Real California

What are your favorite ';real California'; places?

California is a big place...what cities, activities, must see stops do you recommend for a driving tour of California.

While tourest traps are nice, we like to see the local life.

Real California

I personally love Ventura County. The beaches are wonderful and a lot less crowded than LA or Orange County, much more ';local'; feel to them. There are also so many great hiking trails in the Conejo Valley and surrounding areas. On the picutre postcard days, there is nothing like putting the top down on the convertible and driving through the canyon roads of the Santa Monica Mountains towards the beach. If you are here in March/April, the local strawberries are in and you can get them roadside and they are so sweet.

I also love the drive between Santa Barbara and San Francisco and all the small towns. They each have their own personality and are very peaceful no matter when you go.

While you are by Santa Barbara, driving back through Los Olivas area and up to Solvang is beautiful and if you like wine, it is even better. The wineries are smaller than in wine country and not as many, but less touristy too.

My favorite place in California though is Touloumne Meadows in Yosemite. While I really love the entire park, Toulomne Meadows is something special. Much more quiet and wonderful hikes.

Real California

To see the real California, I generally look for festivals or other events going on in the area, the times we are visiting a place.

For example, if you were to visit San Luis Obispo area around Memorial Day, they have wonderful festivals such as the All American Beer Festival in Avilla Beach; the strawberry festival at Arroy Grande; the 3 day art festival in Morro Bay; and a really good car show in Paso Robles. You can then combine that with visiting Hearst Castle, San Simeon, Morro Bay, Pismo Beach, and Avila Beach. Last year on the same week-end there was a local barn dance and barbecue during Memorial Day. By looking for these kinds of events, you get to do something local (as locals are usually looking for festivals to go to.) If you did this during Memorial Day and headed north then to San Francisco, there is a really good Greek Festival in San Jose the first week-end of June. That ttoo is fun.

There is also events that happen in Napa. A good source to see these is: http://www.napavalley.com/events.html.

So in short, if you decide on a driving route and then look for local festivals, events you can see some of the things real Californians like to do.

There are lots of posts on this forum with recommended drives...if you were to do one of the normal ones it would be:

Los Angeles to San Diego

San Diego to Anaheim/Orange County/Laguna Beach

Los Angeles/Santa Monica

Santa Barbara/Pismo Beach/Cambria

Cambria to Monterey (including Big Sur area)

Monterey to Santa Cruz (if the boardwalk is open)

Santa Cruz to San Francisco

San Francisco to Sonoma/Napa

Sonoma/Napa to Old Town Sacramento/down Highway 49 to the turn off for Yosemite

Yosemite

Yosemite to Death Valley

Death Valley to Las Vegas

Las Vegas to Los Angeles