Centre Travel

Denmark?  On the Central Coast of California?! The town of Slovang may not be Denmark, but it comes close! Known as "The Danish Capital of America, " this town takes its Danish roots seriously. Founded in 1911 by Danish-American educators, Solvang's shops, bakeries, restaurants and hotels reflect old-style Danish architecture.   They feature half-timbered walls, dormers, stained glass and thatched roofs.  Many of the sidewalks here are cobblestone and local restaurants serve Danish specialities including albeskivers, a round pancake drizzled with jam and sprinkled with powdered sugar, and medisterpole, locally a delicious , locally made sausage. The Honen, an authentic Danish trolley pulled by Belgian draft  horses, is available to transport visitors around town almost daily during spring, summer and fall and on weekend s during the winter. A favorite attraction in this charming town is the Elverhoj Museum, a haven of Danish home and demonstrations o...

This is just the beginning. Here visitors can step back in time at La Purisima Mission, California's most authentic example of mission life and architecture. They can explore rugged beaches. Victorian homes, Indian artifacts and miles of flower fields in rainbow colors. Here they can golf beneath bright blue skies tour award-winning neighbouring solvang - and not spend a fortune once they arrive. Lompoc Valley Chamber 111 South 1 St - Dept 11 Lompoc CA 93456 Call:   (805) 736 4567  weekdays 9-5 Fax:    (805) 737 0453

Southwest of Santa Maria, hidden in a peaceful valley on Highway 1, is the town of LOMPOC (pronounced Lompoke") . Known as the :"City of Murals n the Valley of Flowers" the town is bordered from June through September by acres of vivid zinnias, marigolds, sweet peas, petunias and other blossoms. The annual Lompoc Flower Festival is a popular event held the last weekend each June.   Self-guided tours of the more than 800 acres of flower fields can also be enjoyed   A brochure on the 19-mile tour is available from the Lompoc Chamber of Commerce. The city encourages public mural arts Begun 1988, the project has led to 20 large murals being designed , produced and made a part of both public and private buildings. Several of the murals have become a part of "Murals have become a part of "Mural Alley"a two block stretch of buildings in Old Town. La Purisima Mission is another popular Lompoc attraction.  Surrounded by more than 900 acres. La Purisima is ...

Discover the peaceful solitude of the Central Coast's natural beauty in the Santa Maria Valley, located south of San Luis Obispo on Highway 101. Soak up gentle rays of golden sunshine.   Dip your toes into the surf, on expansive, uncrowded beaches.  Golf hike, fish and bike year round,  Cheer on calf roping cowboys at the rodeo.   Follow the wine trail through rolling hills tosi award winning vintages. Renowned for its small-town, old west flair and friendly people.   Santa Maria is a vacation bonanza. This delightful destination attracts families, honeymooners, adventures, sportsmen, and solitude seekers alike who explore the endless, affordable leisure options just waiting at our back door. Begin the day with a hearty breakfast at a local cafe before heading off to discover the quaint wineries tucked away in the foothills of the nearby Sierra Madre Mountains.  Or spend the afternoon exploring the bird refuge or the flora and fauna i...

23 miles of uncrowded beaches Come play and sun on them, runor drive on them, dig for clams, play in the surf, then stay and dine a our fabulous ocean front hotels and restaurants. Phone:   800 443 7778 for more information

Pismo Beach is an exhilarating coastal resort area comprised of a stretch of several beach towns, the local point of which is Pismo Beach.  The area, just 15 minutes south of San Luis Obispo via highway 101, offers everything from fast-paced action to total relaxation. One of the area's truly unique features is found at Pismo State Beach.  Here, all-terrain vehicles can be rented to go four-wheel-driving on the seemingly endless dubes of California's only drivable beach - the Pismo Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area.   Access points for vehicles to travel along the water's edge have been placed at Grover Beach and Oceano, the towns that flank Pismo State Beach. Another way to enjoy traversing the water's edge is n horseback.  Horses are available for rent.  Surfing andbody boarding are also popular pastimes, with great for both sports offered for rent. A surf wheelchair is also available from the beach lifeguards. Tide-pooling can be enjoyed here...

Farther North is Paso Robles, reached by passing through Templeton, whose Main Street boasts Old West architecture.  Paso Robles is a place of wide open spaces, thousands of acres of vineyards, prestigious wineries, thoroughbred and Arabian horse farms, almond orchards and unspoiled lakes. First popular in the mid - 1800s for its therapeutic natural hot springs and mud baths.   Paso Robles is best known today for its award-winning wineries.   Visitors drive along scenic country  roads, enjoy the rural atmosphere and stop to sample the locally produced wines.   In early spring, hundreds of acres blossoming almond orchards and wildflowers provide breathtaking scenery. A few miles north of Paso Robles is the tiny community of San Miguel.  It was here the region's first grapes were grown in 1797 at Mission San Miguel Archangel.  The mission, the sixteenth of California's missions, continues to serve parishioners today. Lake Nacimie...

