SLO Vacation Report

[Sarge]

Sharon and I hit the road for San Luis Obispo last weekend and had a nice visit.  Our first stop was Saturday in Buellton (next to Solvang) as we really enjoy a dinner at Mattie's Tavern, an old stage coach stop from the 1800's.  Sunday morning we headed north on Hwy 101 through Santa Maria, Arroyo Grande, and San Luis Obispo before stopping in Paso Robles for a day of wine tasting.  Paso is home to over 100 wineries, so there are many options and it doesn't take long to get tanked if your not careful .  Our last stop of the afternoon was at Steinbeck Vineyards and as luck would have it, we were treated to a VIP Jeep (1958 vintage... barely driven) tour of the 500 acre spread.

[Sarge]

The owner is Howie Steinbeck who is a really nice guy who's farmed in Paso all his life and he had plenty of great stories to tell.  We even got to visit his home (make that mansion) on a hill overlooking all the vineyards before heading back over to the ranch and a very old barn....

[Sarge]

Some shots from other wineries.  The gardens and surroundings at some places are memorable...

[Sarge]

Monday, we noodled over to the coast on Hwy 1 for a quick visit to Moro Bay, then north through the tiny hamlet of Harmony.  When I was younger, there was much going on in Harmony... glass blowing, ceramics, candle making all run by hippies.  Nowadays, the place sadly has turned into a ghost town.  After a quick stop in Cambria, it was back south to SLO and the wine growing region of Edna Valley.

[Sarge]

San Luis Obispo is a college town (Cal Poly) and has a thriving downtown full of shops and great places to dine.  I would have sworn we saw Sheep's car while cruising the streets .  Railroad Square has a cool bridge over the tracks....

[Sarge]

No trip to the area would be complete without a sunset at Avila Beach.  You can actually drive your car out on the pier and The Olde Port Inn restaurant at the end has glass top tables that allow the dinners a view of the ocean while they eat....

[Rennsurfer]

You and Sharon have excellent vacation locale taste, Sarge. When I was married, we'd hit all of those places, too. Great pictures. That octopus looks like he spent too much time at the Drunken Clam. (sorry... Family Guy humor)

Are Fetzer and Parducci still offering tours/tasting?

[ESH]

Looks lovely, we breezed through the area over a couple of days last October and we're definitely going to be going back. Could stay there a long time if pushed!

 

[Jim Ratto]

Looks like you and Sharon had a great time, Sarge. Looks like weather cooperated too. 
Before I moved to South Calif, Mary Ann and I used to spend weekends in the region, (SLO, Pismo, Shell Beach, Avila Beach, etc.), so I know that drive like the back o' my hand... lots of nice side trips in that area too on very cool roads. Lopez Lake just east of Arroyo Grande is a nice destination.... same with James Dean Monument in "downtown" Cholame (SR46 and SR41 intersection), Carrizo Plain nature area out on 58, Earthquake Capital of the world (Parkfield CA), and all the roads out on the coast. Good place to grab a pulled pork or tritip sandwich in Cambria is Main St Grill. I usually cannot decide and eat both.

[cal-look 56]

lovely pictures,  makes me want to take a road trip.

[vwcab]

Me too,like it very much.Nice trip Sarge and beautiful pics.
Thx for posting them.   

[Sarge]

Thanks for the props, guys!  Back to bust-ass around the house today... is there EVER any end to yard work???

Mark.... as for Fetzer and Parducci, those are in Mendocino and Sonoma counties.  Fetzer is under a different name these days and they moved to the Clear Lake area a few years ago.

Jim....  next time your in Cayucos, try The Sea Shanty Inn for lunch; the fish & chips can't be beat!  Then there's the whole chalk board full of home made deserts to mull over.....

[Jim Ratto]

Thanks for the props, guys!  Back to bust-ass around the house today... is there EVER any end to yard work???

Mark.... as for Fetzer and Parducci, those are in Mendocino and Sonoma counties.  Fetzer is under a different name these days and they moved to the Clear Lake area a few years ago.

Jim....  next time your in Cayucos, try The Sea Shanty Inn for lunch; the fish & chips can't be beat!  Then there's the whole chalk board full of home made deserts to mull over.....

Sarge, is the Sea Shanty a little hole in the wall place with the plastic letters up on the grooved board for a menu? run by a little old man and lady? That story I told you about the generator siezing in my Bus in Cayucos....  we ate hamburger steak dinners at, I think, that same place while waiting for tow truck. Oh and the locking gas cap story and the Datsun... that day we had breakfast at the same little mom and pop place. I remember peach cobbler on the chalkboard.

[Sarge]

Could be, Jimbro... you need to do a drive-by and check it out.  I worked with a mechanic at George Follmer P/A in the late '80's.... his ex-wife and her new husband have been the owners since then (Bill & Carol).

[cal-look 56]

I like the fact you can drive a few hours and get the hell out of the metro areas.  It's a whole other relax attitude still in those parts of Cali.

[Sarge]

I like the fact you can drive a few hours and get the hell out of the metro areas.  It's a whole other relax attitude still in those parts of Cali.

You got that right!  Two and a half hours from Chino to Santa Ynez Valley and low-key relaxation...the BEST!