I’d just stay in Santa Monica. There’s plenty of shopping there, and if you want a less crowded beach just go to Malibu.

Anonymous wrote:+1 to Santa Barbara. Lots of winery options too in Santa Rita Hills. Check out the little town of Solvang.

Thank you!👍

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I lived in CA for 40years, go back every year to visit family.

I would do up the coast to Santa Barbara, then up to Avila Beach. There's a great spa there.

https://sycamoresprings.com/

If you have time, you can drive up to Paso Robles (through San Luis O) which has some wineries.

Re driving - just be prepared for the worst traffic and driving you have ever seen. I grew up there and refuse now to fly into LAX and drive around.

pp here.. I was there last year -- drove from OC to SB (have a friend who lives there), spent the night and then drove back to OC. I was mentioning to DH on the drive that the traffic didn't seem as bad as before. I used to visit my friend in SB a few times per year when I lived in OC.

Of course you want to avoid peak traffic hours.