Santa Maria Wine Country for Gay Families – 2TravelDads

Santa Maria Wine Country for Gay Families - 2TravelDads

Over the years we’ve had several trips and shared lots about the Santa Maria Valley in California. This is one of our favorite places on the Central Coast, and not just as a road trip stop, but we love visiting for the outdoor experiences and agriculture, the California agritourism, in the area. The Santa Maria Wine Country also is its own AVA, meaning that it’s a special wine producing region. This podcast and article is all about how YOU can enjoy the Santa Maria Valley vineyard culture, both in person and from wherever you are.

I interviewed two seasoned SMV winemakers, Norman Beko (Cottonwood Canyon Winery) and Wes Hagen (J. Wilkes Wines), and we discussed everything from what makes the SMV a special region for growing grapes, to how visitors can tour Santa Barbara County Wine Country during the Coronavirus pandemic. These winemakers and their teams are working hard to keep the wine culture alive and available.

What Makes the Santa Maria Wine Country Unique?

Being located near the coast and between both east/west and north/south mountains, the climate stays remarkably cool for being a central/southern California area. When it’s blazing hot in Los Angeles, it’s nice and cool in the SMV. When it’s cold and foggy up in San Francisco, it’s warm and pleasant down here. This is the ideal climate for growing chardonnay and pinot noir grapes. Nearly 80% of the wine grown in Santa Barbara County is chardonnay or pinot.

Full Story at 2TravelDads

Instagramable Guadalupe, California – 2TravelDads

Instagramable Guadalupe, California - 2TravelDads

I hate to be that guy but I’m going to share with you the best secret spot in California for Instagram worthy pictures. I know, you’ve seen it a thousand times but this you want to check out for sure. Guadalupe is the best surprise of a town and it’s the most Instagramable town in California, or at least the Central Coast.

There are some places that have been ruined by Instagram and people over running things in an effort to get a cute picture or something. That’s not the case here. Instagramable Guadalupe, CA is cool and would only benefit from people sharing its awesomeness.

A party of the Santa Maria Valley, Guadalupe is nestled between wine country, artichoke fields, and the sand dunes of the Guadalupe Nipomo Dunes Preserve. It’s about three hours north of Los Angeles and 40 minutes south of San Luis Obispo. It’s a short jaunt off the 101 and totally easy to add to a California Coast road trip. It’s one of the less visited towns off the 101 and is absolutely worth your stop.

By Rob Taylor – Full Story at 2TravelDads

California Central Coast Gay Travel Resources

 

California Agritourism in the Santa Maria Valley – 2TravelDads

CALIFORNIA AGRITOURISM IN THE SANTA MARIA VALLEY

We’ve loved visiting the Santa Maria Valley of California for years, ever since our first visit in 2017. We wanted to take a different approach to visiting on our most recent trip, so went with the theme of agritourism. Of course we still enjoyed the beach and nature of the Central Coast, but California agritourism with kids was a hit in more ways than just a fun vacation.

Why the Santa Maria Valley for California agritourism? For three reasons: diversity of farm experiences; wonderful, welcoming people; and it’s gorgeous. Just keep reading…

WHAT IS AGRITOURISM?

We love agritourism because it’s a very different way to explore and learn. If you’re not familiar, agritourism is the approach of tourism through the lens of farming and agriculture. It’s visiting and interacting with farmers and experiencing both the work and the joy of farming. One of the biggest benefits of agritourism with kids is helping them see and understand where their food comes from.

Tip: a good conversation to have with kids is regarding sustainability and organic farming and labeling. When you start visiting farms and vineyards, you’ll see signs and you’ll hear farmers talking about what they do to ensure they’re growing the best produce possible, so it’s nice to lay some groundwork.

By Rob Taylor – Full Story at 2TravelDads

Central Coast of California Gay Travel Resources