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A
drive up the 101 to the Central Coast and rediscover
the joy of this classic American vacation.
Like the band America, I find
Ventura Highway in the sunshine something
to sing about.
Even though I’m only 90 miles away from home, as my husband, daughter and
I start the descent into Camarillo, seeing the glittering Pacific over the fields
on the valley floor, I feel a rush of freedom, knowing I’m finally out
of the sprawl of Orange and L.A. counties. It even works in moonshine, as we
cross into Ventura County at 9 p.m., having waited for the rush hour to die down.
  The Pierpont Inn, Ventura
This first leg of our journey ends at the Pierpont Inn in Ventura, established
in 1910. When we arrive near 10 p.m., the fire in the lobby’s charming
Craftsman fireplace is still burning invitingly (even if the front desk staff
wasn’t quite on pointe so late), and our lodging for the night in the Tudor
Revival style Rose Garden Cottage is warm and cozy with its thatched roof and
beamed ceilings.
The hotel’s original owner Josephine Pierpont commissioned a Craftsman
bungalow style inn to accommodate the new rush of automobile enthusiasts who
were traversing thee adjacent highway. Presumably, the horseless carriages of
that era didn’t produce quite as much racket as those of 2006, but the
charm of the historic architecture and the views of the Pacific are unchanged.
Our child, like most others, isn’t a bit interested in the historic architecture.
She wants to run around the rose garden, and then swim in the pool. But breakfast
is first. The hotel’s ocean view dining room is family friendly, and during
their Sunday brunch, parents are often seen lingering over coffee while kids
play croquet on the adjacent lawn.
www.pierpontinn.com, (805) 653-6144. Room rates range from $195-325.
 Padaro Grill and Loon Point
Since becoming parents, our favorite place to lunch in Santa Barbara County is
the Padaro Grill and Beach Cafe, just off Santa Claus lane from northbound 101
or Padaro from southbound 101, in Carpinteria. The picnic-style seating is outdoors
on a manicured lawn, and there’s nothing between you and the beach but
a train track – which is a bonus if you’ve got little boys. Kids
also love the large sand box stocked with Tonka trucks. Meanwhile, the food is
decidedly adult-friendly, with grilled seafood and gourmet sandwiches, and specialty
breakfast items that range from healthy to decadent.
After lunch, Padaro Lane is worth a detour off the 101 just to be nosy and peer
over the formidable fences of its huge ocean-view mansions. If you’ve got
more time, park at Loon Point and take a short trail down to a secluded beach.
We find it empty, except for one local family who are holed up in a driftwood
shack of their own making. Spend an afternoon, or 15 minutes to refresh before
continuing the drive.
Padaro Grill, 3765 Santa Claus Lane, Carpinteria, (805) 566-0566. Call ahead
for hours.
 The Santa Barbara Zoo
Twenty minutes later, we are getting an equally thrilling view
of the Pacific,
this time with giraffes in the foreground – at the Santa Barbara Zoo. On
a former 30-acre estate adjacent to an estuary preserve and looking over S.B.’s
most popular beach, the setting couldn’t be lovelier. This is a wonderful
zoo for little ones, being just the right size for a two-hour visit, but well
stocked with animals to impress older kids – from African elephants to
gorillas to a Himalayan white leopard. We particularly enjoyed the Ew! exhibit
featuring giant tarantulas, insects, snakes, and lizards. The kiddie train, which
runs about once an hour, is also a highlight, as it circles the whole zoo and
offers views of the estuary. OC locals might appreciate that entrance is free
with a Santa Ana Zoo membership.
General admission is $10, and children 2-12
are $8. (805) 962-5339, www.sbzoo.org
  The Madonna Inn
A few miles above Santa Barbara, the 101 leaves the coast for roughly 90 miles.
As an Orange County native, I always enjoy this leg of the drive. Not only is
it beautiful, through the rolling hills dotted with oak trees and newly planted
vineyards, but even better, there is never a traffic jam.
Despite pleasant driving conditions, arriving at the delightfully gaudy Swiss
Chalet-style Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo is a thrill from the moment we see
the pink neon stagecoach sign. Our stay here is a homecoming of sorts for my
husband, who spent many of his boyhood family vacations at the inn. Back then,
its facade was painted pink. Though now a more conservative white, nothing else
about this property shows a hint of restraint.
