Photo credit: Highline Adventures
Wild Miles: Action-Packed Adventures on the Central Coast
Experience an unforgettable week of adrenaline-filled adventures and epic road trip thrills traveling from Ventura to Santa Cruz
This action-packed week on California’s Central Coast is designed for the Mover—travelers who find joy through sweat, speed and adventure. From hiking around the remote Channel Islands and surfing scenic coastlines to ziplining above blooming protea fields and biking through wine country, this itinerary delivers adrenaline-fueled fun every step of the way. Whether you’re paddling in sea caves, floating in a hot air balloon or glamping under the stars, you’ll find endless ways to turn our natural playground into your personal adventure zone.
Photo credit: Unsplash
Day 1: Channel Islands National Park
Let the adventure begin in Ventura! Hop aboard an Island Packers ferry (advanced reservations required) from Ventura Harbor for a scenic ride to the Channel Islands National Park, considered the Galapagos of North America. Your destination? Santa Cruz Island, the largest and most diverse of the Channel Islands, known for its rugged cliffs, hidden beaches and some of the most spectacular sea caves in the world.
Once ashore, gear up for a guided kayak tour with Channel Islands Adventure Co. Paddle through jewel-toned waters into cathedral-like sea caves, slip beneath towering rock arches and float alongside playful sea lions. Explore the underwater world snorkeling through the island’s protected kelp forests, where swaying fronds shelter a colorful array of fish. If you still have time and energy to burn after your adventures at sea, lace up your hiking boots to explore Santa Cruz on foot. Trails lead to panoramic overlooks where the Pacific stretches endlessly–keep your eyes peeled for the adorable island foxes.
Back on the mainland, ease into the evening and recap your day at Ventura Harbor Village. Watch the fishing boats come in as you enjoy freshly caught seafood and sip a local craft beer on a breezy patio.
Overnight: Ventura
Photo credit: El Capitan Canyon
Day 2: Santa Barbara
Grab breakfast burritos at Corrales Mexican Food to enjoy by the beach while watching the surfers catch waves at C Street. Then hit the highway north to Santa Barbara. Rent beach-cruisers at Wheel Fun Rentals and pedal along the palm-fringed waterfront bikepath, checking out the Harbor and going past East Beach and the bird refuge to Butterfly Beach in Montecito. Have lunch on Stearns Wharf, taking in the American Riviera views looking back at the city with the mountains in the backdrop.
Hop back on US-101 north to Circle Bar B Guest Ranch & Stables. Saddle up for a guided horseback ride through fern-lined trails, past streams and waterfalls, with occasional vistas of the Pacific and Channel Islands. After your ride, check into nearby El Capitan Canyon, a glamping retreat nestled in the coastal hills with charming cedar cabins, yurts and safari tents. Get dinner fixings at the marketplace onsite and then sit back and relax by your firepit and gaze up at the starry night sky after the sun goes down.
Overnight: El Capitan Canyon
Photo credit: Skydive Santa Barbara
Day 3: Lompoc
Savor the morning at El Capitan Canyon, sipping coffee on your cabin deck and meandering around the trails by the creek. Pack up, check out and prepare for a day of aerial adventures further up the coast.
If you’re a true thrill seeker, go skydiving in Lompoc, home to the highest drop zone in the U.S. Choose from 8,000 to 18,000 feet tandem jumps with Skydive Santa Barbara and take in unforgettable views of the Pacific and vineyards below. If ziplining is more your flying speed, go to High Line Adventures in Buellton, boasting the biggest, fastest zipline in California.
After your flight, come down to earth wine tasting in the industrial area known as the Wine Ghetto, sampling boutique wines from premium area producers–or go for a local brew at COLD Coast Brewing Company. Have dinner at Dave’s Place in Vandenberg Village or Eye on I downtown.
Overnight: Lompoc
Photo credit: Unsplash
Day 4: Oceano Dunes & Pismo Beach
Have breakfast at the classic diner, American Host Restaurant, before continuing up the coast to the Oceano Dunes. Rent boards from Oceano Surf Shack and carve down towering slopes of soft sand–sandboarding feels like snowboarding’s wilder, beach-born cousin.
Break for lunch at The Spoon Trade in Grover Beach and walk it off strolling around Pismo Beach. Get back on the road, heading north to Paso Robles so you’re in position for an early adventure the next morning before sunrise. Get a feel for the town over dinner at Paso Market Walk or local seafood standout, Fish Gaucho.
Overnight: Paso Robles
Photo credit: Balloons Over Paso
Day 5: Paso Robles
Start your day soaring above rolling hills on a sunrise hot air balloon flight with Balloons Over Paso, and be wowed by the golden light shining over the vineyards, oak-studded valleys and winding country roads below. After touching down, keep the momentum going with a guided VineCycle e-bike tour that puts you right among the vines. Cruise past rows of ripening grapes, stop at boutique wineries for tastings and learn about the land from locals who know it best. End the day with a restorative soak at River Oaks Hot Springs and treat yourselves to dinner at Les Petites Canailles.
Overnight: Paso Robles
Photo credit: See Monterey
Day 6: Monterey County
Hit the road early heading north to Monterey. En route, stop at Pinnacles National Park to stretch your legs while exploring the trails and rock formations. Upon arrival in Monterey, get an up close view of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, the largest protected ocean area in the continental U.S. known for its tides pools, coastal wetlands, kelp forests and submarine canyon. Rent kayaks or standup paddle boards from Adventures by the Sea at their Cannery Row location. Wrap up your nature-filled day with brews and tacos on the patio at Dust Bowl Brewing Company or dig into Mexican fare at Alejandro’s.
Overnight: Monterey
Photo credit: Fern River Resort by Caryn Hewlett
Day 7: Santa Cruz
Beeline to Alta Bakery & Cafe for breakfast and coffee in the historic Cooper-Moerla Adobe. Head north on Highway One for the last leg of the journey to Santa Cruz.
Take a surf lesson from Santa Cruz’s original surf school, Richard Schmidt Surf School and learn about the region’s pioneering surf culture at the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum.
Head for the hills to wrap up your stay amid towering redwoods of Felton–The Grove Cafe & Bakery is a good stop for lunch (or breakfast the next day). Wander through the old growth redwoods of Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park and then check into rustic lodgings at the Fern River Resort. Tucked under the shade of giant redwoods with a private stretch of beach along the San Lorenzo River, the resort’s rustic cabins exude a laid-back, camp-style feel–the perfect place to unwind at the conclusion of your epic adventure!
Overnight: Santa Cruz County
By Shannon Brooks
