Enjoy miles of uncrowded beaches, spectacular ocean sunsets and fresh sea breezes of the Central Coast. There are family-friendly beaches, romantic beaches, rocky beaches and, of course, golden sandy beaches. Each beach has its own distinct personality and offerings – click on the links below for a sampling of what various beaches have to offer.

San Luis Obispo County Beaches
Santa Barbara Beaches

San Luis Obispo and Paso Robles Wine Regions

Picturesque San Luis Obispo County boasts two distinct wine country regions, and both attract worldwide acclaim. With over 100 wineries, many welcoming visitors to wine tasting rooms for sampling prize-winning wines, this is a delightful destination for wine lovers.

In the San Luis Obispo wine region, the cool climate and marine sediment combine to produce the most highly regarded, rich, buttery Chardonnay grapes in California wine country.

In the north, the long, hot summers and chalk and limestone hillsides of Paso Robles wine country yield award-winning reds. Superb Zinfandels and Rhone varietals reward wine tasting tours with lasting memories.

For more information on wine tasting near San Luis Obispo and Paso Robles, visit the SLO Wine Tasting website.

Santa Barbara Wine Region

Touring the vineyards and wineries of Santa Barbara County is always a tasty sojourn as featured in the award-winning "Sideways" movie. Tasting rooms and tours are available throughout the area, as well as first-class restaurants and gourmet delicatessens to pack up a picnic. Spending a day visiting winery-tasting rooms is a wonderful way to get to know the County, and is a memorable event all by itself.

To learn more about wine tasting in Santa Barbara County, visit the Santa Barbara Wine website.

Experience the glory and beauty of the most spectacular castle you will ever see! Hearst Castle is a State Historical Monument and one of the most popular visitor destinations in California. A tour of Hearst Castle makes it easy to imagine the social lives of prominent people in the pre-war America, a view we normally only see in the movies. Hearst Castle is located near San Simeon, CA in the Santa Lucia Mountains of San Luis Obispo County. This magnificent estate of 165 rooms and 127 acres of gardens, terraces, pools and walkways commands a stunning view of the Pacific Ocean and the hills and valleys of the Santa Lucias.

For more information or to book a tour visit the website at www.hearstcastle.com.

Small town charm and hospitality await you! The hectic lifestyle the big cities can bring will not be found on the Central Coast Golf Trail. The friendly towns of San Luis Obispo, Pismo Beach, Avila Beach, Morro Bay, Paso Robles, Arroyo Grande, Los Osos, Cambria, Solvang, Santa Barbara and many others all offer a relaxing way of life that will undoubtedly make you glad you came and send you back home refreshed.

Click on the links below to discover the beauty of the small town charm found in the various towns in San Luis Obispo County and Santa Barbara County.

San Luis Obispo County Towns
Santa Barbara County Towns

San Luis Obispo County

Love to shop? San Luis Obispo County in the Central Coast has a little something for everybody - antique stores, boutiques, department stores, specialty stores, toy stores and more.

Don't forget to enjoy the special ambiance of shopping downtown on streets lined with mature trees, coffee shops, restaurants (many with outdoor seating) and the many charming turn-of-the-century buildings.

For more information visit the SLO County shopping website.

Santa Barbara & Solvang

In Santa Barbara, shopping is more than materially rewarding — it's a sensory delight. Over a day of strolling through quaint cobbled arcades amongst bubbling fountains, towering palms, cascading bougainvillea, historic buildings and fresh sea breezes, you will discover a whole new take on browsing and buying.

The American Riviera
Historic Danish Town of Solvang

You name an outdoor activity and the Central Coast has it – from kayaking to surfing, from fishing to windsurfing – take your pick and spend a glorious day under the sun.

Halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles along the central California coastline is a meeting of land and sea that is an integral part of the California State Parks system. Beaches, waterfalls, natural and cultural preserves are all part of the Central Coast State Parks. In this breathtaking region, redwoods march down to the sea, wildlife thrives along the rugged coastline, and sand dunes protect endangered plants and animals as part of this natural treasure.

For more information on the State Parks on the Central Coast visit the State Parks website.

For more information on outdoor activities visit the Great Outdoors website for San Luis Obispo Country or the Central Coast Outdoors website.

www.CentralCoastOutdoors.com

Camping and hiking is available for the family or group with a variety of options throughout the region. This beautiful and temperate region can provide the perfect outdoor escape for your vacation.

For more information on camping in the San Luis Obispo region, visit the Central Coast Camping website.

For hiking trail information, visit the Central Coast Hiking Trails or the Central Coast Outdoors websites.