The Central Coast is the stuff of California dreams. From boulder-studded beaches to cute towns, there’s plenty to love about this part of the Golden State. I’ve published a lot of Central Coast itineraries on the California Wayfaring blog, and today I want to pull them all together in one place. My blog post will show you the highlights of this part of California, from Santa Cruz to Big Sur and beyond. I’ve included a map, too.
Central Coast Itineraries
Right in the middle of California’s long shoreline, the Central Coast is not only one of my favorite places to go to the beach in the Golden State, but also one of my top picks for an all-around destination. This region has a bit of everything, from stunning scenery to charming villages and great wine tasting.
Having grown up in the Bay Area, I’ve been coming here all my life. I spent nearly every weekend of my childhood sailing in Santa Cruz, not to mention countless trips to Carmel, Monterey, and beyond. In recent years I’ve done everything from day trips to road trips on the Central Coast, and I’ve shared about all of them here on the blog. From Capitola to Cambria, I’ve covered a lot of this part of California.
I hope to bring you many more Central Coast itineraries in the future. I’ll add them to this blog post as I publish them. If you want to bookmark this post or pin it on Pinterest, you can use it as an easy reference for finding all my past, present, and future Central Coast guides.
1. One Day in Santa Cruz
The first of my Central Coast itineraries is for spending a day in Santa Cruz. It covers the highlights of what you can see and do in this famous surf city in a short time. From Natural Bridges State Beach to the downtown area and Santa Cruz Wharf, it has the highlights.
Additionally, the itinerary will show you great places to eat and local areas most visitors miss. There’s a beautiful place to stay if you’re able to spend a night here, too.
If experiencing some of the best of Santa Cruz sounds good to you, you can see the full itinerary here. It’s one of my favorite places on the Central Coast, and I’m sure you’ll love it as much as I do.
2. One Day in Carmel
The next of my Central Coast itineraries is for one day in Carmel. It’s for you if you want to see a cute town and experience a mix of wine tasting, restaurants, and shopping. It will show you a good range of things to do in a short amount of time.
The itinerary includes plenty of time exploring the charming streets of Carmel-by-the-Sea, a trip to the beach, a tasting at a local winery in Carmel Valley, and a great place to stay if you’re able to make your trip an overnight one. It also includes lunch and dinner in town.
If discovering a range of things to do in Carmel sounds like your kind of getaway, you can see the full itinerary here. It’s a fun one for first-time visitors and regulars alike.
3. One Day in Santa Barbara
The next of my Central Coast itineraries is a great one if you want to visit the southern end of the region. It will take you to Santa Barbara for a day of exploring the city.
The itinerary covers a range of things to do and see in downtown Santa Barbara. From the Funk Zone to wine tasting, lunch, and the beach, it has it all. You’ll get to explore State Street and the Santa Barbara Public Market, too. The itinerary also includes a stay at a famous hotel and a special dinner.
If that all appeals, you can check out the full itinerary on my guide to spending 1 day in Santa Barbara. It will show you how to have a fun trip to the city.
4. 24 Hours in Big Sur
My next Central Coast itinerary revolves around one of the most famous hotels in California. If you’re interested in staying at an iconic property in Big Sur, this one is for you.
The itinerary covers how to spend 24 hours at Post Ranch Inn. This legendary hotel sits on expansive grounds overlooking the Pacific Ocean. From hiking trails to massages and pools with views, there’s plenty to keep guests entertained throughout their stay. Add to that a restaurant overlooking the waves, and it’s hard to want to leave this place.
This is a great itinerary if you want to base yourself at a famous hotel and you don’t want to do too much driving once you’re in the area. If that appeals, you can see the full itinerary on my blog post with a Post Ranch Inn review.
5. 24 Hours in Santa Cruz and Aptos
The next of my Central Coast itineraries is one that covers Santa Cruz and Aptos. If you want to experience both a famous city and a local one, it’s for you.
