Before you go
Getting there: The Central Coast is no misnomer — it runs right through the middle-west of California, about equidistant from San Francisco and LA. The roughly three hour drive on the 101 and the 1 is pleasant from either side and full of great places to stop, up from LA through Santa Barbara and wine country, or down from San Francisco through fertile ranch towns known for artichokes, garlic, and more. If you’re going to fly, it’s probably a little easier to come through LA, though you can fly directly into San Luis Obispo, Monterey, or Santa Barbara.
What to pack: Weather stays on the chilly side of moderate year round, from foggy summers through cold — but rarely freezing — winters. Bring a jacket, but you probably won’t need your parka. Most of the fun stuff to do in the area involves getting out and about in nature, so do bring comfortable shoes and some of your finest athleisure-wear.
Take this home: I never leave the Central Coast without several bottles of local wine, maybe from Cambria’s Parr Collective, or another of the many outstanding wineries along Highway 46, which runs directly between the coast and Paso Robles. But for something a little more kid-friendly, look into anything made with Cambria’s collective obsession — the tart blackberry-rasperry hybrid called olallieberries. Stores in town sell all sorts of olallieberry products, including pies, syrups, and jams, all of which make good souvenirs.