for the competitor
the Central Coast CHALLENGE
A weeklong road trip for sporty types and the competitive spirited
Some people travel to unwind, some travel to win. Whether that means snagging a coveted tee time at one of the world's most legendary golf courses, paddling into a break that pro surfers call home or simply out-exploring everyone back at the office, this Central Coast road trip was made for you. From Oxnard and Santa Barbara north to SLO CAL and Monterey Bay, every stop delivers a new goal to chase—adrenaline, athletic history, bucket-list bragging rights and a coastal landscape dramatic enough to push anyone to their personal best. Lace up, let's go!
Photo credit: Courtesy of Visit Oxnard
Day 1: Oxnard
Every summer, one of the most storied franchises in NFL history packs up and heads west. The Dallas Cowboys have been holding training camp in Oxnard since 2001, and the city has locked them in through 2030 thanks to the reliably mild 70-degree summers that give America's Team ideal conditions to grind through the preseason. The energy in town when the Cowboys are in residence is unlike anything you'll find anywhere else on the Central Coast.
The main action goes down at River Ridge Playing Fields (2501 Ventura Road), the city-owned complex originally built for the Los Angeles Raiders in the 1980s. This is where the Cowboys practice, and many sessions are free and open to the public (entry is first come, first served). Players walk the field, coaches run the drills and on a good day you might catch an autograph near the sideline gate. If you're visiting outside of camp season, River Ridge remains a top-tier athletic complex open to the public year-round, with well-maintained fields used for soccer, football, and more.
The team also takes over the neighboring Staybridge Suites Oxnard-River Ridge, their exclusive home base for the duration of camp. Cowboys activity spills across town. The Collection at RiverPark hosts the annual Oxnard Fan Night—part pep rally, part block party—where the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders perform and the whole city comes out.
Settle into Oxnard, scout the waterfront, hit the taco trail and soak in the fact that you're standing on the same turf where Cowboys legends have sweated out their preseasons for over two decades.
Overnight: Oxnard
Photo credit: Visit Ventura
Day 2: ventura
It's a blink of a drive up the coast to Ventura, a town that oozes authentic surf culture. Local outfitters offer private sessions that'll have first-timers standing up within the hour. Beginners head to Mondos Beach, a forgiving point-break hybrid known for long, slow, friendly waves. More experienced riders can paddle out at C-Street (Surfer's Point), where right-hand waves have been peeling toward the pier since the 1960s, or push north to Rincon—a legendary three-section point break that draws surfers from around the world on a good swell. (Keep your eyes peeled: Dane Reynolds, Sage Erickson and Eithan Osborne all call Ventura home, and on any given morning you might find yourself sharing a lineup with an icon like them.)
After drying off, swing by Westpark Skatepark—freshly expanded to 20,000 square feet, now the largest in Ventura County. This is where the next generation trains, following in the footsteps of local pro Curren Caples. The city hosted the X Games in 2023 and 2024, and that competitive energy hums in the skate scene year-round.
Come evening, Ventura's craft brewery scene delivers. Topa Topa Brewing Co. is the community anchor, with a barcade, food trucks and live music at their Colt Street HQ. MadeWest Brewing Company on the Ventura Pier pours gold-medal beers with 180-degree Pacific views. Leashless Brewing runs one of the best live music calendars in town (Thursday through Sunday). End the night with a stroll along the waterfront or down Main Street.
Driving time: 15 minutes
Overnight: Ventura
Photo credit: Blake Bronstad courtesy of Visit Santa Barbara
Day 3: santa barbara
Half an hour up Highway 101 and you've arrived in a different California entirely. Santa Barbara—the "American Riviera"—sits between the Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific, where the sun-soaked beaches have quietly shaped the history of two of the world's most competitive seaside sports: beach volleyball and surfing.
East Beach was the proving ground where beach volleyball legends forged their games in the 1950s and '60s, including Karch Kiraly, widely regarded as the greatest volleyball player of all time. The city still hosts tournaments here, so depending on your timing, you may catch competitive play right on the sand.
Santa Barbara's surf heritage runs just as deep. In 1969, legendary shaper Al Merrick started crafting boards out of his Santa Barbara workshop under the Channel Islands Surfboards banner—the same boards that Kelly Slater and Dane Reynolds have ridden to world titles. Stop into the flagship shop in the Funk Zone.
If you're chasing live sports, UCSB fields 19 NCAA Division I programs, and the Santa Barbara Foresters bring high-level collegiate summer baseball to town through the California Collegiate League.
Round out any Santa Barbara day on two wheels along the Cabrillo Bike Path, a scenic cruise from the Harbor through East Beach and into Montecito.
Driving time: 30 minutes
Overnight: Santa Barbara
Photo credit: Visit SLO CAL
Day 4: sLO CAL
Continue up the coast to SLO CAL, where you can pick your altitude and go. Today, you're going up—or tearing across the sand at full throttle.
