Page 53 - 2024/2025 Travel Guide to CALIFORNIA

The Los Padres National Forest stretches across the scenic Coast and Transverse ranges, and offers a wealth of opportuni- ties for fishing, hiking, camping and bicycling. Kayak among tide pools and kelp forests where sea otters live in Morro Bay, or just amble along miles of scenic beaches, stop when you want to, and dig your toes in the sand.
Heritage & Culture
Many place names on the Central Coast remain from Native American tribes, as well as from Spanish and Mexican settlers. The California missions and other well- preserved buildings still exist from before 1850, when California became a state. The Central Coast’s inland region has a wealth of land for agriculture—from the salad bowl to wine to olives—but farmers here are just as comfortable taking a quick trip to the wide, sandy beaches during breaks from the harvest.
DRIVE TOUR
Get more than a glimpse of the Central Coast by driving south of Big Sur on HIGHWAY 1 past the small beach towns of CAMBRIA, MORRO BAY and PISMO BEACH. Be sure to stop regularly to sample local delicacies, whether caught from oceanside piers or made by hand in beach-town bakeries. The highway cuts inland for a short jog after San Luis Obispo, but pops back to the beach before approaching the Santa Ynez Mountains and posh SANTA BARBARA.
Family Fun
The Central Coast is a wonderland for fami- lies, with historic sites, accessible beaches and outdoor space, and water activities. See underwater without diving at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, or be a kid again at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Inland, get a look at California’s pre-statehood past and follow the California Missions Trail along Highway 101—always a good lesson for grade- schoolers and adults alike. South through Big Sur, the variety of hiking paths can lead you to a pink-sand beach or a seaside waterfall.
View underwater life on a semi- submersible tour in Morro Bay. Discover how the ocean has shaped the history of the Central Coast at the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum. Go camping in the Channel Islands or Los Padres National Forest. Even picking your own berries at a local farm is far more fun when you can smell the ocean air and not hear the sounds of traffic.
2024-25 TRAVEL GUIDE TO CALIFORNIA 51