Day 1: Welcome to San Jose

Welcome to San Jose! You’ll begin your small group tour – California Coast Food & Wine Trail, at this center of innovation and affluence. It may be the Capital of the Silicon Valley and home to a range of Fortune 500 companies, but it’s also the start of your unforgettable gastronomic California tour along the stunning coast. There’s no better way to kick start your flavor-filled journey than a Welcome Reception to get to know your Travel Director and fellow travel companions.

Day 2: Explore San Jose and surrounds

Gain a true sense of what it’s like to live in Silicon Valley when you embark on a downtown walking tour where you’ll get to view all the highlights of this innovative city, from the Plaza de Cesar Chávez and Circle of Palms Plaza to the San Jose Museum of Art and St. James Park. A visit to San Jose would not be complete without gaining a deep understanding of what drives this major technological hub and you’ll enjoy a self-guided visit to The Tech Museum of Innovation, a science and technology center where you’ll have an opportunity to get hands-on and learn about everything from social robots to cyber detectives. Leave Silicon Valley behind and arrive at Harley Farms, a 1910 dairy farm across nine acres of pasture in Pescadero and home to 200 goats. On this MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience, you’ll walk alongside the milking herd, past Anatolian shepherds, donkeys and British White cattle, learning why the locally made chevre, fromage blanc, ricotta and feta consistently win awards for their taste and quality. It’s the perfect place for a picnic lunch and you’ll leave with a deep appreciation for where your food comes from before heading to our lofty next stop, Big Basin Redwoods State Park. Immerse yourself amongst giants as you embark on a self-guided walk through California’s oldest state park, admiring its largest trees – some as tall as the Statue of Liberty. You’ll feel tiny in comparison to these ancient coast redwoods and discover how this redwood forest has evolved over the centuries. The next stop is Santa Cruz, where you’ll have the evening to explore the city on your terms.

Day 3: Discover the sights of Santa Cruz

Slow it right down in Santa Cruz, a surfer’s paradise and haven for beach lovers. Natural Bridges State Beach is where you’ll begin your self-guided walk and you’ll admire all its highlights, stopping at its tide pools to see the little creatures swimming in its salty waters and admiring the incredible rock formations that jut out into the ocean. Gaze across the waves in search of the migrating whales, seals and otters which find sanctuary in this stunning marine environment fringed by coastal scrub and grasslands dotted with pretty wildflowers in the spring. Your lungs filled with fresh sea air you’ll head back to Santa Cruz Wharf for lunch on your own. Stroll down the longest wooden pier in the United States with a warm cup of clam chowder, keeping your eyes peeled for seals, sea lions and perhaps dolphins that frequent Monterey Bay. The sounds and smell of the ocean will linger long after you’ve returned to Santa Cruz, but tonight is all about reminiscing about your California tour thus far, so join your travel companions for a delicious dinner with wine to end the perfect day.

Day 4: Admire Big Sur and the highlights of 17-Mile Drive

You’ll want to remember every irresistible inch of today’s drive along the Monterey Peninsula, committing to memory all the highlights of Big Sur and one of the world’s most scenic journeys – 17-Mile Drive. Skirting the blue waters of the Pacific, you’ll make a stop at Pebble Beach Golf Links, one of the top courses in the country. An iconic championship venue, Pebble Beach Golf Links justifiably earns its rank as the top public golf course in the country, and you’ll learn how it has hosted more U.S. Opens than any other course in the past five decades. Dramatic cliffs, pristine beaches and lush forests line this part of your California tour and you’ll immerse yourself in the beauty of your surrounds, stopping for photos at the Lone Cypress, arguably the most iconic symbol of 17-Mile Drive. On your next stop at Carmel-By-The Sea, you’ll gain a deep appreciation of what it must be like to live in this rich artistic small beach city on California’s Monterey Peninsula. You’ll have some time for lunch and a stroll past its fairy-tale cottages and galleries before settling in for the highlight of the day and your epic drive along the Pacific Coast Highway through Big Sur. You won’t be able to tear your eyes away from the dramatic coastline you’ve only seen in movies as you snake along Highway 1. This is what dreams are made of and you’ll pass such highlights as Bixby Bridge as you skirt deep Pacific blue on one side and lush green hilly landscapes on the other towards tonight’s overnight stay in San Luis Obispo with the Pacific on one side and towering cliffs on the other.

Day 5: Oyster cruising in Morro Bay

We begin today with a leisurely walk of the Montaña De Oro State Park taking in beautiful views of the park’s tide pools, beaches, rock islands and natural beaches. It’s the perfect start to an unforgettable day in Morro Bay where you’ll Connect With Locals after lunch on your own and board a coastal cruise learning about the local marine life as you watch sea otters feast on shellfish and hear stories about what it’s like to live and work here from the boat captain. Back on land, your seafood journey continues, as you Dive Into Culture and enjoy a tasting of the local catch of Pacific Gold Oysters from Morro Bay Oyster Company. With your newfound skills, you’ll be able to shuck fresh oysters like a pro and you’ll learn how these cold waters make for the perfect environment for these hardy oysters. SLO CAL is the place to be this evening and you’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to deciding how to spend your evening and what to eat. Don’t miss the chance to try out some of the area’s delicious wines, or the vibrant craft-brewing, cider and distillery scene.

Day 6: Enjoy the flavors of Paso Robles

Your last day in southern California will be a real treat for foodies - We start with a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience at a local avocado farm where you’ll learn about the region’s agriculture. Your hosts from the local CalPoly will take you on a walking tour of the farm and you’ll leave knowing that your visit has helped to sustain the agricultural educational program which the farm supports. Next, join the mother-daughter duo of Karen and Jennifer Talent at the Groves on 41 Olive Oil Ranch where they host a Be My Guest feast featuring their award-winning olive oil in the different lunch dishes, even the ice cream! For a taste of the good life, we head to Parrish Vineyards. This family run vineyard has its origins in the fascinating story of their grandfather who planted 500 acres of grapes pre-Prohibition. Today, the family manages 150 acres on three estate vineyards and specializes in Bordeaux varieties. You’ll Connect With Locals and meet your host, winemaker and owner David Parrish whose mission it is to create Napa-style Cabs in Paso’s limestone soils. Then it’s back to the city after a day in California wine country to enjoy one final evening with your travel companions at your leisure, no doubt raising a glass to the epic day you’ve had in sunny Southern California.

Day 7: Farewell California

Your California tour of coast, food and wine has come to an end. Depart at leisure from San Luis Obispo Airport.