Expert: Steve Summers - 6/1/2004

Question
Hi!  I am heading to California in a couple of weeks.  I will mainly be in San Francisco but will be coming to LA to visit an aunt for a couple of days.  She lives in Camarillo.  We (my fiance and I) are having a hard time trying to plan what we are going to do for those few days.  Do you have any recommendations?  I have already been to Hollywood.  We were thinking Santa Barbara but are not even sure what to do or see there.  We are up for trying just about anything - not a big fan of hiking or anything like that.  Any suggestions would be appreciated!  Thanks!  Peggy

Answer
Hi Peggy,

Here are a few hints for you, going north to south:

On the way from SF, you should definitely see the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Cannery Row. Bubba Gump's is a fun place to eat, although it is a bit expensive. If you want great seafood on the cheap, go to the Sea Harvest Fish Market & restaurant, 598 Foam St, just off Cannery Row. You might also want to spend a day in Carmel, which has lots of neat shops.

From Monterey, take highway 1 through Big Sur, down to San Simeon. Big Sur is very beautiful, as long as you don't mind the windy road. Stop by the Riverside Inn in Big Sur and wet your feet in Big Sur Creek. The Big Sur Gallery is also a neat place to stop and look around. Enjoy the view as you drive to San Simeon. There is an elephant seal colony at Piedras Blancas, which is quite impressive. (www.pelicannetwork.net/sansimeon.html) Be sure to stop at Hearst Castle to take a tour, if you haven't already. It is another impressive sight. (www.hearstcastle.org)After all that driving, you might want to spend the night at the Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo (SLO). www.madonnainn.com. It's a bit more expensive than the Best Western, but you have to admit that the rooms are unique. The Apple Farm is also a good place to stay in SLO.

From SLO, continue down 101 and take a little side trip to Solvang, a quaint little Danish town. Just turn left at Buellton and go about 5 miles. Just for fun, have an Abelskivver.

Oh, Santa Barbara is SOOOO nice. You could easily spend a couple days there, and it's less than an hour from Camarillo. The best place to go is State Street, where there are shops and restaurants galore. State Street runs from the beach towards the mountains, and the first two miles or so are mainly shops and restaurants. One of my favorites is the Acapulco restaurant, tucked away just off of Anapamu. It has a fountain and an outdoor patio, and my wife & I love to eat there next to the fountain.

Carpinteria is another very nice beach town, 10 miles before Santa Barbara. Just take 101 North and get off at Casitas Pass Road. Turn left, turn right at the light (Carpinteria Ave), then take a left on Linden Ave. The Spot (right next to the RR tracks) has great burgers, but also has excellent tostadas and "special quesadillas". Cabo's on Carpinteria Ave is also good. Take a couple of beach chairs and relax on the beach, or check out the nifty little shops on Linden Ave.

Have you visited the Queen Mary in Long Beach? Nice ship, and you can stay on board.

Have you thought of Disneyland Resort? My wife and I love Disneyland, and even though we live 15 minutes away, we occasionally spend a night at the Disneyland Hotel or the Grand Californian, and go to the parks for a couple days. It's the best way to go: Wake up and get into the park when it opens, ride a few rides, then when the park gets crowded, go bak to the hotel for a swim in the pool and/or hang around in Downtown Disney. Go back into the parks later in the afternoon or early evening when the park is cooler, and you can enjoy a few more rides. Get a 2 or 3-day Park Hopper, and you can go to Disneyland and California Adventure (DCA). The new Tower of Terror ride at DCA is incredible.

That should keep you busy! :)

Have fun,

Steve