Pit Stops between San Francisco and Santa Barbara (via the 101)

August 1, 2023 5:18 PM

Looking for recommendations for safe locations near the highway to stop for stretching the legs, using the toilet, grabbing a snack.

Not looking for sightseeing recommendations; more for short stops breaking up the drive.

Thanks!!

posted by jerome powell buys his sweatbands in bulk only to Travel & Transportation (12 answers total)

From north to south:

Soledad (it's happening in soledad!) has a good selection of Mexican food and bakeries, you can't really go wrong there. There's a small park near downtown, Vosti Park, with some trees and green space and a bathroom, perfect for kids.

There's an official Caltrans rest area near Camp Roberts with big signs, you can't miss it! It has clean bathrooms and water fountains and vending machines.

Los Alamos County Park (on Drum Canyon Road in Los Alamos) is another nice little park with restrooms that's pretty close to the highway.

I'd normally recommend stopping at Gaviota SP (a very nice little beach under a train trestle) or the rest area right by there but both of them are closed right now! Once you're past there, there are a lot of nice beaches but you're so close to Santa Barbara that there's no real point in stopping.
posted by Brassica oleracea at 5:39 PM on August 1, 2023 [3 favorites]

All of the above, plus:

The 101 takes you right through downtown San Luis Obispo and its tiny satellite Pismo Beach-- SLO is a nice, quiet, beautiful little technically-a-city-but-the-population-is-47,000 and it's easy to find a way to do all of the above (pull off into a gas station, find coffee shop for snacks, take a walk).

If Solvang is the right distance for you, you might also be interested in Buellton, which has Andersen's World Famous Split Pea Soup. I have eaten this soup. I have zero memory of whether or not the soup is good. There sure are a lot of signs for it though, it'll be on your mind by the time you get there.
posted by peppercorn at 5:51 PM on August 1, 2023

Are you going on the 101 all the way, or going the 101→154 route? The latter is shorter, and if going that way, then making a stop in Santa Ynez might be nice, and also getting a bite to eat at Cold Spring Tavern off the 154.
posted by StrawberryPie at 6:22 PM on August 1, 2023

Response by poster: yes, i'll be taking the 154 at that last leg. thanks for the reminder!

thanks all for the recommendations so far!
posted by jerome powell buys his sweatbands in bulk only at 6:30 PM on August 1, 2023 [1 favorite]

Oh god, no offense but please do not stop at Andersen’s for split pea soup lol…. If you want to make Buellton a stop, check out Industrial Eats or the new and highly acclaimed Na Na Thai if passing through on a weekday. If passing through the central coast early in the day I recommend Bob’s Well Bread for a quick bite, Los Alamos is an easy stop off the 101 and there are also gas stations, albeit pricey ones. If you’re taking 154 for the scenery go for it but it doesn’t actually save you any time because you’ll end up getting stuck behind someone slow, every time.

A bit further north I would recommend stopping in Shell Beach. Again depending on time of day, Sando’s Deli is a hidden gem and you can take your sandwich down the road for a picnic on the bluffs. Right off the highway. If you really need to stretch your legs you can go for a short hike (there’s a trail that is .75 miles) at the Pismo preserve right off the highway as well.

Parking in Pismo this time of year is a nightmare so do not recommend for a quick on/off the highway stop.
posted by sparringnarwhal at 7:50 PM on August 1, 2023 [3 favorites]

I like Andersen's split pea but it's the only good thing on the menu there. CA grocers also have it in cans.

Gas stations close their toilets at 9 /10 pm even if they're open 24/7...a cashier did relent and give me the key when I told her that I was about to wet myself( I'd made a point of buying something).
posted by brujita at 9:19 PM on August 1, 2023

No snacks, and it seems you have to pay to go inside now, but if you're at all interested, visit Mission San Miguel, just north of Paso Robles, an easy diversion off the 101.

I have enjoyed sit-down meals at both Andersen's but as a split-pea soup aficionado I must declare that Campbell's cans contain the better-tasting product (and the better value, compared to Andersen's canned). But do get off the freeway in Buellton, taking the 246 through Solvang over to the 154, where you can get real Danish pastries, I recommend from either Olsen's or Mortensen's.
posted by Rash at 6:52 AM on August 2, 2023

Many of the rest stops along 101 are closed. That has included Camp Roberts. I'd confirm that they've reopened before counting on them for a stop.

Gonzales is also a good place to stop. There's a McDonald's right off the freeway and it's connected to a large parking lot with a Starbucks, Subway, a taqueria, etc. You can quickly park, make a pit stop and grab a bite as needed.
posted by annaramma at 8:19 AM on August 2, 2023

A note on the 154 - it's technically shorter and I used to take it when the speed limit on 101 was 55. Now 101 is faster (65 limit most of the way, but people drive 70+), but the 154 is not. The 154 is also one lane each way, so if you get stuck behind something it can be a long drive.

The 154 is nice, but don't do it assuming you'll save any time. It's hit or miss.
posted by It's Never Lurgi at 8:51 AM on August 2, 2023 [1 favorite]

We did that route south to north a few years ago, with a slight detour through Palo Alto for nerdy reasons: Santa Barbara > Solvang > Pismo Beach > Monterey > Palo Alto > San Francisco
posted by emelenjr at 1:10 PM on August 2, 2023

Has anyone mentioned The Madonna Inn yet?
posted by my log does not judge at 6:53 AM on August 3, 2023 [1 favorite]

Absolutely The Madonna Inn.
posted by magnetsphere at 2:21 PM on August 3, 2023