Freeway 1 Street Journey: San Luis Obispo County

Our Freeway 1 street journey by means of San Luis Obispo County was an unbelievable expertise! We drove in from San Francisco and spent 5 days having fun with ocean views, using horses, happening motorbike rides by means of wine nation, and tried unbelievable meals and wine.

We explored charming coastal cities like San Simeon, Cambria, and Avila Seashore, stopped at iconic landmarks like Hearst Citadel, and even went whale watching.

This stretch of California’s Freeway 1 is stuffed with scenic stops and hidden gems alongside this a part of California’s Central Coast.

Ragged Level: Cliffside Sunsets And Dinner

A sundown dinner at Ragged Level Restaurant was the right strategy to the day after our 5 hour drive from San Francisco. With a spacious eating room, a big outside patio, reside music on choose evenings, and steps from attractive sundown views of the Massive Sur Coast, the environment was simply pretty.

We have been starved, so we went large. We began with the oysters rockafeller, adopted by the Snake River Farms ribeye and the filet. Our parts have been fairly beneficiant, particularly the ribeye, and every part was cooked to order.

After our meal, we walked over to the close by path, sat down in adirondack chairs and watched probably the most beauitful sundown whereas listening to the waver crashing in opposition to the coast.

Though we didn’t keep at Ragged Level Inn, it’s proper subsequent door for many who have been on the street all day and want a spot to get some relaxation.

San Simeon: Oceanfront Stays, Hearst Citadel, Elephant Seals, and Wineries

San Simeon is a small coastal city alongside Freeway 1, greatest referred to as the house of Hearst Citadel. The world provides rugged shoreline views, seashores, and wildlife, together with a big elephant seal rookery.

Cavalier Oceanfront Resort

Cavailer Oceanfront Resort was the primary homebase on our street journey. Positioned proper off Freeway 1 in San Simeon, the property is sort of massive. You could have mountains behind you and the Pacific Ocean in entrance.

Most rooms have balconies or patios dealing with the ocean, making it straightforward to benefit from the views throughout your keep. Our room was cozy, and being on the primary flooring allowed us to simply stroll to the ocean. It’s chilly within the evenings, so we appreciated that our room had a fire (most, if not all rooms, do).

The property has heated swimming pools, sizzling tubs, mulitple firepits, massive garden video games like chess, and a relaxed atmostphere good for unwinding after a day of exploring. Their on-site restaurant, the Cavailer Coastal Kitchen, made it straightforward to seize a satisfying meal earlier than beginning our adventures for the day.

Hearst Citadel

Throughout our go to, we took a tour of Hearst Citadel. A California historic landmark, 1,600 ft above sea degree, Hearst Citadel was the property of William Randolph Hearst, who was recognized for internet hosting events for Hollywood’s elite within the Nineteen Twenties and Nineteen Thirties.

When you arrive on your tour, you’ll be pushed up a winding hill to the property—if you happen to’re afraid of heights, shut your eyes! On the prime, you’ll be a part of a guided tour of the attractive property, that includes Mediterranean, Spanish Revival, and Roman-inspired structure. You’ll discover rooms crammed with artwork, large swimming pools, gorgeous sculptures, and flower-filled gardens.

Elephant Seal Vista Level

The Piedras Blancas Rookery, often known as Elephant Seal Vista Level, is a free attraction that households will love. Throughout mating season, from December to March, you possibly can watch these northern Elephant Seals both sunbathing or sparring for territory. Enjoyable reality: male elephant seals have inflatable noses used to intimidate different males.

Sebastian’s Normal Retailer

If lunch, I extremely advocate a cease at Sebastian’s Normal Retailer. It’s a historic landmark that previously offered provides to miners and sailors. Immediately, you possibly can store for cute native items or seize a scrumptious deli sandwich for lunch. There may be indoor seating, in addition to coated seating outdoors.

Hearst Ranch Vineyard

Throughout the street from Sebastian’s, Hearst Ranch Vineyard is a pleasant place to spend a day tasting wine by the Pacific ocean. The vineyard provides completely different estate-grown wines that includes Paso Robles grapes.

Cambria: Trip Clydesdales, Take A Seashore Stroll, and Discover the Cutest Downtown

Cambria is a captivating village with a downtown is stuffed with artwork galleries, vintage shops, boutique outlets, and cafés. Close by, Moonstone Seashore is a good place to stroll the boardwalk, seek for tidepools, and look ahead to sea otters or dolphins.

Covell’s Ranch

At Covell’s Ranch, we took a guided horseback experience on big Clydesdales by means of acres of rolling hills. It was unbelievable to be on one in every of these light Scottish giants, particularly since there are so few locations in the US the place you possibly can take them on a path experience. All ages and ability units are welcome. This was my first time on a horse and the experience was seamless.