The itinerary covers everything from whale watching to Santa Cruz Wharf, a beautiful beach in Aptos, and dinner in downtown Santa Cruz. There’s a great place to stay, too. If you’re intersted in experiencing a range of things to do, see, and eat in this part of the Golden State, it’s just the ticket.
If that appeals, you can see all the details on my itinerary for 24 hours in Santa Cruz and Aptos. It’s perfect if you want to experience a mix of classic coastal areas and less visited ones.
6. Avila Beach
The next of my Central Coast itineraries is for you if you want to visit Avila Beach. It’s great for first-timers and those wanting to see as much of this cute oceanfront town in San Luis Obispo County as possible in a quick trip.
The guide features the best things to do in town. From the stunning beach to the shops, restaurants, and local highlights, it covers all the bases. It even includes a trip to nearby Pismo Beach for the city’s famous cinnamon rolls. If you enjoy a laid-back coastal getaway with lots to do and experience, it’s for you.
If that all sounds good, you can see the details on my blog post about the best things to do in Avila Beach. It’s ideal if you want to stay on the coast and discover a range of what this part of the Golden State has to offer.
7. 36 Hours in Santa Cruz
The next of my itineraries is perfect if you have a bit more time and you want to explore one of the most famous surf cities in California. Not only does it cover the highlights of Santa Cruz, but also a great place to call home-away-from-home while you’re in town.
The itinerary features a lot of the main things to do in Santa Cruz. From shopping in the downtown area to visiting Seabright Beach and going on a catamaran cruise in Monterey Bay, it will show you a broad range of experiences. It also has great local restaurants, coffee shops, and ice cream parlors.
If experiencing some of the best of Santa Cruz sounds like your kind of getaway, you can see the full itinerary here. It’s perfect for first-time visitors and regular road trippers alike.
8. Weekend in the Santa Ynez Valley
The next of my Central Coast itineraries is for a weekend in the Santa Ynez Valley. It’s ideal if you enjoy visiting cute towns and going wine tasting, as it offers a mix of local spots, famous filming locations, and world-class wineries.
This itinerary is centered around the pretty town of Santa Ynez. It includes a stay at a beautiful hotel, time in the towns of Los Olivos, Solvang, and Los Alamos, shopping, sightseeing, and wine tasting.
If spending 48 hours experiencing a range of the best the area has to offer appeals to you, you can see the full itinerary here. It’s perfect if you like going inland and discovering a lot of the places locals love. If you have more time, you can take a look at my guide to spending a long weekend in the Santa Ynez Valley.
9. 2 Days in Santa Barbara County
The next of my itineraries is for a 2-day getaway to Santa Barbara County. It’s just the thing if you have a weekend or mid-week break in the southern part of the Central Coast and you like experiencing a mix of restaurants, shopping, wine tasting, inland towns, and beaches.
This itinerary includes a stay at a beautiful coastal hotel, a restaurant in downtown Santa Barbara, beach time in Goleta, wine tasting in the Santa Ynez Valley, and a trip to one of the most unique taverns in California. It also features a special dinner in Montecito.
If spending a couple days experiencing a variety of things to do in Santa Barbara County sounds like your kind of getaway, you can see the full itinerary here. It’s perfect if you want a big mix of what the county has to offer visitors. It’s also a great one if you’re traveling in a group (but it’s equally good if you’re not!).
10. Weekend in Santa Cruz and Capitola
The next of my itineraries is for a weekend escape to Santa Cruz and Capitola. It’s perfect if you have a couple days to spend in the area and you want to experience the best of two neighboring places.
This itinerary is centered around a stay in Capitola. The picture-pretty town features colorful buildings and lots of natural beauty. The guide also includes a stay at a great local hotel, beach time, drinks at a famous restaurant, a catamaran cruise from Santa Cruz Harbor, cliff walks, and a few places up the coast.
If taking a weekend to discover the highlights of Santa Cruz County sounds like your kind of getaway, you can see the full itinerary here. It’s a fun one if you’ve been to the area before or you want to see a few places that aren’t firmly on the tourist trail.
