Day Trippin'

Start your day with a leisurely breakfast at the Loading Dock (315 S. Broadway in Old Orcutt, 805.934.3471), a unique espresso café with antiques and furniture.

Next take Highway 101 south to Los Alamos, a quaint town that truly represents historic California. Here you'll find the Union Hotel (362 Bell Street, Los Alamos, 805.344.2744), originally built in 1880, which served as a stagecoach stop. It burned down in 1893, was rebuilt in 1915 of reinforced concrete, and was restored again in 1971 using old barn wood.

Don't forget to visit the General Store (458 Bell Street, Los Alamos, 805.344.5181) which was also built in 1880. It is now home to Café Quackenbush and Art Brut Gallery. At the café, you'll find a variety of cuisines by chefs who originally worked under world-famous chef, Wolfgang Puck. Along this same road, you'll find a variety of antique shops, one of which used to be the Pacific Coast Railway Station built in 1882. Enjoy California plein air art, landscapes interpreted by various Central Coast artists, and Country French furniture at the Art Brut Gallery next door to the café (458 Bell St., Los Alamos, 805.344.5181.).

Continue south on Highway 101 and exit Highway 154 (San Marcos Pass Road) to Alamo Pintado Road. Take scenic Alamo Pintado Road to the Quicksilver Miniature Horse Farm (1155 Alamo Pintado Road, Solvang, 800.370.4002) or stop by one of the roadside stands for a taste of the local apple harvest which includes Fuji, Winesap, Gala and a host of other delectable varietals. The apple stands are open from August through October. Other seasonal produce stands are open throughout the year.

Further south on Highway 154, two-hour wildlife cruises are offered at Cachuma Lake (Highway 154, 805.686.5050) throughout the year. The whole family will enjoy learning about the history, geology, and wildlife of the area.

Proceed on Highway 154 toward Santa Barbara. Watch carefully for the Painted Cave Road sign on your left. Once you reach the Painted Cave, you'll find it worth the effort. Inside the cave are complex designs, one of which is believed to depict a total eclipse of the sun that occurred on November 24, 1677. Chumash priests are said to have made the paintings to influence supernatural beings and forces to intervene on human affairs.

Follow Painted Cave Road back out the same way you entered, turn right on Highway 154, then turn left onto Stagecoach Road. A famous stagecoach stop for noonday meals was Cold Spring Tavern (5995 Stagecoach Road, Santa Barbara, 805.967.0066), now 100 years old. A visit to Cold Spring Tavern to explore both its culinary delights and history is worthy of a day trip in itself. Explore the tidbits of history surrounding each building like the Ojai Jail built in 1873 and then brought over the pass to its current location.

Drive north on Highway 154 and make a left onto Highway 246. Stop by the Chumash Indian Casino (3 miles east of Solvang on Highway 246, 800.728.9997) which includes Las Vegas-style video gaming and a card room well known for its hospitality and great play. Big name entertainment events are also held here throughout the year.

Continue west on Highway 246 toward the Danish Village of Solvang. From June to October be sure to see a world-class theatrical production by PCPA Theaterfest at the Festival Theatre (420 2nd Street, Solvang, 805.922.8313). This Shakespearean amphitheater is a setting for everything from major musicals to gripping dramas, comedies to classics. Productions are also held throughout the year at the Marian and Severson Theatres in Santa Maria.