Among the plentiful pleasures of life on the Central Coast is the ease with which we can embark on a weekend getaway. From Capitola to Carpinteria, we’re surrounded by communities that offer familiarly chill vibes yet enough new faces and undiscovered places to make for a memorable two-night escape. Best of all, many are within a 90-minute drive, so you can leave town after a full Friday of work, reach your destination in time for your dinner reservation, and repeat on Sunday, enjoying a day of play before getting home for supper.
My family’s latest lark was to Los Osos-Baywood Park, a quiet, conveniently forgotten coastal enclave due west of San Luis Obispo and just enough off the beaten track of 101 that accidental visits don’t happen. I was reminded of the area during a work stop at the Baker & Brain ( bakerandbrain.com ) tasting room, where proprietor Melanie Baker enthused about her ’hood’s family-friendly scene. A few weeks later, with the guidance of Highway1DiscoveryRoute.com , we were on our way.