Rancher Alex Madonna and his wife Phyllis founded the six-room roadside motel
in 1959. Now, it’s a world-famous tourist attraction with a wine cellar,
steakhouse (decorated with pink leather, silk trees and twinkle lights), The
Copper Cafe, Whispering Hills Massage Center, gourmet wine shop, limousine rentals
for local wine tasting, and upscale boutiques. Every one of the 109 guest rooms
has a different over-the-top theme, with rock grottoes, waterwheels, stained
glass windows and other outlandish accouterments. We stayed in the Pony Room,
one of the more mellow for Madonna; still, the room features wine red walls and
carpeting, a glitter-strewn ceiling, wagon wheel light fixtures, and a wooden
carousel horse in the center. Ride ‘em cowboy.
Construction on the Madonna Inn’s new family-friendly pool has been delayed,
but the kids are easy to entertain on property: Just let them visit the telephone
grotto on the wine cellar level, the waterfall men’s urinal in the steakhouse
and toddler sized potty in the cafe (trust us your kids will love it), and the
horse corrals where colts wobble around every spring.
A meal in the Copper Cafe is also a must. The “more is more” style
applies to both decor and food here. Sit at copper tables and eat your way through
enormous Belgian waffles, omelets or honey-smoked ham steaks for breakfast. The
fantastic Madonna bakery also makes it a great place for sweets at any time of
day. Try a butterscotch oatmeal cookie, or the world’s most ridiculously
large and delicious dessert: the Pink Champagne Cake, topped with chocolate shavings
in Madonna’s signature pink.
The Madonna Inn, www.madonnainn.com, (800) 543-9666, room rates range from $168-625.
  Avila Beach
Nearby Avila Beach may remind OC old-timers of Southern California in the 1960s.
Accessed through See Canyon (where apple picking is a fun family activity in
the fall), this unspoiled beach boasts a long wooden pier and a tiny row of oceanfront
shops. A new boardwalk and children’s playground was recently built, but
on the sand we enjoy some old-school swings and slides even more. The Sea Barn,
a decidedly swanky surf shop for this little town, offers beach cruiser, surf
and boogie board rentals by the hour for very reasonable prices. Unlike the more
well known Pismo Beach which is wind blown almost every day of the year, Avila
is in a sheltered cove. It still gets mild surf to keep kids happy, but mom can
sunbathe without getting sandblasted.
 Downtown SLO
San Luis Obispo’s charming downtown is one of our family’s favorite
places to stroll. Destination one for us is always Boo Boo Records (your teenagers
will love their new releases and huge used section of CDs) and Phoenix Used Books
next door. Up a block is the historic deco Freemont theater, where a blockbuster
is almost always screening to please the local college crowd, and probably your
kids as well. I love to do a whirlwind tour of the hip clothing boutiques before
grabbing a bite with my husband and daughter in the noisy and always crowded
Firestone Grill (great burgers and barbecue), or the college and local hangout
Woodstock’s Pizza. But hands-down our favorite eats in SLO are at the Splash
Cafe. Their original location in Pismo Beach is always packed with diners who
slurp up the famous clam chowder in bread bowls with delight. The new SLO location
has added gourmet sandwiches on home baked bread. They also have an organic chocolate
kitchen on site: Try the homemade marshmallow s’mores.
  Montaña
de Oro
After a good night’s sleep in the Pony Room, we head north to Montaña
de Oro State Beach, possibly the most spectacular spot on the Central Coast.
Volcanic rock sliding diagonally into the sea creates tide pool heaven at the
foot of sheer, wildflower topped cliffs that turn gold at sunset, hence the name.
We are lucky enough to experience the beach at zero tide and find enough hermit
crabs, sea snails and starfish to thrill our daughter to no end. Truth be told,
she spends most of her time collecting stones. As the beaches here are almost
entirely stones, she wears herself out with the effort and takes a long nap in
the car – one of every parent’s favorite moments on vacation.
Montaña de Oro, www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=592
The Road Home
A note on the return trip: On a good day, we can make the drive from SLO to the
OC in four hours. But summer traffic in Santa Barbara is enough to make me vow
never to drive anywhere with kids – ever again. However, hit the road early
for breakfast ableskevers in Solvang (about 60 miles south of SLO), and we cruise
down the 101, stop for fresh picked avocados at Las Conchitas, and make it home
for lunch. In this scenario, Ventura highway in the sunshine is what makes a
road trip worth taking.
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