Inland and north of San Luis Obispo on Highway 101 is the town of Atascadero founded as a utopia in 1913.  Indeed, a relaxing afternoon at picturesque Atascadero Lake Park feeding the ducks and geese feels a bit just like heaven on earth.  The Charles Paddock Zoo is another favorite attraction.  Atascadero City Hall, designated a historical landmark, is home not only to local government, but also to a museum displaying artifacts of Atascadero's early days.

After following the coast from Santa Cruz south through Morro Bay.   Highway One takes a brief break at San Luis Obispo - something visitors to California's Central Coast  should consider. San Luis Obispo is rich in history, architecture and small town friendliness.  Founded in 1772, the town began as Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa, the fifth is a network of 21 California missions. Built on a knoll beside a sparkling creek, the mission became the hub of a growing settlement.  Today, the mission is surrounded by a beautifully landscaped plaza and continues to be a local point of the city. La Fiesta celebrating the town's Spanish heritage, is held here each May. The town's delightful shopping district, complete with outdoor cafes and flower stands, has grown up around the mission. The San Luis Obispo Creek meanders through all of it. The streets of San Luis are lined with architecturally delightful Victorian homes and offer pleasant scenery for a mo...

"The Enchanted Hill" Almost three quarters of a century ago, publisher William Randolph Hearst began building a magnificent estate he called "The Enchanted Hill".  Better known today as Hearst Castle, its 165 room, vast collection of art and antiques, exquisite pools, and acres of gardens, terraces and walkways, comprise California's most impressive State Historical Monument. Located just 90 miles south of Monterey, Hearst Castle is open for tours year-round.  Experience Hearst Castle's enchantment for yourself.  For tour reservations and information  1-800-444-4445

Still further south is Cayuos, a seaside town that began as a warehouse and wharf built in the 1870's by early settler, Englishman James Cass.   Cayuos  retains a distinctly Western flavour and offers a quaint main street, beaches perfect for surfing and a public pier that doubles as a popular fishing  spot. At the southern end of this region is the fishing village of Morro Bay and its monumental, 576 foot high Morro Rock.   This resort community offers sport fishing , golf, hiking, camping and diverse shopping. Designated a bird sanctuary  Morro Bay is a crucial stop-over spot for hundreds of migrating West Coast species and Morro Rock is a protected nesting site for peregrine falcons.  Morro Bay State Park is home to one of the state's largest nesting grounds for the blue heron, best viewed February through June. Nearby Los Osos is the gateway to this area 's version of Big Sur.   Dramatic hillsides give way to rugged coastline...

A fishing village, an old time pioneering community, a Western beach town, a working artists colony and a castle.  The San Simeon area - best known for Hearst Castle's visited by nearly a million tourists annually - offers an intriguing variety of towns  and destinations for the Central Coast traveler. The coastal town of San Simeon, a beautiful area of pastoral and seaside vistas,is 65 miles south of Big Sur.  A visit here should include a walk on the area's beautiful beaches, known for their shells, moonstones and beautiful sunsets. San Simeon is just three miles from the famed Hearst Castle, a magnificent estate of 165 rooms and 127 acres of gardens, located on a hilltop in the Santa Lucia Mountains overlooking the Pacific.  Once home to newspaper published William Randolph Hearst.  It is now a State Historical Monument. Visited by Hollywood movie stars, famous politicians and well-known journalists during its heyday in the 1920s and '30s, the Castle ...

Heading further into Big Sur, four state parks are found.   The northernmost is Garrapata State Park, where sea lions, seals and sea otters frolic along the shore and two trails lead from the coast to the steep inland mountains. Te next park, Andrew Molera, is reached after crossing dramatic Bixby Bridge, a manmade wonder that begins to rival the natural wonders of Big Sur.  At 714 -feet wide, the massive bridge towers gracefully above Bixby Canyon .  As with the rest of the Big Sur section of Highway One, Bixby Bridge was built by convicts, many of whom whittled time off their sentences as they risked life and limb to construct this elegant spa of roadway. The Big Sur River runs through Andrew Molera state park, which offers 50 walk-in campsites and 16 equestrian trails. South of this park is the quiet village of Big Sur, the gateway to Big Sur Valley.  This rustic complex is comprised of a few gas stations and general stores, campgrounds and inns Jus...

There is one pace at which Big Sur should be taken - whether driving straight through its 90 - mile stretch or spending several days exploring its natural wonders.  That pace is leisurely. And indeed, it's difficult to take it at any other pace. For those who spend time in the area, there is no town, as such. No shopping malls, movie theatres or amusement parks.   For those who drive through the Big Sur region on Highway One, California's first Scenic Highway, the sharp curves and steep hills of this well- maintained bur challenging road demand driving with care.   Particularly if the many breathtaking vistas along the way are to be fully enjoyed. At a  leisurely pace, visitors to Big Sur will be able to revel in one of nature's masterpieces.   Perhaps one of the Big Sur 's best known residents. the late Henry MIller, described it best.   Both writer and artist, Miller called Big Sur ".... a region where one is always conscious o...

