Issue link: http://globelitetravelmarketing.uberflip.com/i/149736
CENTRAL COAST Endless beaches without the crowds PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY and California poppies, the state flower. INTERNATIONAL GATEWAY Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), 98 miles (158 km) from Santa Barbara; 192 miles (309 km) from San Luis Obispo TOURISM WEBSITES sanluisobispocounty.com santabarbaraca.com travelpaso.com morrobay.org cambriachamber.org ventura-usa.com lompoc.com POPULATION 1,542,000 CENTRAL COAST 13 8 2 013 travel guid e to c al i fo r n ia of small beach towns, like a shell necklace, lines the coast just south of Big Sur to Santa Barbara. While Southern California gets prime beach town attention, it's the Central Coast region that has it all without trying to pack too many bodies into each sandy square foot. If you're looking for a place to escape the hustle and bustle, chill out like a local, get some fun and sun, and sample some of the best cuisine and wine in the state, pack it up and head to the Central Coast. The biggest population center is the Santa Barbara area, with its white Spanish-style buildings and red-tiled roofs. In Santa Barbara, there are vast beaches, plenty of fine arts venues, bright boutiques, outdoor adventures, culinary tastes and an inland region (the Santa Ynez Valley, featured in the movie Sideways) known for wine. Visitors can tour hilltop Hearst Castle, see hulking elephant seals at Piedras Blancas, relax in the sleepy beach towns of Cayucos and Morro Bay, or find some action in college-town San Luis Obispo. Fresh seafood often tastes best with a view of the ocean, and the old-fashioned piers of Avila Beach and Pismo Beach are ideal spots to take that meal break. Ventura's Mission San Buenaventura is the last of the California missions founded by JunÃpero Serra. The oceanside town is also a jumping-off point for adventures in Channel Islands National Park, called "California's Galapagos," with tide pools, kelp forests and unique flora and fauna species. Even though the Central Coast region's main highlight is indeed, its coast, the varied geography and moderate climate ensure that there are plenty of treats for visitors to find. Whether your preference is digging for clams, surfing the perfect wave, strolling Mediterranean-style village streets, sampling fresh regional cuisine and world-famous wines, or lazing on the beach, it's all right here on the Central Coast—and there's enough for everyone. THE PERFECT STRING KAN KHAMPANYA; JAMES NEELEY TOP CITIES Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Paso Robles, Morro Bay, Cambria, Ventura, Lompoc by JILL K. ROBINSON