Expert: Ernest Tufft - 8/27/2009

Question
I am arranging a drive from San Francisco to San Diego and am trying to find the best stops for art lovers. The plan is to take 4-5 days to do the drive can you suggest any places of interest to stop to look at art?
Thanks
Claire

Answer
Hi Claire,

There are many world-class art galleries in the small towns along CA-1, the coastal highway.  Much of this art is contemporary and overstated in my opinion, many being impressionistic landscapes or abstract art.  Even so, I think these towns provide the best of this sort of things along the coast.  This list goes from north to south:

San Francisco--you'll have to research this on you own, but try visiting the SF Design Center, among many other places.
Santa Cruz--Downtown has several places
Capitola--more Monterey Bay galleries
Monterey--the most famous and the original, but the most touristy too.
Carmel--very upscale--perhaps the most upscale of the small coastal towns.  Started as an art colony in the modern era.
Cambria
San Luis Obispo
Santa Barbara--traditional "art colony" of central coast California (but a larger town, so do some more research)
LA--there are many here--but do your own research (sorry)
Laguna Beach--Southern California version of Carmel
San Juan Capistrano--small gallery section of town
La Jolla--the wealthiest neighborhood in San Diego
Hillcrest District in San Diego (sort of uptown from Balboa Park)

Where I advise more research, I mean Google the names of these towns and browse the Chamber of Commerce and Tourism webpages posted by these towns.  They will guide you in the right direction.  Don't forget to visit museums, such as the Getty in LA.

Hope this helps.