You read that right, baby boomers, our itchy travel feet are on the go again. Alan and I will be traveling on a coastal California sports car road trip later this April. We’re researching California travel destinations to bring you articles on activities, lodging, dining and anything else that we find interesting.
Discover Paso Robles
Our journey starts in Paso Robles, California, with accommodations at La Bellasera Hotel and Suites. We’ll meet up with a boomer winemaker at Paso Wine Centre, tour Steinbeck Vineyards & Winery and experience spa treatments at River Oaks Hot Springs. You can be sure that I’ll push the record button on the video camera, when Alan learns to drive a stagecoach at Harris Stage Lines. Dining venues include Enoteca, Thomas Hill Organics, Artisan Restaurant and a couple of other surprises.
Drive the Scenic Coast
As our sports car zips up Highway 1 on the California coast, the golden oldies will be blasting on the radio. After exploring Hearst Castle, we’ll spend a night at Ragged Point Inn near San Simeon followed by a night at Mill Rose Inn at Half Moon Bay. Cross your fingers for good photography weather. I’ll pack my Kuru shoes, just in case there’s time for a hike to at Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park or for a walk to visit the elephant seals at Ano Nuevo State Reserve.
Experience Mendocino
The Sea Rock Inn will be our headquarters for exploring this beautiful part of the California coast. Will we hike the Mendocino Trails or take one of the Mendocino Light House Tours? Trave writer Nancy D. Brown will be guest posting this Thursday to give us a few horseback riding ideas. You’ll need to keep reading our posts to find out which activities we choose; subscribe right now so that you don’t miss a thing.
Luxury in Sonoma
Before turning for home, we’ll stop in the small town of Forestville in Sonoma Wine Country. Our luxurious Russian River Valley digs will be at Farmhouse Inn and Restaurant. Alan and I are looking forward to dinner in the farm to table Michelen starred restaurant. We’re honored that Farmhouse Inn owners, Joe and Catherine Bartolomei, will be taking us on a tour of their family farm, Bartolomei Ranch, to learn about the Artisan foods that they produce.
Plan the Trip
How did we prepare for our coastal California sports car road trip? Well, Alan has had maps spread out all over the dining room table for months. We also researched itineraries suggested at Karen Brown’s World of Travel. And, browsing through Select Registry, Distinguished Inns of North America 2009-2010, introduced us to interesting bed and breakfast selections. Be sure to check back with My Itchy Travel Feet during our 2-year anniversary in May when we’ll celebrate with an exciting contest giveaway from Select Registry.
Have you heard of WikiReader? We’ll be using one during our trip for researching questions that come up. The WikiReader review will appear in May and will be another contest prize in our 2-year anniversary celebration.
Follow Along
Don’t forget to visit (and join) the My Itchy Travel Feet fan page on Facebook. As time allows, we’ll be posting photos and brief updates from the road. And of course I’ll be twittering about what we see under the hashtag #CAroadtrip, so follow me @DonnaLHull.
Vroom, vroom. Do you hear that car engine revving up? Alan’s ready to leave today.
Baby boomers, do you have any trip suggestions for us? Please leave a comment with your tips. We just might try them.
Disclosure: A portion of our trip has been underwritten by some of the travel providers mentioned in this post.
A boomer travel and lifestyle authority who is exploring the world one activity at a time. Besides writing and publishing My Itchy Travel Feet, she also writes about boomer travel for My Well-Being Powered by Humana, Make It Missoula and is the author of My Itchy Travel Feet: Breathtaking Adventure Vacation Ideas.
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Since 2008, we've published articles and photographs focusing solely on travel for boomers: where to go, what to do and how to do it.
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
My husband and I will be taking trips up and down the coast in southern california this summer Only problem is I bring my little Shih Tzu wherever I go, finding good accomadations that accept pets can be hard depending on where you go, Also finding a place that will let you leave your dog in the room as you go out and explore is even harder only a few places allow this.
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I can't wait to follow along!
Twitter: ottsworld
April 16, 2010 at 6:35 am
I've got my seat belt on and I'm ready to go!! What an amazing road trip you have planned! I hope you plan a stop in Carmel!
Sounds like it's going to be a lot of fun, I can feel the wind in my hair and my mouth is watering already
Coastal California! One of my favorite places in the world. I'm anxious to follow you along on what looks to be a very interesting itinerary, especially since you'll be visiting some places I've never been.
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