Five Days on the Central Coast, Dinner Plans, and Vacay Eating
If vacation eating fills you with worry, it may be time to work on your day-to-day relationship with food.
Last week, we spent five days on California's beautiful central coast. I wasn’t sure if we were going out of town until a few days before, so I didn’t plan quite how I usually do for a trip. But it seems that a little is just enough on the chill central coast.
We stayed in a lovely little seaside town called Cambria. It wasn’t on my radar until one of my friends posted about it last summer. It’s about ten miles south of Hearst Castle. This area is rich in history and outdoor activities. Here’s a quick glance at how we spent five days there.
Day 1: We arrived and got settled in our dreamy AirBnB. After settling in, we drove down to Moonstone Beach and walked on the boardwalk. Think ocean spray and wildflowers—this isn’t like a busy SoCal location. It’s also not a swimming beach. The surf is too strong.
Day 2: We grabbed pastries and coffee at a bakery on Main St., perused a few shops, and then went hiking with our friends. My friend is pretty much a local there, so she knew where we should hike in Harmony Headlands. We saw wildflowers, birds, snails, whale spouts, and a snake! We headed for a late lunch at Moonstone Bar and Grill, and I had the most delicious Cambria Clam Chowder!
Day 3 - We headed North about ten miles to Hearst Castle. We did the main rooms tour, and it was SO interesting. We loved the history of Julia Morgan, who was the first female architect in the state of California and designed Hearst Castle. She and Mr. Hearst worked on the castle together for twenty-eight years. After the tour, we headed to a great little sandwich shop by the ocean. This area (Paso Robles) is also a California wine region, so we got to sip some new wines during lunch. Afterward, we headed towards Big Sir for a fantastic impromptu hike from the cliffs to the ocean - it was such a find! The elephant seals greeted us on our way back down the coast. You can see more below.
Day 4 - We drove south to Morro Bay to catch tide pools, a hike, otters, and an up-close look at Morro Rock. We climbed to the top of Black Hill for some great bay views. The pine forest smell by the ocean was terrific - I wish I could have bottled it up! We had lunch by the rock - seafood all around. Then, we headed back to Main Street in Cambria to check out the shops. Catch our Morro Bay adventures below.
Day 5 - We met our friends again for the upstairs rooms tour at Hearst Castle. The tour took us through bedrooms, stories of parties he hosted, his amazing office, and more. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky, so the views of the ocean and mountains from high up on the mountain were spectacular. No wonder the Hearst family loved that spot so much. From there, we returned to the elephant seals and watched them sleep and slide around. We ended the day by watching the sunset on the bluff trail by the sea in Cambria. My daughter thought up the picture below. It’s how we all feel about the central coast.
Now for Your Menus
You’re going to love this dinner menu lineup. We’ve got flank steaks, Greek salads, garlic bread, sausage and peppers, and more. It’s getting warm enough to eat outside here, and we love dinner al fresco. The Monday menu is perfect for the patio if you have a spot to eat outside. No matter where you have your meals, I hope you enjoy them!
Get your March Week 4 Menu HERE
On Vacay Eating
Travel eating can feel some with dread,. It doesn’t have to be that way. Several of you have asked about managing vacation eating. I do want to recognize that vacations and travel are a privilege. Even though I try to stay budget-minded, I’m aware that I’m lucky to have experiences like this.
When I work with clients who have food and travel concerns—outside of food allergies—I wonder about their day-to-day relationship with food. If your relationship with food and body is peaceful, eating on vacation is unlikely to be stressful. It is my wish for us all.
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