Carmel-By-The-Sea.  The serene beauty and quiet charm that inspired artists to flock to this little village in the early 1900s still draw visitors today.  Populated by residents committed  to preserving these attributes. Carmel-By-The-Sea is likely to be a beloved destination for visitors for years to come. Located on the coast, south of Monterey, Carmel-By-The-Sea resembles a European village.  Winding tree-lined streets, flower boxes hanging from windowsills, outdoor cafes and intimate restaurants, shops and boutiques housed in lovely cottages and bungalows, hidden courtyards - all combine to give the town its unique charm. Carmel-By-The-Sea still boasts evidence of the artists who helped put the town on the map.  Art galleries abound in this village, which is also home to Forest Theatre, California's first outdoor community amphitheatre. Perhaps one of Carmel's greatest artistic treasures is the former home of Robinson Jeffers, a poet who was greatl...

Point Pinos Lighthouse is another Pacific Grove landmark not to be missed.  Built in 1855, it is the oldest continuously operating lighthouse on the West Coast.   Its kitchen and parlor and bedrooms are furnished with period antiques and weekend self-guided tours tell about the lighthouse's  automated signal which still aids fogbound ships. Pacific Grove is also known for its beautiful Victorian homes, many of which have been converted to bed-and-breakfast inns.  These are open to the public during December 's "Christmas at the Inns" showcasing seven elaborately decorated inns. Golfers will enjoy trying their swing at the Pacific Grove Municipal Golf Course, one of the best golf values on the Monterey Peninsula.  This beautiful, Par 17 course is open to the public.  Its oceanside location offers breathtaking views and often adds the challenge of coastal breezes to an afternoon golf game.  Pacific Grove is the gateway to Pebble Beach, so g...

Pacific Grove can be reached via Highway 68 east, off of Highway one, or by driving beautiful Ocean View Boulevard south of Monterey. Pacific Grove may be small, but it is anything but sleepy.  Visitors have  a wide array of activities from which to choose. The Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History voted the best natural history museum of its size in the nation, is easily found - just look for the life-sized gray whale sculpture on the museum's front lawn.  The museum houses a variety of displays including exhibits featuring California birds, insects, mammals, minerals, reptiles and seashells; a Hands-On -Gallery designed with children in mind; and one large exhibit, "Eskimos - Survivors of the North". The museum, which is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 am - 5 pm., also features a display explaining the migratory habits and behavior of the monarch butterflies, annual visitors to this town that is nicknamed "Butterfly Town U.S.A." Those who visit...

The Salinas Valley can be reached by travelling Highway 68 east from Monterey Peninsula.  En route, visitors pass the Laguna Seca Recreation Area, home to not only its famous international race track, but also for a 500 acre camping park. The Salinas Valley, a major farming region, produces much of the wonderful fresh products enjoyed in Monterey County restaurants. Salinas, the birthplace of John Steinbeck, is also the home to John Steinbecks's Library and annually hosts the California Rodeo in July, the Steinbeck Festival in August and the California International Air Show in October. Highway 101 cuts through the southeast portion of Monterey County, the birthplace of the region's wine-making industry.  It was in what is now the town of Soledad, almost 200 years ago, that Franciscianfrairs planted the first crop of wine grapes.  Today, 34,000 acres in Monterey County are planted in vineyards.   Several vineyards located in and around Soledad.  G...

The 3,324 square miles that make up Monterey County contain a broad range of attractions for the Central Coast visitor.  From playing golf on one of several world class courses in Pebble Beach to explaining the literary legacy of John Steinbeck in Salanis  and on Monterey's Cannery  Row, from wine-tasting in Soledad, an area of gently rolling hills, to hang -gliding  at Marina State Beach, the options are endless. Many begin their tour of this fascinating county in the city that bears the same name.  Monterey The incredible beauty of Monterey.s pristine, half-moon bay and windswept cypress trees would be enough to attract visitors.  The fresh ocean breezes , scenic views and sandy beaches offer a setting perfect for relaxation and rejuvenation. But Monterey offers so much more. The world famous Monterey Bay Aquarium uncovers the hidden wonder of the undersea world off of Monterey's coast, a submarine  canyon that rivals the Grand Canyon in siz...

At the very north end of Monterey County lies the village of Moss Landing.  This small, quaint, fishing village which straddles Highway One is full of hidden treasures for the curious traveller. For the outdoor adventurer, Moss Landing is the gateway to Elkhorn Slough, one of California's largest wetlands and a national Estuarine Reserve.   Elkhorn Slough visitors center is the hb for education programs, displays and special classes, but the real classroom is outside.  Hiking trails offer wonderful vistas of the estuaries, mudlands and marshes. The slough has a wide variety of wildlife, including sea otters, harbor  seals and thousands of migrating birds.   One of the best ways to visit this intriguing natural wetland is by taking a guided pontoon boat tour which travels right through the heart of slough, it's winding waterways. In addition to Elkhorn Slough Preserve, outdoor adventures will enjoy the Moss Landing Wildlife Area as well as the s...