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This Central Coast vacation and travel guide will introduce you to the coastal region of California located between the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles. While this region is perhaps best known for its stunning Highway 1 coastline vistas, it also offers abundant opportunities to enjoy “the good life” – invigorating outdoor adventures, award-winning wines and you-really-can’t-get-any-fresher-than-this foodstuffs from land and sea.

From the world-famous Monterey aquarium and Carmel’s scenic 17-Mile Drive, to Big Sur (for which adjectives seem somehow inadequate), the Hearst Castle, the Paso Robles wine country, Solvang’s little piece of Denmark, Santa Barbara’s “American Riviera” and all the way out to the unspoiled wilderness of the Channel Islands National Park, there’s really nothing like this piece of the California coastline.

A unique feature of the Caliornia Central Coast is year-round whale watching opportunities available in the Santa Barbara area. From December through mid-February, Gray Whales traverse these waters on their southern migration and then they head back north from mid-February through the end of April. Additionally, from May to November, large pods of giant Blue and friendly Humpback Whales feed in the nutrient-rich waters between the coast and the Channel Islands, and there are many boat-tour operators in the area to assist your viewing and enjoyment of these incredible creatures.

Another much smaller creature that returns again and again to a few different Central Coast locales (as well as other coastal areas in the state) is the Monarch Butterfly. They gravitate to Pacific Grove (near Monterey), Andrew Molera State Park (about 20 miles south of Carmel) and Pismo Beach (near San Luis Obispo) among other places, arriving in October/November and leaving the following January/February.

There is much to enjoy – both outdoors and indoors – and you’ll learn about some of the best California has to offer in this Central Coast vacation and travel guide.

The Central Coast also offers insight to an important part of the Golden State’s history as about half of the California Missions can be found here. At Mission San Miguel, located eight miles north of Paso Robles (and the only Mission in the U.S. with the original interior frescoes still intact), you will see exactly what the Spanish padres and soldiers and Salinan Indians saw in the 1800s. These wall paintings were done in 1821 under the direction of Spanish artist Esteban Munras, and viewing them is like stepping back in time. (Note: At the time of this writing, the church where the frescoes are housed is closed awaiting repairs and restoration, but the Mission Museum and gift shop remain open to the public.)

There’s also a Museum of Natural History at Morro Bay State Park (from which the famous Morro Rock can be seen), and another bit of history – this time the Central Coast’s railroad heritage – is preserved at the Santa Maria Valley Railway History Museum.

Are you interested in learning about other California vacation destinations? Check out these articles…

Central Valley Vacation Ideas

Deserts and Inland Empire Vacation Ideas

Los Angeles Vacation Ideas

North Coast Vacation Ideas

Orange County Vacation Ideas

San Diego Vacation Ideas

San Francisco Bay Area Vacation Ideas

Shasta and Cascades Vacation Ideas

Sierras and Gold Country Vacation Ideas

Wine Country Vacation Ideas

After the highway turns inland at Gaviota State Beach, travelers are foreclosed from easily seeing the beautiful California Central Coast beaches until north of Lompoc and Vandenberg Air Force Base.  It should be noted that the coast, which has been running almost east-to-west through Santa Barbara county, now turns decidedly north-south, and the water turns decidedly more chilly than it is further south.  This “dog leg” is basically a boundary between the warm sandy beaches of Southern California and the brisker beaches of the central coast and further north.

The first major beach area you reach is Pismo Beach, which has a wide expanse of white sand with reasonable surf, oceanfront lodging and other amenities.  Dogs are allowed on the beach, on a leash. 

You can no longer harvest clams (which were overharvested by people and the sea otter), although Pismo was the “clam capital” of California for many years.  Nearby wineries, the monarch butterfly grove, shopping, surfing, fishing and a host of other activities beckon.  Tucked between Rt. 1 and the beach is a wonderful array of inns, lodges, hotels, hostels, resorts and vacation rentals. This is a tourist town with a fabulous, uncrowded beach.  It is here for your enjoyment, especially in the warmer summer months.

Avila beach, a few minutes north and off Rt. 1, is smaller, newer and a bit more sophisticated than Pismo. The beach is more sheltered, and the hotels are more resort like.  Golf and hiking are popular non-beach activities here, as the physical beauty of the surrounding area is astounding.  This is a great place for a spa-like getaway.

After ducking inland to San Luis Obispo, Rt. 1 rejoins the coast at Morro Bay.  Unlike Pismo, where accommodations are a block or two from the beach, Morro Bay is a real town with a working waterfront and the hotels are in town. The area beaches — just north of town and a wonderful pristine state beach on the south side — are a short drive away.  The area around Morro is also a wildlife refuge, and it’s a great place to watch birds.  Just up the road a mile or two is Cayucos State Beach, where you will find a wonderful array of restaurants, and “On The Beach Bed and Breakfast” offers an exemplary lodging experience. 

