Sweets & Treats on the Central Coast

Day 1 – Santa Barbara, Cayucos, Cambria

We set out from our departure points this morning for the tranquility of California’s Central Coast. We’ll travel by deluxe motorcoach to downtown Santa Barbara, featuring a kaleidoscope of boutiques, galleries and tantalizing eateries amongst palm-lined thoroughfares and beautiful Spanish architecture. Enjoy time at leisure for browsing and lunch on your own at the variety of restaurants along State Street and at Paseo Nuevo – the Mediterranean-style shopping district. This afternoon we’ll continue north to the quaint seaside town of Cayucos to begin our edible sightseeing at a small cookie factory. The scent of brown butter embraces your senses as you witness the cookie makers meticulously hand-rolling each cookie. One taste of this delicious sweet and salty treat and you’ll come to understand how this humble cookie factory in a small beach town has made a name for itself nationwide. We’ll continue north along Highway 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 spend the next two nights at a charming inn that features cozy rooms with fireplaces and a heated pool and spa. This boutique inn features an oceanfront setting on Cambria’s Moonstone Beach, a spectacular stretch of rugged coastline which offers an extraordinary array of tide pools, a walk-able bluff-top boardwalk and a spectacular vantage point for memorable sunsets. This evening, we’ll enjoy an included dinner with choice of entree at Linn’s Restaurant, the Cambria icon and locals’ favorite that’s known for its contemporary comfort food classics like meatloaf and chicken pot pie. But be sure to save room for what they’re most famous for – warm olallieberry pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top! (Dinner)

Day 2 – Cambria, Paso Robles Wine Country, Harmony

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! At a small and charming boutique olive farm, we’ll take a stroll amongst olive trees and learn their process of growing, harvesting, bottling and shipping. We’ll then do some olive oil tasting, savoring the different flavors and textures as you are guided through how to taste and what to look for in olive oil. 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 Rhone varietals and blends. We’ll be the judges during an included lunch with wine tasting at an award-winning, boutique winery. This afternoon we’ll continue to Harmony, the bite-sized town that’s big on flavor! Legendary for its population of 18, this charming one-block town is a perennial fixture along California’s Central Coast. After enjoying some “udderly awesome,” small-batch craft ice cream from the Harmony Valley Creamery, we’ll enjoy time at leisure to explore the small galleries and Harmony’s famous chapel. We return to our beachfront inn late this afternoon with the balance of the evening at leisure and transportation available to Cambria’s East Village. (Breakfast, Lunch)

Day 3 – Solvang, Journey Home

After an included breakfast, we’ll travel south to the quaint Danish town of Solvang. Known as America’s famous “Little Denmark,” Solvang features quaint old-world architectural styles and flower-lined streets to create a very walkable village. At a family-owned Solvang bakery we’ll take part in a cookie decorating class where you’ll have the opportunity to decorate and devour a cookie along with milk or coffee. We’ll then visit a chocolatier to do some chocolate tasting of their gourmet Danish chocolates and candies that are shipped nationwide. Enjoy time at leisure in Solvang for lunch on your own at one of the delicious restaurants and browsing the delightful shops that offer imported European wares and collectibles. For a true taste of Danish culture, sample the delicious pastries offered by the variety of authentic Solvang bakeries. We continue south to our departure points, arriving this evening with many fond memories of our time tasting our way along the backroads of California’s beautiful Central Coast. (Breakfast)

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.