California Coast Road Trip

Posted on February 2, 2026
by Jenny
with 0 Comments

Last spring break we set out from our home in Orange County and drove north along the California coast for a road trip full of charming towns, ocean views, and memorable experiences. We had the absolute best time with no big hurry to get anywhere fast. It was exactly what we needed and I wanted to finally share about the trip here. Find a simple itinerary at the bottom of this post.

First Stop: Solvang – Danish Village Charm

Our first stop was Solvang, a super cute town made for strolling, sampling sweet treats, and shopping. It really does feel like you’ve been transported to Sweden, and we loved wandering the streets and popping into bakeries and boutiques. You don’t need long to see the entire town, so we only stayed for about two hours, then continued on our California Coast road trip.

Second Stop: Avila Beach – Pier & Seals

Next was a quick seaside pause in Avila Beach. We drove down Harford Pier (in California it is very rare that you can actually drive on to the pier). We watched harbor seals and breathed in the fresh sea air. A few people were on the sand and a handful dining on the pier, perfectly relaxed. This stop took us less than an hour. If you wanted to stop prior to Avila Beach, I grew up going to Pismo Beach and it has some nice beaches and seaside eats. Also close by is San Luis Obispo, which I have a post on HERE.

Third Stop: Paso Robles – Wine Country Fun

We spent our first night at a Best Western in Paso Robles. Nothing fancy, but an ideal location for everything we wanted to do in the area. That evening we experienced Sensario, which was absolutely incredible. It is a fully immersive outdoor light installation. Think fields of colorful lights, music and magic. Photos and videos don’t do it justice, but we did try and you can see our video HERE. We give it 5 stars and highly recommend the full experience for a special birthday, romantic date, celebration, or unique family outing. They did host us, but I would go back and pay the full price admission ticket!

We kept our base in Paso, but the next day we headed to Santa Margarita for zip lining with Margarita Adventures. Just a short 15 mixture drive and we were off on their Zip & Sip tour. We soared over beautiful vineyards, then enjoyed lunch and tasting at Ancient Peaks Winery. The views were stunning during the zip lining and the food was delicious (full experience HERE). We were hosted by Margarita Adventures, but again, I would go back and pay for the tour + lunch.

That night we explored downtown Paso Robles. We fell for the quaint town square, shops, and restaurants, and made sure to save room for dessert at Negranti Creamery. We spent a total of two nights in Paso Robles.

Fourth Stop: Big Sur – Wilderness & Waterfalls

From there we drove into Big Sur and stayed at Big Sur Campground and Cabins (our full review HERE). We hiked Pfeiffer Falls and Valley View Trail and visited the iconic McWay Falls. Lunch at the famous Nepenthe offered beautiful vistas, great food but do expect a wait. We also enjoyed eating at Big Sur River Inn, they have big chairs that are on the banks of the river and if it’s warm enough you can sit with your feet in the water.

We did stop to visit the very quirky Henry Miller Library, it was just ok for us, but I’ve heard they do small concerts on the grass in the summer time, which does sound fun. Overall, we loved the peacefulness of Big Sur, losing cell service, and feeling disconnected from the world. Enjoying the campground, cooking s’mores by the fire and just relaxing was one of the best parts. We spent a total of three nights here, you could do just two.

Fifth Stop: Carmel – Scenic Coast & Point Lobos

Once we left Big Sur and headed toward Carmel we made a very quick stop off the road at a place called Garrapata State Park. If you blink, you may miss it, but don’t. It had the most beautiful valley of Cali-lillies and a short walk by the ocean. Once in Carmel we had breakfast at Mission Ranch Restaurant, owned by the famous actor Clint Eastwood. We watched sheep graze with the ocean in the distance, a must do for people of all ages.

We spent the rest of the day at Point Lobos, an absolute must. These had our favorite trails of the entire trip! The mix of towering trees and dramatic ocean views made this experience we would do over and over again. We didn’t make it to the downtown Carmel area, but this is definitely on my list for next time. I would also highly recommend 17 mile drive, we didn’t make it this trip, but have done it in the past and it is absolutely gorgeous. We spent one full day in Carmel, but could have used two.

Heading Home (or Keep Going)

We had to wrap up the trip in Carmel and head back home to Orange County, though you could easily continue north to Monterey (Monterey Bay Aquarium) and San Francisco (Pier 39, Ghirardelli Square, Lombard Street, Alcatraz, and more, read about our SF trip HERE). If you live in Northern California, this itinerary works just as well in reverse. Once in Orange County you can visit so many amazing beaches, find our favorite ones HERE. Plus, of course, you could always make a stop at Disneyland. Check out our tips for that HERE.

Final Thoughts & Quick Tips

This California coast road trip was a perfect blend of small-town charm, outdoor adventure, and scenic coastal beauty, we highly recommended for a long weekend or extended getaway. Quick Tips: 1. Allow extra time for scenic stops and short hikes. 2. Reserve popular experiences (Sensario, Zip & Sip, Nepenthe) in advance. 3. Be prepared for limited cell service in Big Sur. 4. Bring layers, coastal weather can change quickly. We went in April and, as you can see, we were in jackets and beanies almost the entire trip.

Bullet-Point Itinerary

Day 1 Morning/Afternoon: Depart Orange County → Solvang (walk, bakeries, shopping) → Avila Beach (Harford Pier, seals) → Paso Robles (check in hotel)
Day 1 Evening: Sensario experience (book full experience)
Day 2 Morning/Afternoon: Drive to Santa Margarita → Margarita Adventures Zip & Sip (zip lines + Ancient Peaks lunch)
Day 2 Evening: Explore downtown Paso Robles → Dinner and dessert at Negranti Creamery
Day 3: Drive to Big Sur → Check into Big Sur Campground & Cabins → Relax & Enjoy campground
Day 4: Hike Pfeiffer Falls & Valley View Trail → Visit McWay Falls → Lunch or Dinner at Nepenthe
Day 5: Drive to Carmel → Breakfast at Mission Ranch → Hike and explore Point Lobos → Return drive to Orange County (or continue north to Monterey/San Francisco)