AskMEFI Trip Planner - Socal Coast

August 7, 2005 10:40 AM

AskMEFI Trip Planner - Southern California Coastal Mini-honeymoon suggestions: Where should we stay? Where should we eat?

Procrastinator that I am, I'm just now starting to think through the post-wedding mini-moon (we'll do an extended trip next year in Italy). The plan is to fly to LA from Chicago Sept 1, stay the night in LA. The next morning we'll take a rented or borrowed car from LA up the coast. We'll spend labor day weekend working our way up and either drive back to LA or up to SF (if I can arrange the open jaw airfare and can be convinced that it's not too much driving for 4 days). We'd fly back on Labor Day (Sept 5). I've been before, but the bride hasn't. I figure we'll get about as far as Big Sur and Pfeiffer Beach, drink a cocktail at that restaurant on the cliff, and find someplace nice to stay near the water that can be a base for explorations of San Simeon and the rest of the coast. Any recommendations for hotels that are not jawdroppingly expensive? Restaurants for fresh seafood? Sites (aside from the Hearst Mansion). Wine on the southerly coast?

posted by sfz to travel & transportation (13 comments total)

The Madonna Inn
posted by forallmankind at 12:12 PM on August 7, 2005

I've been to the Madonna Inn and am considering it, but apart from the kitch etc, I'm not sold on it yet...Also, I think San Luis Obispo is a little further south than I had in mind for a base...
posted by sfz at 12:57 PM on August 7, 2005

Which is to say - thanks for the suggestion!
posted by sfz at 12:58 PM on August 7, 2005

One of my favorite places in the world is the Santa Ynez valley (a part of Santa Barbara wine country, although it's quite a ways north from the city), which will be along your route. Physically it's a beautiful area and there are some great wines being made there. Much quieter than Napa or Sonoma. There are also several really good restaurants in the area. It's about 3 or so hours from LA to the town of Los Olivos, which is the sort of center of the valley.

Particular wineries I like there are Foxen, Brander, Beckmen, Sanford. Other things to do in the area: horseriding at Circle Bar-B Ranch, petting ostriches and emus at Ostrich Land, relaxing on the beach. The "Danish" town of Solvang is also nearby, but it's fairly kitschy.

Madonna Inn up the coast is also a bit kitschy. But not too far from the Madonna are the Sycamore Mineral Springs, where they have private outdoor hot spring tubs all along this tree-covered hillside. The tubs are open from all day until 1AM. Get a tub and a bottle of wine. They also have what looks like nice accomodations there, but I've never stayed.

The length of coast between the northern end of LA and Big Sur is pretty long (~300 mi) as you probably already know, so it might be better to stop at a couple of places for a few days each for exploring.
posted by shoos at 1:01 PM on August 7, 2005

I second shoos' suggestion to take your time going up the coast, and also for Sycamore Springs. It's an old-fashioned spa built on a mineral spring, off the beaten track with a nice restaurant. If you stay there you could visit the wineries in SLO county, one of my favorite drives is the Far Out trail. Come to think of it, you could stay at the Just Inn, which is a B&B run by Justin Vineyard on the winery property. Even if you don't stay there (it's expensive) you might want to book a romantic lunch there.

I worked in the wine business in Santa Ynez for several years, so I have about a million suggestions for there too. Labor Day weekend will be jammed, but you can still have fun if you avoid the better-known places (i.e., anywhere featured in Sideways). What kind of budget are you working with?
posted by cali at 1:09 PM on August 7, 2005

Actually, cali, I myself would love to hear some of your Santa Ynez recommendations.
posted by shoos at 1:23 PM on August 7, 2005

Hey, I just did that honeymoon myself! The Mrs. and I started in LA, spent night one at The Madonna Inn (which, btw, was the only place that actually cared that it was our honeymoon!).

Day Two we did Big Sur. An amazing drive, to say the least. We had lunch at the Lucia Lodge. Hiked around Pfieffer State Park, then went for massages at the Esalen Institute. You don't have to stay overnight to get a massage there, but you will need reservations. The place is sort of a hippie-haven (complete with clothing optional mineral baths and holistic approaches to yoga), but the massages were amazing, and performed right on a cliff overlooking the coast! That's not a CD of the ocean you're listening to as you enjoy your massage, that's the Pacific crashing down against you! My open-air shower overlooked the coast and I felt like a millionare!

We had dinner that night at Nepenthe and enjoyed the sunset -- which was a so-so sunset by SoCal standards. The air there can be too overcast to create dazzling sunsets.

We wanted to spend the night at the historic Deetjens Inn, but it was booked. So we put an $80 bid in on priceline for a hotel in Monterey (not very nearby, but a doable drive) and the system put us in the Hyatt. Not too bad for eighty bucks.

Spend the next day exploring 17 Mile Drive before ending up in Carmel, where we stayed at a bed-and-breakfast called The Sea View Inn. Not the fanciest place, but very reasonable given the surrounding prices. The place was 3 blocks from the beach (and we were lucky enough to have an ocean view from the window of our considerably cozy room), served us great wine, and had a very friendly staff.

