, early that day, you might want to take a quick stop in Pismo Beach just south of San Luis Obispo to watch the surfers.
• Day trip to Ojai en route to LA

So that’s 8 or 9 nights, which is 7 or 8 days, plus your arrival day and plus final day of driving and stopping between SB and LA - 9 or 10 total.

You've gotten a lot of great advice. Where are you flying into? Focus on northern California for scenery. Visit the redwoods, maybe near Santa Cruz. I would spend 3 nights in Cambria, visit the elephant seals, tour Hearst Castle, walk around Cambria and Moonstone Beach. Then stop in Morro Bay for lunch and to see otters, maybe walk at Montana de Oro State Park enroute to Paso Robles. Solvang is cute, maybe stop there for lunch on the way to Santa Barbara. Skip Orange County.

To add...there is another Monarch butterfly sanctuary in Pismo Beach on their route to Mexico.