for the DIRECTOR
The Director Itinerary: Central Coast By Design
Cruise the coast from Ventura to Santa Cruz on a perfectly tuned adventure packed with fresh finds in art, wine and food—and all the iconic California moments in between.
This Central Coast road trip is curated for the ones who love to make plans—the traveler who thrives on calling the shots, optimizing every stop and curating experiences that feel seamless and unforgettable. You’ll chart a course through beach towns, wine country and iconic stretches of Highway 1 with well-planned precision—balancing unique tastings, design-driven spaces and coastal beauty. From private vineyard tours and workshops led by makers to garden tours and curated culinary experiences, every moment is thoughtfully composed, promising to please even the pickiest of travel companions.
Day 1: Ventura
Start the day with coffee and pastries at Prospect Coffee in downtown Ventura. Browse around Main Street and then head up to the Ventura Botanical Gardens for a walk and some of the best views in town.
Head down to Ventura Harbor Village for an afternoon on the water. Rent an electric boat from Ventura Boat Rentals and cruise around the Ventura Keys neighborhood. Once you’ve had your fun at sea, drop by Real Cheap Sports on the edge of downtown. A source of great deals on outdoor apparel and gear, it’s the only official Patagonia outlet sanctioned by the Ventura-headquartered outdoor retailer and sustainability pioneer.
Continue on to the artsy, diverse westside neighborhood known as The Avenue. Hit Muni Wine for a relaxed urban wine tasting experience. The winery hosts a regular rotation of food pop-ups so you can settle in for dinner there, hit one of the nearby taquerias or go downtown to Jaguar & Moon.
Overnight: Ventura
Day 2: Santa Barbara
Stop in Summerland for breakfast at Field & Fort, a beautifully curated home and lifestyle store with a chic cafe. Find more unique wares at nearby boutiques and book shops, including Godmothers, The Sacred Space and Heidi Merrick.
Continue north to Montecito to take a docent-led tour of Ganna Walska Lotusland (advance reservations required). The 37-acre botanical masterpiece is ranked among the world’s top 10 gardens. If you’re not able to secure a tour there, Santa Barbara Botanic Garden is spectacular in its own right—a showcase of California native plants on 78 acres with six miles of trails.
Spend the afternoon tasting boutique wines in downtown Santa Barbara in the historic Presidio Neighborhood. Standouts include Lieu Dit (tastings with perfect pairing plates), Loubud Wines (pair puzzles and wine) and Grassini Family Vineyards (thoughtful, sustainable wines).
Plan ahead to see who’s taking the stage at one of the theatres in the ARTS District. Reserve a pre-show dinner at Dom’s Taverna, a new addition to the downtown Santa Barbara dining scene putting a Californian spin on Basque cuisine.
Overnight: Santa Barbara
Day 3: San Luis Obispo
En route to SLO CAL, stop at Bob’s Well Bread Bakery in the Santa Ynez Valley for elevated breakfast fare and award-winning pastries (choose between the Ballard and Los Alamos locations).
Continuing north, find out what the SLO Coast AVA buzz is all about in the newly designated American Viticultural Area producing cool climate wines influenced by the Pacific. Elevated picks include Talley Vineyards in Arroyo Grande and Chamisal Vineyards in the Edna Valley. Complement those with a stop at Dunites in downtown San Luis Obispo for an introduction to a smaller, up-and-coming producer that specializes in natural wines from SLO Coast grapes.
Get some pre-dinner steps in with a self-guided architecture walk through downtown San Luis Obispo, checking out landmarks including Fremont Theater (1940 Art Deco), Ah Louis Store (19th-century brick building in Chinatown) and Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa (Spanish mission founded in 1772).
Cap your day with dinner at Nate’s on Marsh, a stylish, cozy, colorful spot beloved by locals.
Overnight: San Luis Obispo
Day 4: Paso Robles
Perk up at Scout Coffee before heading north to Paso Robles. Turn the reins over to
Uncorked Wine Tours to plan the perfect behind-the-scenes tasting immersion based on your interests, be it sustainable viticulture, rare library tastings or vineyard picnics in the surrounding Paso Robles countryside.
If you’d prefer to spend the day creating, try your hand at metalsmithing at Stromsoe Studios, a renowned jewelry artisan with a studio in Templeton (book ahead). From ring-making to stone-setting, Randy Stromsoe’s hands-on workshops let you craft your own wearable masterpiece.
Before the sun goes down, make your way to Sensorio Paso to see Bruce Munro’s famed Field of Light—where thousands of fiber-optic spheres and illuminated towers transform the bucolic landscape into a glowing canvas. Book the Terrace Experience in advance for VIP reserved seating with stellar views and access to the Airstream bar.
Overnight: Paso Robles
Day 5: Carmel-by-the-Sea
Have a classic breakfast at Cowgirl Cafe before heading north to Monterey County, stopping at Scheid Vineyards’ rural winery location in the town of Greenfield for a tasting among the vines.
Continue to Carmel-by-the-Sea, where dramatic ocean views and European charm make every moment cinematic. Stroll the storybook streets of the village, browsing through boutique galleries and artisanal shops—don’t miss House of Cardoon for stylish, colorful homewares and decor. Go deeper into the creative world on a personalized, guided gallery tour with Carmel Art Tours.
Before sunset, take a stroll along scenic Carmel Beach and then make your way to Michelin-starred Aubergine for the transcendent seven-course chef’s tasting menu that showcases the region’s hyper-local bounty—advanced reservations are a must!
Overnight: Carmel-by-the-Sea
Day 6: Santa Cruz
Continue up Highway 1 to Santa Cruz, stopping in Capitola Village to browse the shops, walk the wharf and snap photos in front of the colorful Venetian Court row of historic landmark townhouses right on the sands of Capitola State Beach.
In Santa Cruz proper, explore the creative pulse of the surf-centric city—from downtown’s mural-lined alleys and boutique tasting rooms to independent shops. Discover the new wave of Santa Cruz County winemakers drawing attention to the region for their lower alcohol, low intervention wines. Farm Cottage Wines, Margins Wines, Florez Wines and Madson Wines are a few top standouts.
If you want to get on the water one last time, try one of the new shark-spotting tours from O’Neill Sailing Charters and Santa Cruz Whale Watching and get up close to the ocean’s top predators—blue and great white sharks—alongside sea otters, dolphins and other marine life in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.
End your day soaking up the luxurious atmosphere of the new beachfront La Bahia Hotel & Spa—have a cocktail in the lobby bar or dine at one of the two restaurants. Toast your journey with a glass of something local as the sun dips below the horizon—a flawless final frame to your Central Coast adventure.
Overnight: Santa Cruz