Overall, a great mini-honeymoon. We, too, spent too much time worrying about the wedding to plan a honeymoon on its heels. Enjoy the drive!
posted by herc at 3:10 PM on August 7, 2005

Okay, you asked for it. This will be long, but feel free to email if you need more or want to know about the city of Santa Barbara.

Wine: SYV wines can be divided into two rough categories: those from east/west canyons that benefit from the marine layer and the cooler temperatures (like Pinot Noir and Chardonnay), and those from north/south canyons where the fog doesn't reach and the temperatures are higher (Syrah and other Rhône-style wines, Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc and Sangiovese for the most part). The sub-appellations of Santa Rita Hills and Santa Maria Valley are the main east/west canyons, the north/south canyons are pretty much all in the Santa Ynez Valley appellation. It's best to pick either east/west or north/south and not try to do both in a day, which one you pick will depend on what kind of wine you like.

My favorite Santa Rita Hills stops are Sanford and Babcock, Melville and Palmina are also worth visiting if you have time. In the Santa Maria Valley, Bedford-Thompson and Foxen are my favorites. Byron has unfortunately closed their tasting room, though they still own vineyards and production facilities and will do tours for wine club members. If you visit during either of the vintner's festivals (early October and late April), don't miss the open house at Bien Nacido vineyard where Au Bon Climat, Qupé, Cold Heaven and Verdad share facilities (they're only open those two weekends). My favorites in the Santa Ynez Valley are Rusack, Carhartt, Beckmen, Consilience, and Foley (ask about Flying Goat Cellars, their winemaker's personal label). Brander, Bridlewood and Blackjack are worth seeing if you have time. The prettiest drives are the southern end of Santa Maria Valley, the northern end of Santa Rosa Rd, and Ballard Canyon Rd in Santa Ynez (look for the bison at the northern end).

Food: In tiny Ballard (off Alamo Pintado Rd) is The Ballard Inn restaurant. It has French-Asian fusion, their chef-owner was the sous chef for Ming Tsai at Blue Ginger before opening his own place a couple years ago. In Los Olivos on Hwy 154, it's Brothers at Mattei's Tavern. The Nichols brothers are considered by many to be the best chefs in the area, and when that area includes Santa Barbara that's saying something. I would describe their food as Californian-style American. The Hitching Post in Buellton (featured prominently in Sideways) is the best place for steak, but after the success of the movie it's impossible to get a table there on a weekend. The Chef's Touch in Solvang is a great place for lunch despite the terrible name, it's the baby of a former executive chef who decided he'd rather cook and sell kitchen gadgets than plan menus. People also love Chef Rick's (Cajun) and Grappolo (Italian) in Santa Ynez, they both make food that's too rich for me but if you like an emphasis on creamy sauces you'll like them.

Lodging: Most people stay in Santa Barbara because that's where most of the hotels are, but if you want to be right in the middle of the valley there are a couple nice-but-pricey options. I already mentioned the Ballard Inn, there's also the Santa Ynez Inn right in town, and the Alisal Ranch outside Solvang (with a nice golf course and horseback riding). If you're into camping you can stay at Lake Cachuma between Santa Barbara and Solvang in the Los Padres National Forest.

Nature: They do a nice bird watching tour by boat on Cachuma Lake, and there's good hiking if you drive up Refugio Rd past MJ's house (you'll need an Adventure Pass) and all over the national forest. The closest beach is Gaviota (down Hwy 101 from Buellton), and you can also visit Nojoqui Falls (pronounced Nuh-hooey) down Alisal Rd out side Solvang. Just don't expect to see much water in the summer.
posted by cali at 3:45 PM on August 7, 2005 [1 favorite has favorites]

Sometimes Esalen has rooms for people who are not enrolled in a program, I dont know how much they charge but it is going to be less than the Post Ranch or The Ventana ($500+) congratulations btw
posted by hortense at 4:27 PM on August 7, 2005

So far, the responses have been immense and very helpful. The bride and I will study them together. Thank you all very much!

I'm not sure about our budget - probably looking for an average of around 150-175 a night for accommodations, with some nice meals on the cheap and one big splurge meal. Does that hotel budget sound reasonable?

We've only got about 4 nights, so maybe we will split it up: two nights in santa ynez valley area and then two closer to big sur or even just as far as san simeon, or the reverse order - drive the long drive first and then work our way back down to fly out from LA.

Nepenthe - that's the place I meant that I went to for a cocktail when I did this road trip after college. Thanks for mentioning the name which I had forgotten.

Thanks for the congrats and the suggestions, especially for tuning me in to the wineries in Santa Ynez...
posted by sfz at 5:24 PM on August 7, 2005

Cali, thanks for the suggestions. That will be useful during my next visit. About the hiking... did you mean Figueroa Mtn. Road?
posted by shoos at 7:03 PM on August 7, 2005

I did, thanks for the correction.
posted by cali at 8:05 PM on August 7, 2005

In north Morro Bay, Taco Temple is a favorite,
reasonably priced fresh cusine,just off Hwy1.
posted by hortense at 8:32 PM on August 7, 2005