Scarecrows & Surprises on the Central Coast

Day 1 – Santa Ynez Valley, Cambria

From our departure points this morning we’ll travel aboard a deluxe motorcoach towards California’s Central Coast. We’ll make a surprise stop, in the Santa Ynez Valley and enjoy an included lunch in a beautiful location. We’ll continue north and follow Pacific Coast Highway (CA-1) to the quaint seaside village of Cambria – the artists’ colony nestled in a forest of towering Monterey Pines along a craggy stretch of California coastline. We’ll enjoy a two-night stay in a charming boutique inn that features cozy fireplace rooms with a coastal décor and a driftwood-inspired design. This oceanfront gem is located on Cambria’s Moonstone Beach, recently voted one of the “10 Best Beaches in California” by the readers of USA Today. This spectacular stretch of coastline offers an easily accessible beach with driftwood and collectable shells and rocks, tide pools, a walkable bluff-top boardwalk and a spectacular vantage point for memorable sunsets. Transportation will be provided this evening to Cambria’s East Village, featuring a number of eateries with varied cuisines for dinner on your own. (Lunch)

Day 2 – Cambria, Paso Robles Wine Country

Following an included breakfast, we’ll travel along the backroads through the rolling hills of Paso Robles, famous for its fertile soil and a long growing season of warm days and cool evenings – perfect for growing award-winning olives and wine grapes! The Paso Robles “Wine Country” is home to the oldest grapes in California – they were planted by Franciscan monks as they made their way north on El Camino Real in the late 1700s. With over 200 wineries, this wine region is not only the fastest growing wine region in the state, but more importantly, it’s producing world-class wines – especially Rhône varietals and blends. We’ll be the judges during an included lunch with wine tasting at an award-winning, boutique winery that is as picturesque as they come. After making another surprise stop, we’ll return to Cambria with the afternoon at leisure to relax at the inn, take a walk on the beach or browse the charming shops, boutiques and galleries in Cambria’s quaint and historic village. This time of year Cambria is home to the annual Scarecrow Festival, when hundreds of imaginative and whimsical scarecrows descend upon this seaside village. Now in its 16th year, this festival was named ‘One of the Nation’s Top 10 Autumn Festivals’ by USA Today and “One of the Top 10 Scarecrow Festivals in the U.S. and Canada” by the Travel Channel. Transportation is available to Cambria this evening for dinner on your own. (Breakfast, Lunch)

Day 3 – Wild Horse Sanctuary, Journey Home

After an included breakfast, we’ll visit a small, family farm where a variety of pumpkins and winter squash are grown on-site. Here you’ll find sugar pie pumpkins for pie making, jack-o-lantern type pumpkins for carving, huge 100 pound plus pumpkins, tiny pumpkins, heirloom Cinderella pumpkins, and yellow, green, cream, white and striped pumpkins. Pick the ones you like for an additional fee and we’ll store them for you during the ride home. The charming farm store is filled with fresh produce, gourds and variety of local items while friendly farm animals await your affection. This afternoon we’ll enjoy an included lunch and tour of a 1,500-acre wild horse sanctuary that provides a safe haven to almost 400 wild horses, including 29 burros. This sanctuary provides a unique opportunity to see how these spectacular creatures live in their natural environment as herd animals and maintain the natural behaviors and social structures they’re accustomed to in the wild. On a short, guided walking tour we’ll observe the herd, meet some of the mustangs and learn about the staff’s dedication to preserving the freedom, diversity, and habitat of America’s wild horses. This evening we’ll return to our drop-off points with many fond memories of our Central Coast autumn escape. (Breakfast, Lunch)

While we make every effort to operate our tours as outlined in the itinerary, we ask for your patience, understanding and flexibility and to retain a sense of adventure while traveling with us. Situations may arise that necessitate changes to the itinerary. Should we need to adjust the itinerary either prior to or while on tour, these changes will be communicated to you and only done when absolutely necessary.