The ultimate California Central Coast road trip starts with Santa Maria Valley as your home base.
Whether it’s your family summer vacation, a weekend girls’ trip, or a getaway with your sweetheart, Santa Maria Valley offers something for everyone during your California Coast road trip. The Central Coast offers pristine weather, scenic coastal views and more than enough activities to keep you busy between Los Angeles and San Francisco. The best part? Santa Maria Valley is right in the heart of it all where you can see and do more for less. Read on for a California Central Coast road trip itinerary and some spots you don’t want to miss along the Central Coast on your next getaway.
Make Santa Maria Valley your home base, jumping off point, and the place to rest your head at night, as you coast through your California road trip itinerary.
Your California Road Trip Itinerary:
- Head to San Luis Obispo County
- Visit Historic Mission San Miguel
- Tour the Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa
- Perch on the Pismo Pier
- Lay your head to rest in Santa Maria Valley (Don’t forget to explore, too!)
- Hike around La Purisima Mission
- Experience Danish culture in Solvang
- End your trip at Old Mission Santa Barbara
Stop One on Your California Central Coast Road Trip: San Luis Obispo County
Before laying your head to rest in Santa Maria Valley, the first stop on your California Central Coast road trip is none other than San Luis Obispo County! Just 1.5 hours north of Santa Maria Valley is the northern coast of San Luis Obispo County is the gateway to Big Sur and Monterey Bay. This region is home to all types of marine wildlife and many federally protected marine areas. The Piedras Blancas Light Station near San Simeon is part of a California Coastal National Monument. Nearby Ragged Point offers stunning scenic coastal hiking. If you’re lucky, you may spot a group of elephant seals! What better way to spend your first destination on your California road trip than admiring some beautiful wildlife?
1.5 hours north of Santa Maria Valley
4 hours north of Los Angeles
2.5 hours west of Bakersfield
4 hours south of San Francisco
Next Stop: Visit Historic Mission San Miguel
If your ideal California Central Coast road trip involves some historic landmarks, Mission San Miguel is a must-stop along the way. This historic Mission is just 30 minutes away from San Luis Obispo and an hour north of Santa Maria Valley. Founded in the late 1700s, Mission San Miguel has been a historic hallmark of the Central Coast for more than 200 years. The mission is located in the town of San Miguel, just north of Paso Robles. It features a guided museum and gift shop, so you can take a piece of history home with you after your Central Coast road trip.
1 hour north of Santa Maria Valley
3.5 hours north of Los Angeles
2 hours west of Bakersfield
3 hours south of San Francisco
See the majesty of Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa on your Central Coast road trip
Another beautiful mission worth seeing on your ultimate California road trip is Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa. This beautiful Spanish mission is located near Santa Maria in the town of San Luis Obispo. The mission was built in 1772 and has since been restored to maintain its original beauty. Today, the mission is an active Catholic church and features a beautiful garden, museum and guided tours.
30 minutes north of Santa Maria Valley
3.5 hours north of Los Angeles
2.5 hours west of Bakersfield
3.5 hours south of San Francisco
Perch on Pismo Pier during your California Coast road trip
The final stop on your ultimate California road trip before resting (and exploring) in Santa Maria Valley is the Pismo Beach Pier. Pismo City Beach lines the downtown district of the city and is home to the famous Pismo Beach Pier. This iconic oceanside landmark is popular for walking, fishing and photography, and it juts out nearly 1,400 feet over the Pacific Ocean! You can relax on the beach, watch an amazing sunset, and enjoy some local street food and beverages. The Pismo Pier is definitely a stop worth having on your California Central Coast road trip!
20 minutes north of Santa Maria Valley
3 hours north of Los Angeles
2.5 hours west of Bakersfield
4 hours south of San Francisco
When you make Santa Maria Valley your launch point for your California Central Coast road trip, you’ll get so much more, for less. There’s so much to see and do from here. Plan your trip with our itineraries or explore lodging options.
