California's Heart and Soul

Outdoor Adventures Wine and Relax SLO County

02.03.2016

The perfect weekend trip: a little outdoors, a little wine, and a little relaxation. If you haven't experienced the heart of California, right now is the best time to visit San Luis Obispo County. All the best of the state comes together here, without the crowds! Not only can you adventure throughout the county—hiking, biking, rock climbing, and kayaking—the wineries here (and there are more than 250) easily go toe-to-toe with any other wine region in the state. In the far-out region of Paso Robles top wineries pour among a calligraphy of bright green hills, and at the inland classics of the county, you can add extra adventure to your wine tasting by 4-wheeling up and down the vineyards in an open-top 1953 Willys Jeep. From the galloping green hills to the completely accessible coastline, hiking and kayaking are fun and easy ways to explore the area. Find solitude, secluded sands, wild waves, tranquil tide pools, and a picnic spot worthy of a proposal while hiking at Montaña de Oro State Park. (Check out the best hiking trails in the county.) See the county's famed icons by paddling the gentle waters of Morro Bay, or go kayaking through sea caves at Avila Beach.

Unique Lodging Bonus: With a luxe spa, Allegretto Vineyard Resort is a fantastic option for unwinding. The Canyon Villa is an intimate bed & breakfast experience located on 11 acres and perfect for outdoor adventurists. To really get away from it all, stay the night in a century-old farmhouse at HammerSky Vineyards.

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From Beach to Summit
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Picnic and a Pedal
West Marin has all the right stuff for an afternoon getaway: bike paths, babbling brooks, canopy forests, and secluded picnic spots. Combine a picnic and a pedal at Samuel P. Taylor State Park by biking the easygoing Cross Marin Trail.
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Most Peaceful Hike of All
Is this the most peaceful one-hour hike in the Bay Area? It's got our vote! Lake Lagunitas is the smallest lake in a series of five found on the north side of Mount Tam, so it’s got that tiny but mighty charm. Do a 1.5-mile loop around the lake's shore-hugging trail.
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Sebastopol Food & Wine Roll
One apple farm, three charming towns, multiple wineries, and infinite natural beauty. Savor a perfect autumn day in Sonoma County by biking the West County Regional Trail from Sebastopol to Forestville via Graton. It’s a 17-mile (round-trip) adventure.
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Canal Contemplations
With its incense-scented boardwalk, bohemian shops, skateparks, and abundance of body builders, Venice is happily eccentric, and artistic. Exhibit A: Its network of European-style canals with charming bridges, offering a tranquil tour of the town’s history.
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Wine Down, Dine Out in Lake Chelan
The fertile soil around Washington State's Lake Chelan is ripe for more than just the amazing apples. Vineyards here yield high quality grapes, and some of the country’s best less-discovered wineries. Locals know it, and you will too when you start choosing from the more than 30 wineries in the region.
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What's Up, Winthrop!
It’s not just its location close to Washington State’s spectacular and less visited national park (North Cascades) that makes Winthrop such a winsome mountain town. This lively enclave in the Methow Valley bristles with a whimsical blend of Wild West charms, contemporary culture, and a mosaic of outdoor adventures—from river to lake to waterfalls, and beyond.
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Planet of the Oaks
Let us count the number of oak tree species in the Volcan Mountain Wilderness Preserve near Julian: coast, scrub, canyon, black, and Engelmann. Five! The preserve’s Five Oaks Trail is a 3.2-mile hike that boasts all five.
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