Day 15: San Luis Obispo, CA to Carpinteria, CA
Postcard from Carpinteria, California.
A short and quick-ish 135 miles driven mostly on the CA 1 South, with a couple of unnecessary diversions to get a break from the frenetic fast pacing highway and drive at my own – slow – speed in this first full day drive in Southern Cali, a region that boosts 300+ days of sunshine every year. Not this morning. Not this evening.
The sunny afternoon though, in Santa Barbara, was pleasantly spent strolling between downtown and West Beach partly betraying my commitment to the holy tacos (+2) for a luscious lobster roll. Fair, I say.
First swim in the Pacific Ocean: aborted. Way too damn cold for my Mediterranean bones expectations.
Driving from San Luis Obispo to Carpinteria cheat sheet
Accommodation in Carpinteria CA:
- Motel 6 Carpinteria, CA – Santa Barbara – South, 5550 Carpinteria Ave, Carpinteria, CA 93013. A clean and cheap accommodation, walking distance to some dining options in downtown Carpinteria. Careful cause there is more than one Motel 6.
Where to eat and what to see between San Luis Obispo CA and Carpinteria CA
- Broad Street Oyster Company, 418 State St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101. One of the best lobster roll I’ve ever had. Tip: to get to Broad Street Oyster Company you nee to enter trough a different separate bar that doesn’t serve BSOC food. Walk pass the kitchen and you’ll end up in a second bar with a great beer garden. That’s the best place to enjoy your seafood.
- Downtown Santa Barbara. a very elegant American city with tons of sightseeing opportunities and dining options. The main beaches are walking distance. Might be worth spending more than one night around here.
- Teddy’s By the Sea, 5096 Carpinteria Ave, Carpinteria, CA 93013. There are no many dining options (that I could find at least) but the tacos and the margaritas flight were pretty solid and filling.
- Island Brewing Company, 5049 6th St, Carpinteria, CA 93013 A nice brewery where I managed to enjoy some unexpected live music.
Driving from San Luis Obispo to Carpinteria FAQ
The shortest way from San Luis Obispo to Carpinteria is about 110 miles. As usual I took a few detour bringing the total to 135 miles
Driving the highway you can get from San Luis Obispo to Carpinteria in about 2 hours. I stopped for lunch and sightseeing in Santa Barbara hence it took me a few more hours to get to the motel in Carpinteria.
The main attraction on the way from San Luis Obispo to Carpinteria is for sure Santa Barbara. If budget is not an issue you could even stop there for the night and enjoy the hundreds of dining options you have in downtown Santa Barbara (tip: way more than what you have in Carpinteria). Also trying to avoid the highway you might end up driving in some very, very long roads. The US road-trip at its best
Stopping in Santa Barbara is a must if you are driving from San Luis Obispo to Carpinteria. It’s a very elegant American city with tons of sightseeing opportunities and dining options.
Really depends on what the weather looks like: if sunny a convertible is highly recommended. I drove the same mid-size Chevvy that I had since Seattle.
My itinerary on a West Coast road trip
- Seattle to San Diego road trip – main article
- Day 1: Sea-Tac to Seattle
- Day 2: Seattle to Port Angeles
- Day 3: Port Angeles to Astoria
- Day 4: Astoria to Florence
- Day 5: Florence to Crescent City
- Day 6: Crescent City to Fortuna
- Day 7, 8 and 9: Fortuna to Napa
- Day 10 and 11: Napa to San Francisco
- Day 12: San Francisco to Monterey
- Day 13: Monterey to King City
- Day 14: King City to San Luis Obispo
- Day 15: San Luis Obispo to Carpinteria
- Day 16-17-18: Carpinteria to Los Angeles
- Day 19-20: Los Angeles to San Diego
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Day 19-20: Los Angeles CA to San Diego CA
Day 4: Astoria, OR to Florence OR