11. Sideways Wine Tour in the Santa Ynez Valley
The next of my itineraries follows in the footsteps of Miles and Jack’s famous road trip in the movie Sideways. From local towns like Solvang to wine tasting at some of the places from the film, it has it all.
The itinerary includes a stay in the whimsical Danish-inspired town of Solvang, local restaurants from the movie, and wineries that Miles and Jack went to. It also includes local towns like Los Olivos and famous spots in Buellton.
If basing yourself in Solvang and doing a range of activities from the movie appeals, you can see the full itinerary on my blog post about a Sideways wine tour. It’s a fun one if you love visiting filming locations and enjoy excellent food, wine, shopping, and unique towns in equal measure.
12. Long Weekend on the Central Coast
The next of my itineraries is for you if you have 3 days on the Central Coast and you want to see the highlights. From exploring Cambria and Paso Robles to visiting Hearst Castle and going to beloved local restaurants, it covers a range of things to do.
This itinerary is centered around stays in Cambria and Pismo Beach. It includes plenty of wine tasting, shopping, coastal gems like Morro Rock, dinner in San Luis Obispo, and other local highlights. You’ll get to experience the famous lights at Sensorio, too.
If you like the sound of this trip, you can see the full itinerary here. It’s a great one if you want to get an overview of a number of places in San Luis Obispo County and experience the highlights of what it has to offer.
13. 4 Days in Big Sur, Carmel, and Monterey
My next Central Coast itinerary covers a trip to Big Sur, Carmel, and Monterey. Many visitors want to see all three parts of the region in one trip, and this is a great one if you have several days to spend here. It will show you a good overview of each place.
This itinerary starts in Big Sur, where you’ll spend a couple days exploring, hiking, and enjoying some of the best beaches and restaurants in the area. The trip continues in Carmel, where it covers popular destinations like Carmel Valley and Carmel-by-the-Sea. It ends with a quick stop in Monterey to have lunch and see the highlights of Cannery Row.
If a combination of Big Sur, Carmel, and Monterey sounds good to you, you can see the full itinerary here. This is a great one if you want to get a feel for how the three places differ and discover the highlights of each one.
14. Monterey to Malibu Road Trip
The next of my itineraries is for a road trip down the coast. If you have a day to drive from Monterey to Malibu, this is a perfect one. It will show you a broad range of things to do as you make your way south on Highway 101.
The itinerary features everything from doughnuts in downtown Monterey to wine tasting in Paso Robles, a classic road trip lunch at In-N-Out Burger in Atascadero, more wine tasting in the Santa Ynez Valley, and a sunset dinner by the ocean in Malibu.
If exploring multiple parts of the Central Coast (and beyond) appeals, you can see the full itinerary here. This one is for you if you’re pressed for time and you want to get a feel for a number of places in one day.
15. 5 Days in Big Sur
My next itinerary is for a Big Sur road trip. If you have 5 days to explore this famous part of the California coast, it’s a perfect one. It will show you a broad range of things to do and see, and you’ll get to experience a lot of the highlights.
The itinerary features everything from famous waterfalls to coastal hikes, pristine beaches, local restaurants, and two unique places to stay. You’ll get to see the redwoods, have sunset drinks, and sit on Adirondack chairs in the middle of a river.
If spending an extended amount of time exploring Big Sur appeals, you can see the full itinerary here. This one is for you if you have time to go at a slower pace and you want to immerse yourself in one of the most famous places on the coast.
Map of Central Coast Itineraries
As promised, I’ve created an interactive Google map of all my Central Coast itineraries. You can see it here. If you click on the blue pins, you’ll find my blog posts about each one. They can help you plan a great trip to the region.
Central Coast Itineraries
I hope my itineraries have inspired you to spend time visiting this part of California. There’s so much to do here, whether you want explore the coast or experience the inland areas.
If you want to see more, you can take a look at my blog posts with road trip itineraries. From my 2-day road trip to my 5-day road trip, they’ll show you the highlights of the Central Coast and beyond.
Find this helpful? Buy me a coffee!
Pin it!