California - Stop Between Monterey and Anaheim: Where?

We're going to be driving from SFO to SAN in March. I'm looking for a stop somewhere between Monterey (where we're spending 2 nights) and Anaheim (where we're spending 1 night). I'm torn between Cambria, Pismo Beach, and San Luis Obispo (and open to other suggestions). We'll have our 4 year old daughter with us. Does anyone have a suggestion or recommendation?

Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara. It's roughly mid point, and it is a charming coastal town with lots to see and many places to eat.

Here is the New York Times take on it: 36 Hours in Santa Barbara (http://travel.nytimes.com/2008/11/16/travel/16hours.html)

I'd only stay further north if you are planning several hours at Hearst Castle.

Obviously depends on what you want to see and or do, as well as your budget. Your passing a lot of wine country on the way.

Santa Barbara (a bit more expensive) offers Botanical Gardens, Museum of Natural History, The Old Mission, the Santa Barbara zoo, the Presidio, and Casa Guerra. It also offers the more obvious ocean, boat tours, etc. The town is full of various types of lodging as you might expect of a tourist town and college center.

Further North, Atascadero is another option (although less known), with its sunken gardens and wonderful zoo, perfect sized for small childern.

Solvang is a quaint Danish onclave with wonderful boutique lodging, eateries, shops, a few museums (Motercycle, hans Cristian Anderson, Elverhoj), and the Old Mission of Santa Ynez.

Naturally, the wine Santa Ynez wine country is fun for adults. Lompoc is a cheaper area to stay when doing the tours.

SLO and Pismo seem less favorable IMHO.

Good luck, have fun and drive safely!

If you're up for terminal kitch (and price is not a major concern)...

Stay at the Madonna Inn (http://www.madonnainn.com/) just south of San Louis Obisbo....and pick out a theme room.

I also vote for Santa Barbara or the Santa Ynez Valley - Solvang/Santa Ynez/Los Olivos/Ballard.

Another vote for SBA.

Heast Castle would have been a suggestion but for your 4-year-old - I mention it for the benefit of others with similar interest reading this. IIRC you have to book in advance.

I'm actually tossing around a stop at the Hearst Castle, even with the 4 year old.

I'll look into SBA and Santa Ynez/Solvang/Buellton, as those seem to be the consensus.

I'm actually tossing around a stop at the Hearst Castle, even with the 4 year old.

I'll look into SBA and Santa Ynez/Solvang/Buellton, as those seem to be the consensus.

IMO there is not much else worth a lot of time in either San Simeon or Cambria.

What day of the week? If a weekday, you need to contend with traffic from the outskirts of L.A. on 101 all the way to Anaheim. Quickest route, on 101 and then I-5, takes you right through downtown L.A. You're only spending one night in Anaheim. You don't care what time of day or night you arrive? If not, I'd try to get through L.A. and Orange County, to Anaheim, either by early afternoon, or wait until late evening. If you want to get through the congestion before rush hour starts, you'd have to leave San Simeon awfully early in the morning (Google Maps says 4 hrs. 46 mins. or 7 hrs. 10 mins. in traffic). Estimate from Santa Barbara is 2 hrs. 16 mins., or 4 hrs. 40 mins. in traffic. Leaving from Solvang adds about 20-30 mins. Hotels in the area can be expensive. You might check Hotwire and Priceline. We spent our wedding night at the Santa Barbara Inn 10 years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it, but it is pricey.

I'm probably biased, but I suggest you make it a game-day decision. If the weather in Santa Barbara isn't too good, make the stop in Solvang/Santa Ynez. If the weather is good in Santa Barbara, make that your stop.

We're taking this trip the week of March 5-12. Is it reasonable to show up without hotel reservations that time of year?

We like the beach, even if it's cold, so I'm partial to staying somewhere near the beach.

I think you'd like Carmel more than Monterey, I do. No one mentioned Big Sur - beautiful. Hearst Castle is a must, as is Laguna Beach. Don't miss Point Lobos Nature Reserve (http://www.pointlobos.org/) between Carmel and Big Sur.

We're taking this trip the week of March 5-12. Is it reasonable to show up without hotel reservations that time of year?

We like the beach, even if it's cold, so I'm partial to staying somewhere near the beach.

For that time of year, I'd expect temperatures to top off in the mid to high sixties, however it's always very possible for it to be warmer or cooler than that. I'd expect Santa Ynez/Solvang to be 10+ degrees warmer.

I'd bet that you'd be able to find something without reservations, but I would always suggest you have some type of reservation. Perhaps find a hotel that allows cancelations up to 6p on your planned day of arrival. That way, you have a room, but you also have flexibility on dates.

One thing you'll notice about the area, is there are not many Marriott/Starwood/Hyatt/Hilton type hotels. There is a Marriott in Buellton, but none in Santa Barbara. There aren't any Starwood hotels in the area. Hyatt operates one hotel in Santa Barbara, across the street to the beach. Hilton has a Doubletree next door, which seems to be one of the elite hotels in town, along with the Four Seasons. There are also Days Inn/Best Western type properties, and many non chain hotels.

Thanks for the advice, I love it! :)

I noticed there aren't many 3* chain hotels anywhere on the route between San Francisco and Los Angeles. I'm relying on TripAdvisor for reviews of individual properties, but still having a hard time picking a town to stop on this stretch.

There's a Marriott in Buellton (a few miles from Solvang) right off 101, and the Doubletree in Santa Barbara is one of my favorite places in the area.

I have to admit that I have never seen the attraction of Solvang. I find it boring, touristy, and phony. My vote is also for Santa Barbara.

After some thought, I think we're going to go with the majority recommendation here to stay in Santa Barbara. We will be traveling with our daughter. Any recomendations for places to stay with a kid, near the beach?

After some thought, I think we're going to go with the majority recommendation here to stay in Santa Barbara. We will be traveling with our daughter. Any recomendations for places to stay with a kid, near the beach?

I don't like to be repetitive, but the Doubletree is right across the street from the beach with a really nice walking and bike trail in both directions. You can also rent multi-person bikes right at the hotel, and the pool is quite large. The property is spread out among about 6 or seven separate buildings and very nicely landscaped. It's close to downtown and the wharf and is only about 5 minutes from the zoo, which I definitely recommend for kids. It's my first choice for a vacation hotel in Santa Barbara - we've stayed their ourselves (wife and I) as well as when we took the grandkids with us. The causal restaurant just off the lobby has a very decent breakfast buffet and is also just right for families.

Never traveled with a 4yo (except for when I was three, and my brother was four:) ), but what I'd do is slow-drive the coast to San Luis Obispo, overnight there, and then get up early enough the next day to spend some quality time in either Solvang or Santa Barbara, whichever appeals more.