The ultimate Central Coast road trip destination: Santa Maria Valley
Since you’ll be laying your head to rest here while on your California Central Coast road trip, it only makes sense to explore all that Santa Maria Valley has to offer. Santa Maria Valley alone is home to more than 30 winery tasting rooms and the majority of the wine growing region in Santa Barbara County. Known for its Pinot Noir, Syrah and Chardonnay varietals, Santa Maria Valley has something for everyone and is the perfect home base for your California coast road trip.
Depending on the season, you can take a ride on the Santa Maria Wine Trolley and explore Santa Maria Valley wineries in style! While in season, the Santa Maria Valley wine trolley runs in a loop every Saturday and Sunday and allows passengers to step on and off at their convenience. The stops change every year, so be sure to check back in before you stop here on your California road trip.
It wouldn’t be a California Central Coast road trip without some finger-licking local cuisine! That’s why after you’ve worked up your appetite tasting our wine varietals, it only makes sense to head on over to The Swiss for some authentic Santa Maria Style barbecue. Kick your feet up and enjoy some delicious red-oak fired tri-tip before you venture out again on your Central Coast road trip.
With multiple lodging options, you’re sure to find the perfect place to stay while on your California road trip. And if you need help finding things to do while you’re here, we can help you plan your trip and create the perfect itinerary made for you.
3 hours north of Los Angeles
2 hours west of Bakersfield
4 hours south of San Francisco
Tour the only California mission with hiking trails – La Purisima
While keeping Santa Maria Valley as your home base during your California Coast road trip, take a day trip over to La Purisima for some history and hiking! This historic piece of Spanish and Chumash culture boasts more than 25 miles of trails on 2,000 acres for visitors to explore. It’s the most fully preserved and restored of the three missions within the California State Park system and boasts one of the most authentic looks. The mission has trail maps available at the entrance station adjacent to its visitor center and gift shop. Definitely give this crown jewel a stop on your ultimate California road trip.
30 minutes south of Santa Maria Valley
3 hours north of Los Angeles
2 hours west of Bakersfield
4 hours south of San Francisco
Get in touch with Danish culture in Solvang
Perhaps one of the most unique experiences one could take on a California Central Coast Road trip is stopping in a Danish town full of culture. Located in the Santa Ynez Valley, the small village of Solvang is known as “a little slice of Denmark in Southern California.” The city features architecture, food and art inspired by Danish culture. Don’t miss the Elverhøj Museum of History & Art, which explores the city’s Danish heritage. The best part is, Solvang is only a 40 minute drive from Santa Maria Valley, so you can easily head back for some more mouth-watering barbecue and a place to lay your head.
40 minutes south of Santa Maria Valley
2 hours north of Los Angeles
3 hours west of Bakersfield
4.5 hours south of San Francisco
Witness the stunning architecture of Old Mission Santa Barbara
No California Central Coast road trip is complete without a stop in Santa Barbara, often called the American Riviera thanks to its Spanish Colonial Revival architecture and rich heritage. One of their incredible historic landmarks, Old Mission Santa Barbara, is a must-see while you’re here. This large mission, located in Santa Barbara, features many hallmarks of traditional Spanish culture paired with modern flair. It is home to the St. Barbara Catholic Parish as well as traditional Franciscan Friars. The mission also hosts a museum, library and gift shop. What better way to end your ultimate California road trip than with beautiful architecture and a bit of history?
1.5 hours south of Santa Maria Valley
1.5 hours north of Los Angeles
2.5 hours west of Bakersfield
5 hours south of San Francisco
We can’t wait to host you here in Santa Maria Valley during your California Coast road trip! Santa Maria Valley is the perfect home base right in the heart of all the fun. We feature mouth-watering Santa Maria Style barbecue, more than 30 wineries and tasting rooms, plenty of hiking trails, and so much more. Check out our lodging options for a place to lay your head after you’re done exploring.
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In Santa Maria Valley, there’s so much to do from here. Hit the road and explore it all with our 24 hiking trails, 34 tasting rooms, seven unique AVAs, 13 beaches, and a growing selection of local breweries, all within a beautiful 30-minute drive. There is no need to venture far if you are looking for sand dunes, cycling and authentic Santa Maria Style dining. You’ll find it’s the perfect home base, where you can eat, drink and do more for less.
