Make self-care a priority and visit Santa Maria Valley for your next getaway. Lay low on your trip and venture in new ways with exercise, healthy foodie finds and most of all–inner happiness. Adopt the art of meditation walks, see thousands of beautiful monarch butterflies or try a variety of yoga classes while sipping on your favorite local brew or wine. Make your retreat to the Central Coast a kick-start to a healthier and happier life.
1. Let time flutter away at the Monarch Butterfly Habitat
Change, transformation and new opportunities – the Monarch butterflies are considered one of the most majestic insects on the planet and symbolize the beginning of a new life. At the Monarch Dunes Butterfly Habitat in Nipomo, you can witness the mesmerizing beauty of up to 10,000 Monarch butterflies from November through February and experience a migration that still remains an unsolved mystery. Enjoy a peaceful walk around the nineteen acre habitat and reminiscence as you watch thousands of beautiful Monarch butterflies on the limbs of Eucalyptus Pines. Visitors can picnic at the tables provided for nature lovers to enjoy as the watch the butterflies camouflage themselves as orange leaves. Don’t miss out on the opportunity of a lifetime.
2. Oh-so serene at Oso Flaco Lake
Take a meditation walk for inner peace at Oso Flaco Lake. Walking meditation is a simple practice to help one achieve a feeling of calmness and tranquility. Go for a walk around the beautiful dirt trail or boardwalk and enjoy all the wonderful gifts of nature. This scenic lake is the perfect path for the views to a beautiful sunrise or sunset. Oso Flaco Lake is a part of the Oceano Dunes SVRA (State Vehicular Recreation Area), a California State Park with a wide variety of wildlife. This is the quiet side of the dunes and is the perfect spot to take a stroll alone or with others while enjoying the rhythmic sounds of the birds. Check out all the great beaches of the Santa Maria Valley.
3. Vinyasa at the vineyards
Renew yourself with the gift of a relaxing gentle yoga session and a glass of wine with candlelight cave yoga at Cottonwood Canyon Vineyard & Winery. De-stress and take part in this all-level inclusive yoga class in the wine caves lit by candlelight. Yoga’s benefits are both physical and mental, helping fight anxiety and stress. Finishing up the guided meditation, you will receive an exclusively-curated wine tasting menu to end the sweet experience on a relaxing note. Unwind on your next trip to the Santa Maria Valley and sip on delicious wine with a twist. Cheers and namaste!
4. Be one with beer
A quality brew tastes even better after a refreshing hour of yoga. The Naughty Oak Brewing Company provides a pint of high-quality brew after an hour of beer yoga. The idea of beer yoga started in Germany and combined a variety of yoga poses while drinking beer. It doesn’t get any better than setting your intentions over an ice-cold brew while working your inner bandhas. Try this activity with your travel buddies or alone–either way you will walk away relaxed, relieved and full of a pint or two of this local brew!
