SoCal: The Perfect Coastal Road Trip
A guide curated by Emily Singer
Curated by Emily Singer, @emilyyysinger
The elevator pitch: Looking for the perfect summer road trip? Look no further, we’ve got you covered with the best restaurants, stays, and stops along the Pacific Coast Highway.
When to go: The best time to go is the end of July, when it’s not too hot, but just right.
Where to stay: For early on in your route, I love the Palihouse Santa Barbara ($450+, check prices here). A little further north, the Kindred Oak Farm ($525+) is the cutest B&B in Paso Robles. Up in Big Sur, I love the Alia Ventana Big Sur ($2k+, check prices here). Hint - their Glamping Suites are so cute and much more affordable.
How to get around: If you’re from NorCal or SoCal, best to take your own car or rent one!
TRIP OVERVIEW
What this is: a leisurely jaunt up the California coast
What this isn’t: a crammed car ride to SF
Day 1: Santa Barbara & Montecito
Breakfast at Field & Fort
Relax at Miramar Beach or Butterfly Beach
Lunch at La Super Rica Taqueria
Bar hop SB’s best cocktail bars
Dinner at Sushi Bar by Scratch Kitchen in Montecito
Day 2: Jaunt over to Paso Robles
Breakfast at Bob’s Well Bread Bakery
Settle in at Kindred Oak Farms & enjoy the property!
Lunch at Thomas Hill Organics
Enjoy a sunset & good wine at Booker Winery
Dinner at The Hatch Rotisserie & Bar
Day 3: The Beautiful Big Sur
Breakfast at Big Sur Bakery
Picnic at Pfeiffer beach
Lunch at Coast Cafe, Big Sur
Head to McWay Falls for sunset
Dinner at Nepenthe
THE DETAILED GUIDE
Day 1: Santa Barbara & Montecito
Field & Fort
Breakfast in Summerland
map | site | @fieldandfort
Wanderlust and cheerful. You’re all packed and ready. Head up the coast to Santa Barbara and stop at the darling cafe and shop, Field & Fort in Summerland for a coffee and pastry.
Miramar Beach
Enjoy a beach day in Montecito
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Explore and refresh. The perfect activity on your first day is to hit the beach. I love the Miramar Beach in front of the namesake hotel. It’s a great hiding spot with charming little beach houses nearby. Butterfly beach is also really beautiful, with a long span of shore to walk along.
La Super Rica Taqueria
Lunch in Santa Barbara
map
Local and beloved. Head over from quaint Montecito to Santa Barbara and grab lunch at the famous and delicious La Super Rica Taqueria. If you’re looking for something a bit more upscale, check out Bouchon, but don’t fill up too much, you’ll definitely want to save room for the main event - dinner.
Cocktail Bar Hop
Drinks in Santa Barbara
map
Casual and up-beat. Before your reservation, check out some of SB’s favorite cocktail bars - The Good Lion, Test Pilot, and Shaker Mill.
Sushi Bar by Scratch Kitchen
Dinner in Montecito
map | reserve | site | @sushibyscratchrestaurants
Historic and delicious. My two favorite dinner spots are Arigato Sushi in Santa Barbara and Sushi Bar by Scratch Kitchen in Montecito. Sushi Bar has a special pre-fixe Omakase menu that you have to book tickets for in advance, but boy is it worth it. The cocktails are incredible, the staff are amazing, and each bite is jaw dropping. Dinner at the Sushi Bar is an extremely memorable experience.
Day 2: Jaunt over to Paso Robles
Bob’s Well Bread Bakery
Breakfast in Los Alamos
map | site | @bobswellbread
Artisan and delicious. Hop off the coast for a bit and drive towards the beautiful winery town of Paso Robles. You won’t regret it. First stop on the way is either Bob’s Well Bread Bakery in Los Alamos or Paula’s Famous Pancake House in Solvang. Both are national treasures if you ask a breakfast fanatic like myself.
Kindred Oak Farms
Stay in Paso Robles
map
Boutique and adorable. You’ll settle at the picturesque bed & breakfast, Kindred Oak Farms with the lovely owners taking good care of you. They wake you up with a gorgeous spread of farm-to-table fare, from just outside their home. Walk around the property and make friends with the animals. Be sure to reserve your room far in advance, as they only have four bedrooms and it’s a very intimate, off-the-grid retreat.
Thomas Hill Organics
Lunch in Paso Robles
map | site | @thomashillorganics
Sustainable and organic. Lunch is at Thomas Hill Organics, which serves creative, seasonal farm-to-table cuisine. It is a local favorite in the area and rightly so.
Booker Winery
Wine tasting in Paso Robles!
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Organic and elegant. The only afternoon activity you should do is wine tasting. There’s nothing like the sunset over the winding hills and valleys in Paso. My favorite winery in the area is Booker Winery, which uses organic and biodynamic farming practices. Not to mention, it is the most elegant, sophisticated, and thoughtfully designed facility.
The Hatch Rotisserie & Bar
Dinner in Paso Robles
map | reserve | site | @hatchrotisserie
Casual and seasonal. If you’re not too tuckered out from wine tasting, The Hatch Rotisserie & Bar is a wonderful, casual place to grab dinner. The menu features craft cocktails, small batch whiskeys, and some of the best rotisserie chicken I’ve ever had. If you’re vegetarian or vegan, not to worry - there’s plenty of mouth-watering seasonal vegetables and produce, as well.
Day 3: The Beautiful Big Sur
Big Sur Bakery
Breakfast in Big Sur
map | site | @bigsurbakery
Homemade and rustic. The drive from Paso Robles to Big Sur is approximately 2.5 hours of stunning views at every turn. Your first stop, when arriving in the coastal town, is Big Sur Bakery. The smell of freshly baked bread and pastries is enough to go alone.
Pfeiffer Beach
Relax in Big Sur
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Sunshine and sand. Pfeiffer Beach is right off the Highway and a great spot to picnic or walk along the beach. Home to the famous arch - be sure to bring your camera, as you’ll want to remember this beach.
Coast Cafe, Big Sur
Lunch in Big Sur
map | site | @coastbigsur
Delicious and decadent. Coast, Big Sur, is a great lunch spot - famous for their craft beer and soft-serve ice cream. After your meal, be sure to stop and look at the art gallery attached to the restaurant, where they exhibit works by local artists.
McWay Falls
Explore Big Sur
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Beauty and grace. Sunset is my favorite time in Big Sur and the best place to see it is at McWay Falls. There’s a short trail directly off Highway 1 that leads you to an overlook. This immaculate 80-foot waterfall drops onto the pristine cove.
Nepenthe
Dinner in Big Sur
map | reserve | site | @nepentherestaurant
Breathtaking and unique. For dinner, Nepenthe offers gorgeous cliffside views and an award-winning wine list. It’s a relaxed outdoor patio, perfect for star-gazing and meeting new friends.
What didn’t make the list?
A few additions that will leave you joyful…
Stop by The Cafe on Bridge Street in Cambria on your way to Big Sur!
Enjoy the hot springs spa at Esalen!
If you love this SoCal Road Trip, you’ll also love
Cambria. Jaunt coming soon!
Nearby places to visit
Carmel Valley. A quick train ride away. Jaunt coming soon!
Redwood National Park. A few hour drive north of Big Sur!