Girlfriend’s Getaway: Exploring the Seaside Charm in Cayucos, California!
A month ago if you had asked me where Cayucos was I would have given you a blank stare. I had no clue about this charming quirky seaside town nestled along the Central California coast. Basically, halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles, it’s billed as California’s last great beach town. And I definitely had no idea about The Pacific Motel, the most perfectly redone and thoughtfully curated motel.
WHERE WE STAYED:
The Pacific Motel
399 S Ocean Ave
Cayucos, CA 93430
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The Pacific Motel is a recently restored 1920’s motel with a collection of 20 bungalows and rooms filled with artwork by local artists, linens by Parachute, and the cutest Scandinavian wood stoves. This darling property is a block and a half from the ocean and everything you need in town is within walking distance, or you can hop on the bikes provided by the motel.
My bestie Karen and I stayed in one of the stand-alone bungalows with a king bed and a little private patio. The style throughout the property is impeccable: whitewashed and minimal but warm and inviting at the same time. There are sweet little touches like gas fireplaces, tivoli radios, and stocked minibars featuring local goodies…even the bath products are sourced from local vendors. The motel works perfectly for a romantic stay, a girlfriend getaway, or as a great place to bring the entire family.
In the lobby you’ll find a cute little boutique gift shop, alongside locally produced free coffee offered every morning, and plenty of local wines for purchase. The motel is owned and operated by a couple who are also local! He’s a contractor, she’s a designer, and together they created this little slice of paradise off the beaten path.
During the warmer months an airstream trailer parked on the property called “The Sandbar” serves up yummy bites and drinks.
CULINARY DELIGHTS IN CAYUCOS
As for the laid-back town itself, it is affordable and blissfully underdeveloped. Our first night we walked to dinner, along the way stopping at one of the community’s most beloved businesses, The Brown Butter Cookie Company. These cookies are the perfect combination of salty and sweet and a delicious treat with your coffee from the motel. Grab some for your stay, but you must grab extra to take home…one bag is definitely not enough.
For dinner, we ate at Schooners, an iconic salty beachfront spot for dinner and drinks. This two-story structure looks like something out of a movie and I got the yummiest clam chowder here! Ask to sit on the rooftop for dinner to watch the sunset and then pop into the tiny bar for a drink.
For breakfast, I would highly recommend the Hidden Kitchen. Whether it’s the sweet smell of the ocean from the beachfront patio or the blue corn waffles, (this is one of the items they are known for, I got the one with eggs and avocado!) it was the perfect mouthwatering start to our day.
WINE TASTING & SHOPPIING IN SAN LUIS OBISPO
It rained for half of the weekend, but that didn’t affect any of our fun! We journeyed into nearby San Luis Obispo, about 15 minutes away (the locals call it SLO) for a little wine tasting at Chamisal Vineyards. Reservations are suggested, but they do take walk-ins. Since it was raining the outdoor patio wasn’t open, but they squeezed us in anyway. Chamisal is known for its sustainably produced chardonnay and pinot noirs. We had what is now one of my all-time favorite chardonnay paired with the most perfect charcuterie & cheese board. We loved this experience so much in the rain and I can only imagine how lovely it is on a sunny day.
Afterward, we headed 10 minutes back to San Luis Obispo for a little shopping spree, exploring the unique boutiques and local treasures. Plus, for a touch of adventure, we tried ax throwing at Battle Axe, which is an indoor throwing facility. The experts would probably suggest doing this before wine tasting, but somehow our aim was spot on after we eventually got the hang of it.
When it comes to coffee, apparently the only place to go is Scout Coffee. They make what they call happy coffee, accompanied by scratch-made pastries and curated goods. The space itself was creative and the coffee is definitely worth the wait (and there’s typically a wait). There are 3 locations in the area.
The reason I picked Cayucos is because I was looking for a place halfway between Lodi where my childhood best friend lives and Los Angeles where I live. To give you an idea of how far back we go, we met on the first day of Kindergarten, and this is a favorite photo of when we were in middle school having a sleepover at my house. Decades later, not much has changed! We still have sleepovers and we’re still having the time of our lives!
As for Cayucos, we had no idea how we would fall in love with this sleepy little town and The Pacific Motel, an unforgettable seaside boutique retreat. We honestly can’t wait to go back!
P.S. As always I’ve linked everything we are wearing on my LTK PAGE Happy shopping! <3