Moonstone Seashore Boardwalk

We walked the mile-long Moonstone Seashore Boardwalk, a wood path that runs alongside the shoreline with stunning ocean views, tidepools, and the possibility to identify sea otters and dolphins. There are a number of spots that lead all the way down to the water the place you possibly can see the colourful rocks referred to as “moonstones.”

Moonstone Seashore Bar Grill

Throughout the street from the boardwalk is Monestone Seashore Bar and Grill. It appeared to be a well-liked spot as there was a line of individuals ready for it to reopen round 5 PM. We opted to take a seat on the coated patio because it was such a pleasant day, however there may be additionally indoor seating in addition to a bar space. We tried the seared scallops, fish tacos, and salmon. Each chunk was fantastic.

Downtown Cambria

One afternoon, we headed to downtown Cambria for a little bit of buying and exploring. The world is tremendous charming with artwork galleries, boutique outlets, antiques, and cafes. It was a relaxed, welcoming environment with artistic vibes.

Brydge Restaurant

After searching downtown, we stopped for a chunk at Brydge Restaurant. It’s a comfortable spot in a historic constructing, recognized for its contemporary, seasonal delicacies. We tried the roasted mushrooms with parmesan, truffle oil, and breadcrumbs, and the pork meatballs in a wealthy tomato-piquillo sauce. The whole lot was mild, refreshing, and scrumptious.

San Luis Obispo: A Motorbike Sidecar Tour By means of Edna Valley Wine Nation

We took a motorbike sidecar tour by means of San Luis Obispo wine nation, and it was such a singular strategy to discover the vineyards and scenic backroads of Edna Valley.

The open-air experience gave us unbelievable views and a way of journey as we stopped at Baileyana Vineyard, contained in the historic 1909 Independence Schoolhouse, to style wines constructed from their property vineyards.

We additionally visited Claiborne & Churchill Vineyard, the place we sipped crisp Alsatian-style wines like Dry Riesling and Dry Gewürztraminer in a backyard setting.

Avila Seashore: Hillside Scorching Tubes, Humpback Whales, and a Energetic Downtown

Avila Seashore is one other small coastal city with seashores, a pier, and calm waters good for kayaking or paddleboarding. Its walkable downtown is crammed with cute outlets and eating places, making it excellent place to spend the afternoon.

Sycamore Mineral Springs Resort & Spa

For the our second Freeway 1 street journey residence base, we stayed at Sycamore Mineral Springs Resort & Spa. It was a calming and opulent escape within the wooded hills of Avila Seashore. Our room had a balcony with a personal mineral-spring sizzling tub, and we additionally booked a hillside tub one night for a one-of-a-kind soak below the sycamore bushes.

For meals, we dined at Gardens of Avila, the place the chef makes use of contemporary herbs and greens from the on-site backyard to create farm-to-table dishes. And within the Secret Backyard you possibly can get pleasure from wood-fired pizzas and reside music.

Avila Seashore Whale Watching

In the future, we went whale watching with Captain Mark in San Luis Obispo Bay, and it was such an thrilling expertise. We noticed sea lions, sea otters with their infants, and big humpback whales. In the summertime and fall the humpbacks feed on anchovies and placed on a present with breaching, tail-slapping, and different dramatic behaviors.

Downtown Avila Seashore

We additionally frolicked exploring Avila Seashore’s downtown, which is stuffed with colourful, enjoyable outlets and oceanfront eating places. There are ice cream outlets, locations to purchase souveniors, boutique clothes shops, and locations that supplied connoisseur items. There was additionally a market with distributors and reside music within the promenade the day we visited. It was a really household pleasant environment.

Mersea’s Seafood Restaurant

Lunch at Mersea’s Seafood Restaurant at Port San Luis serve fresh-caught seafood with unbelievable harbor views. We ordered the purple chowder, fish tacos, and a calamari sandwich, and every part tasted contemporary and flavorful. Sitting on the deck with the ocean breeze made the meal even higher.

Fats Cats Café

Fats Cats Café is a comfortable spot at Port San Luis recognized for hearty breakfasts and basic consolation meals, and boy was it good! We cherished the beneficiant parts and pleasant, laid-back environment. It was named one of many “10 Greatest” for greatest brunch in California by USA Immediately’s 10Best Readers’ Alternative Awards.

San Luis Obispo Co. Freeway 1 Street Journey

Our Freeway 1 street journey by means of San Luis Obispo County was the right strategy to expertise California’s Central Coast. This stretch of Freeway 1 is stuffed with experiences you simply can’t discover wherever else!