Take it airborne at Oceano County Airport, where Banner Airways has been running open-cockpit flights in a 1942 Boeing Stearman for over 30 years. Suit up in a leather jacket, helmet and goggles, then trace the coastline above the Pismo Pier and Oceano Dunes, watching for surfers, dolphins and the occasional whale below.
Rather keep your wheels in the sand? Head to the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area—the only place in California where you can legally ride on the beach. Rent an ATV to roam 1,600 acres of open dunes on your own terms, or let Pacific Adventure Tours put you in a real USMC Humvee for a guided hour of climbing sideways up dune bowls and blasting 60% grades—no driving required. For something lower to the ground, rent a sandboard at Oceano Surf Shack and hit the steepest faces you can find.
Continue the adventure inland zip lining at Vista Lago Adventure Park (seasonal) at Lopez Lake. Conquer four zip lines, finishing with a 40-foot free-fall jump called The Ledge. Prefer wine country as your backdrop? Margarita Adventures at the historic Santa Margarita Ranch runs six zip lines spanning over 7,800 combined feet, starting with an epic 2,800-foot tandem valley crossing and finishing over the estate vineyards of Ancient Peaks Winery.
Driving time: 1.5 hours
Overnight: SLO CAL
Photo credit: Pebble Beach Golf Links courtesy of Pebble Beach & Company
Day 5—6: pebble beach & Monterey
The drive north to the Monterey Peninsula culminates at Pebble Beach Golf Links, a course so iconic, even dedicated non-golfers make the pilgrimage just to stand on its cliffs and watch the Pacific crash below. Multiple U.S. Opens have been decided here. Jack Nicklaus has walked these fairways. So has Tiger Woods. Book your tee time well in advance—this one fills up fast, and you did not come all this way to miss it! When you're not on the course, the 17-Mile Drive threads through Pebble Beach and Pacific Grove, delivering one coastal panorama after another. The Lodge at Pebble Beach handles the post-round recovery with fine dining and a world-class spa.
Golf may be the headliner in Monterey County, but it's far from the only game. A short drive inland from Pebble Beach sits WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, one of the most storied road courses in the world. Built in 1957 and home to the legendary Corkscrew—an 11-turn sequence that drops nearly six stories in 450 feet—the 2.238-mile track hosts everything from IndyCar and MotoAmerica Superbike to the annual Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, considered among the greatest historic racing events on the planet. On non-race weekends, the track opens for high-performance driving schools and club track days, putting that Corkscrew within reach of anyone willing to sign a waiver and find their line.
For a different kind of horsepower, Salinas—the agricultural heart of Monterey County, just 10 miles from the track—hosts the California Rodeo Salinas each July. One of the top 15 professional rodeos in the country out of more than 600, it draws elite competitors in bull riding, barrel racing and saddle bronc alongside 100-plus years of local tradition. And if you came for the trails, Big Sur is right next door—a different kind of personal best, measured in elevation and ocean views rather than strokes or split times.
Overnight: Monterey County
Driving time: 2.5 hours
Photo credit: Ben Ingram courtesy of Visit Santa Cruz
Day 7: Santa cruz
Less than an hour up the coast and you've arrived at your final destination: Santa Cruz, the city where surfing first found its footing on the U.S. mainland, and where the culture of chasing waves, tricks and thrills has never really stopped evolving. Jack O'Neill developed his wetsuit innovations here, allowing surfers to push into colder water and longer sessions. NHS Inc., founded in Santa Cruz, remains the world's oldest continuously operating skateboard company.
Pull up to Steamer Lane and Pleasure Point and watch surfers work breaks that attract riders from around the world. The Santa Cruz Surfing Museum, perched in a historic lighthouse directly above Steamer Lane, puts more than a century of that history on display through vintage boards and photographs.
When you're ready for something with a little more horsepower and nostalgia, the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk—California's oldest amusement park—delivers with the 1924 Giant Dipper roller coaster, a classic wooden ride that memorably appeared in The Lost Boys. Pick up a Santa Cruz Skateboards tee as proof you were here, book a tour of the NHS Skate Museum adjacent to the Santa Cruz Boardroom and wander Pacific Avenue's eclectic shops before catching your last sunset of the trip.
Driving Time: 50 minutes
Overnight: Santa Cruz
Photo credit: Silicon Valley Skydiving
bonus adventure: skydive in san martin
For adrenaline junkies, Silicon Valley Skydivingin San Martin—located just between Gilroy and Morgan Hill—is an unmissable detour or stop en route to San Jose International or San Francisco International airports. Offering one of the highest tandem jumps in Northern California, the experience sends you into freefall above a stunning patchwork of Santa Clara Valley and San Benito County farmland, with sweeping panoramas stretching all the way to the Monterey Bay coastline on clear days. Whether you're a first-time jumper or a seasoned skydiver, the combination of jaw-dropping altitude and expertly trained instructors makes this a bucket-list moment that takes your Central Coast getaway to a whole new level—quite literally. Take the leap!
Driving Time: 55 minutes