Moonstone Beach, near Cambria, has wonderful ocean view inns and motels, but the beaches in this area are more to be looked at than used.

From here, Rt. 1 begins the long, spectacular run through Big Sur and “beaches” is not what you think of in this Central Coast locale. You think: Vistas… rustic charm… meditative retreat, perhaps, but not it’s very different than the typical California beach lifestyle.  In fact, you won’t see much beach for almost 100 miles, until Carmel-by-the-Sea, specifically Carmel River State Beach and Carmel City Park.  The Carmel peninsula, of course, is famously rocky, but both here, on the south side, and at Monterey on the north you will find sandy beach and plenty of hotels, motels, resorts and inns from which to enjoy it.

Monterey State Beach is one of the most spectacular beaches on the Central Coast.  In addition to swimming and surfing, the park attracts scuba divers.  Visitors also enjoy kayaking, kite-flying and volleyball, and the flat beach is an excellent place for beachcombing.  There are miles of sandy beaches to enjoy here, with a youth hostel, resort-class hotels and several intermediate accommodations in between.  A seaside path for walking and biking delivers a knockout view at sunset.  Monterey Bay beaches are essentially totally public and very well preserved from Monterey to the Santa Cruz county line at Rio Del Mar.  

You should come explore and enjoy California’s Central Coast beaches. There is something here for everyone.

Photo of Avila Beach Sunset, Central Coast, CA by Nat W via flickr (Creative Commons).

Related posts:

Best San Diego Area Beaches

Best Orange County Beaches

Best Los Angeles Area Beaches

Best Santa Barbara Area Beaches

Misc. Travel Resources

Note: Information in this article was accurate
when it was published, but hours, prices, etc.
change constantly. Please confirm details
with local contacts before traveling.

Was this article useful and/or interesting?
Would you please consider bookmarking or sharing it?
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Heading north from Los Angeles, the first of the Santa Barbara area beaches you will reach is in Carpenteria.  (Rincon is technically in Ventura County, part of California Tourist Guide’s Los Angeles area, so it isn’t considered in that calculation.)  The state beach there allows camping, and amenities include restrooms, showers and bike rentals.

The beaches here are superb, but like all Santa Barbara area beaches, you can get some tar on your feet – so plan on wearing sandals and you may also want to bring some baby oil (for removing the tar).  Carpenteria Shores has some great beachfront vacation rentals available if you prefer a more luxurious vacation in this area.

In Santa Barbara itself, there is East Beach and West Beach, both of which face south.  East Beach has loads of amenities – restaurants, volleyball, beach rentals, even a zoo!  Parking can be a problem, but you can park a few blocks away and walk.  West Beach is a bit mellower and has great views of boats coming and going. 

While both of these Santa Barbara beaches have a broad range of beachfront hotels, ocean-view motels and inexpensive inns, in our opinion accommodations around the West Beach area offer the best value.  Along with the good variety of accommodations available, the Santa Barbara City College campus is adjacent and the wonderful walking paths of Shoreline Park are nearby for your enjoyment.

It should be noted that because Santa Barbara faces south and the nearby Channel Islands create a bit of a seabreak, you are not as likely to find good surfing conditions in this area as you will elsewhere on the California coast.  If you seek a surfing vacation, Santa Barbara beaches are not your best choice.

Arroyo Burro Beach, also known as Hendry’s Beach, is only a couple miles up the coast, but it might as well be worlds away – very secluded, quite beautiful and a lovely place to hang out.  Parking can be an issue, so come early.

The next few miles are surprisingly desolate and hard to reach, but Goleta offers Goleta Beach County Park and the beaches next to the University of California, Santa Barbara.  Goleta Beach offers fishing, picnic areas, volleyball, good parking and a nice restaurant.

Refugio State Beach and El Capitan are wonderful swimming beaches.  There is little else to do and no amenities, so bring everything you need: food, water and sunscreen.

Gaviota Beach (and State Park) is where the highway turns inland and leaves the coast, and beneath a train trestle is a parking lot and pier perfect for walking or fishing.  It’s small and remote, but worth a stop before you leave the coast.

Photo of Santa Barbara Beach by Chris Isherwood back soon via flickr (Creative Commons).

Related posts:

Best San Diego Area Beaches

Best Orange County Beaches

Best Los Angeles Area Beaches

Best Central Coast Beaches

Misc. Travel Resources

Note: Information in this article was accurate
when it was published, but hours, prices, etc.
change constantly. Please confirm details
with local contacts before traveling.

Was this article useful and/or interesting?
Would you please consider bookmarking or sharing it?
We appreciate it!