Savor local flavor: 8 great eateries on California's central coast

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The activities and events travelers list on their must-do, must-see lists vary widely depending on interests and intentions. Some folks want to relax and take it easy while away from home, others seek adventure and heart-pounding experiences, others lie somewhere in between balancing a bit of both. 

All travelers, though, like to eat. Must eat. Which puts dining at the top of the must-do list for all who travel. The true treat for tourists is discovering establishments rich in regional dishes complemented by dashes of local lore.

My daughter and I enjoyed eight such eateries on our recent visit to California's central coast, courtesy Morro Bay Tourism and California Highway 1 Discovery Route. Following are our recommendations for savoring local flavor when visiting the charming towns along Highway 1.

BLUE SKY BISTRO ON THE BAY
699 Embarcadero, Morro Bay CA 93442
www.bistroonthebay.com

blue sky bistro on the bay

Blue Sky Bistro offers bayside dining that's about as bayside as you can be, with a fabulous view of Morro Bay and Morro Rock. The superb service perfectly complements...

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Newbie to natural: My wine-tasting education courtesy Pacific Coast Wine Trail wineries

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Chateau Margene cabernetUp until a couple weeks ago, I had never been to a wine tasting. As a relatively new wine drinker — 7&7s, margaritas, and martinis my longtime cocktails of choice — the idea of stepping up to the counter of a cellar and sipping sirahs and sauvignons and such intimidated me to no end.

A mother/daughter trip to California featuring stops along the Pacific Coast Wine Trail courtesy Highway 1 Discovery Route and Morro Bay Tourism Bureau cured me of my wine-tasting trepidation. I owe my conversion from newbie to (kinda sorta) natural to three delightful wineries and the patient, passionate sommeliers who shared their spirits, stories, and expertise with this admittedly ignorant wine drinker.

The Pacific Coast Wine Trail features ten wineries...

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CA Highway 1 Discovery Route destination: Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery

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As grandmother to three rambunctious grandsons and another equally active stepgrandson, I've seen my share of children engaging in play battles with one another. From wrestling on the trampoline to Wii wars to Nerf gun wars, I'm no stranger to the competitive, creative capers of kids.

Which is why I never imagined one of the highlights of the mother/daughter trip my oldest and I were treated to along the California Highway 1 Discovery Route (compliments Highway 1 Discovery Route) would be watching little ones battle it out with one another. Yet when the little ones were not so little at all — hundreds and hundreds of pounds, in fact — and elephant seal babes instead of human babes, my daughter and I were enchanted by the action (and inaction) taking place at the Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery just north of San Simeon along California's Central Coast.

elephant seal rookery 

My daughter and I were instantly intrigued the moment we got out of our car and leaned over the railing separating the massive marine animals from the curious animal lovers enjoying...

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Documenting our outing: Mother, daughter, pink beach cruisers... and a selfie fail

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When my daughter and I visited Morro Bay in California a week or so ago, we were treated to two single-speed beach cruisers — pink! — for a bicycle ride around the Embarcadero, to Morro Rock, and along the sandy shores of Morro Strand State Beach. All courtesy Farmer's Kites & Surreys.

The laid-back bikes provided a delightful ride along the beach, with stops here and there to watch otters at play and surfers attempting to master the waves. My daughter led the way on our one-hour wending and winding near the water's edge.

Being a photo fanatic who must document everything, I made Brianna stop to take a selfie with me on our matching pink bikes. Despite several attempts to wrangle our bee-yoo-tiful bikes into view as well as our happy faces, I was unable to capture the moment as I'd hoped.

mother daughter selfie 

A definite selfie fail. At least in terms of...

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Brief look: Where we stayed, what we saw

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My daughter Brianna and I set out on our California Highway 1 Discovery Route and Morro Bay adventure yesterday. We are enjoying it immensely, and I'll have loads to share in my recap of the fun upon my return. For now, though, I wanted to quickly share with you a brief look of where we're staying the first two nights and what we first saw when we crossed the street from our hotel.

sand pebbles inn cambria

Breathtaking! The Sand Pebbles Inn in Cambria is...

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