California ROAD TRIP
The best views, hikes and things to do along Highway 1
CAMBRIA, California – Otter and Boone had the right idea. ● Feeling lost and frustrated with the perceived injustices of the outside world closing in on their trouble-making fraternity, the “Animal House” characters had but one solution to cope with their hardships:
“Road trip.” ● Going stir crazy at home during the new coronavirus pandemic, not feeling comfortable hopping on an airplane and desperate to escape the brutal Arizona summer heat, we came up with the same diversion. ● The choice of where to go was easier than finding a beer at a Delta House toga party. We packed up the car and headed to one of the most scenic and iconic stretches of road in the country – California’s Highway 1 – for a five-day getaway. ● The highway, officially designated as State Route1, runs northsouth about 650 miles along the Pacific coast. We focused on the “Highway 1 Discovery Route,” an especially picturesque 57-mile stretch in San Luis Obispo County, about halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco. The route offers access to 13 state parks, numerous hiking and biking trails, wildlife sanctuaries, historic lighthouses, wineries and relatively uncrowded beaches.
Road tripping carefully
Recognizing travelers’ COVID-19 concerns, the area’s tourism board recently launched a new Coastal Discovery Trail route that guides visitors to the best experiences for “social distancing, solo and/or family time and dog-friendly experiences.”
We wore masks and face shields, constantly used disinfectant wipes and sprays, and ate meals on our hotelroom balconies or on restaurant patios. Whether strolling through one of the small towns on the route such as Cambria or Cayucos, hiking on trails overlooking the Pacific or riding horses through a pine forest, we had plenty of space to keep our distance from other travelers. August weather in the coastal parts of San Luis Obispo County was typically 30-40 degrees cooler than Phoenix. At night, temperatures dropped into the 50s.
Here are my top five experiences – all of which can be enjoyed while social distancing – along the Highway1Coastal Discovery Trail in San Luis Obispo County.
Enjoy the view at Ragged Point
At the southern end of Big Sur in northern San Luis Obispo County, Ragged Point offers spectacular views of the rocky coastline and Santa Lucia Mountains plus one of the most challenging hikes in the region.
The Black Swift Falls Trail isn’t long – less than a mile round trip – but it’s incredibly steep, declining 400 feet in elevation to the Pacific Ocean. A narrow path of switchbacks leads to a small black-sand beach fed by a seasonal waterfall. We only made it about halfway down the trail, using a rope part of the way to keep our footing, before we decided it was best to head back. Those who want to venture to the bottom should bring grippy hiking shoes.
Driving to Ragged Point is more than half the fun. The hilly 15-mile section of Highway 1 between San Simeon and Ragged Point is one of the most picturesque stretches of road in the country.
Details: https://highway1discovery route.com/ragged-point.
Ride the Clydesdales
Perhaps best known for their starring role in Budweiser advertising, Clydesdales are one of the largest and most powerful horse breeds. Many have beautiful white markings, particularly on their legs.
Covell Ranch on the outskirts of Cambria offers visitors a chance to ride one of these majestic creatures. I was aboard an 11-year-old mare named Lindsey for a leisurely 4-mile trek through the ranch’s pastures and pine forests. At one point, we reached a bluff with stunning views of the Pacific.
Rides, which take about 90 minutes, are offered twice daily except on Sundays. Reservations are required as each trek can accommodate a maximum of eight riders. You don’t need to be an experienced horseback rider to enjoy the experience. No, Covell Ranch doesn’t offer a cold Budweiser at the completion of the ride.
Details: https://www.covells clydesdaleranch.com.
Taste olallieberry pie
If you haven’t heard of the olallieberry (pronounced oh-la-leh-berry), you’re not alone. The fruit, which tastes like a cross between a blackberry and a raspberry, has only been around since the 1940s when it was developed in Oregon by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The tangy berry was popularized by the Linn family, who started growing olallieberries and other fruit on their farm east of Cambria. Today, the family ships olallieberry products to supermarkets all over the country.
Olallieberry pie has become the Linns’ trademark. I sat down and had a slice in downtown Cambria with Aaron Linn, who grew up picking olallieberries and now runs the family business, which includes a farm store, gift shops and a popular restaurant.
“The fact that it’s somewhat rare is something that makes it more special,” he said of the fruit. “It’s a unique flavor.”
Details: https://www.linnsfruit bin.com.
Do a seaside wine tasting
There are more than 200 wineries in San Luis Obispo County, the state’s third-largest wine-producing region (behind Napa and Sonoma). Perhaps none offers a more spectacular setting for sampling the region’s high-quality red varietals than the Hearst Ranch Winery’s seaside tasting facility in San Simeon.
Located across Highway 1 from the famed Hearst Castle (closed for tours due to the coronavirus), the facility serves 18 wines on socially distanced picnic tables on the beach. The grapes are grown at vineyards in Paso Robles, about 30 miles inland.
If you want to combine your wine tasting with a meal, a mobile restaurant called The Truck serves fish tacos and burgers at the site.
Details: https://www.hearstranch winery.com.
Hike Estero Bluffs
For hikers who want a much less strenuous trek than Black Swift Falls, there is a relatively secluded coastal trail at Estero Bluffs State Park just north of Cayucos.
The 4-mile trail runs parallel to the rocky coast. Like most of the hiking trails on the Highway 1 Discovery Route, Estero Bluffs features viewing platforms with descriptions of the many types of marine life in the area.
Details: https://www.parks.ca.gov /?page_id=22263.
Dan Fellner of Scottsdale is a freelance travel writer. Contact him at dan.fellner@asu.edu or visit his website at https://global-travel-info.com.