5 CA Winter Getaways: Snow, Surf, Seals And Small-Town Charm

CALIFORNIA — A late winter getaway can mean many different things in California, which doesn’t have the harsh cold that gives people in other states cabin fever at this time of year.

In fact, it’s so generally mild in the winter that some Californians may seek out the snow that states farther east often tire of in the winter.

Below are five winter getaways, from NorCal to SoCal.

See Denmark In California

“The Danish Capital of America,” Solvang in the scenic Santa Ynez Valley of Northern California, is a fun, kid-friendly escape any time of the year. Copenhagen Drive is filled with shops offering tastings of Aebleskiver and other Danish pastries, or samples of wine in the shade of windmills. Visitors rave about the experience as the closest thing to Denmark without a passport.

There are more than 20 wine tasting rooms downtown, and visitors may find them more affordable than pricier Napa. Hans Christian Andersen Park is a special delight. Past its castle arch entryway are a skate park challenging skaters of all abilities and playgrounds with tall slides that are fun for all ages. On the way to the park is the Bethania Lutheran Church, an architectural accomplishment with a ship suspended from the ceiling that pays tribute to seafaring Scandinavians.

Solvang is also a great destination for boutique shopping and international cuisine. It can be explored on foot or via four-wheeled surrey cycles or a historic wooden streetcar pulled by a pair of draft horses on the Solvang Trolley.

Wintry Fun At Mammoth Lakes

Mammoth Lakes is home to Mammoth Mountain, California’s highest chairlift-serviced peak. Located in the Sierra Nevada range in the central part of the state, Mammoth Mountain is likely to have snow lifts open for months to come.

The mountain offers endless wintry fun beyond the lifts, for example, snowboarding, cross-country skiing, snowtubing, snowmobiling, sledding, ice skating, winter fishing or even a pickup snowball fight or winter picnic.

The Mammoth Lakes tourism site is brimming with ideas. Between the restaurants, events, shopping and access to the Village Gondola, The Village at Mammoth a hub for pre- and post-winter adventures.

‘Cowboys And Innovators’

Because of the slower pace of tourism in the off-season, winter is a great time to visit Paso Robles, known for its world-class wines, wine tasting experiences, and Michelin star dining. Located midway between Los Angeles and San Francisco and bordered by coastal Highway 1 and old 101, the wine region has more than 200 wineries and many wine trails.

Reservations are easier to get in the winter months and with smaller crowds, experiences are more intimate.

A sample three-day winter itinerary includes a stay at one of Paso Robles’ downtown hotels and strolls along Downtown City Park, which is brimming with shops, galleries, cafés, coffee shops and bakeries.

Tourism officials describe Paso Robles as “a community of cowboys and innovators … where world-class food, wine and art meet small-town charm.”

Elephant Seals Are Pitching Woo

Just over the hill from Paso Robles is Cambria, a seaside hamlet that also oozes small-town charm. Cambria’s tourism office has sample getaway itineraries to meet a variety of interests and groups, from romantic couples to families to friends.

Lupine wildflowers begin to bloom in February, making late winter an ideal time to visit. It’s also common to see elephant seals mating and giving birth on the beaches along the Highway 1 coast at thi time of year. A large colony of elephant seals live just past San Simeon and Hearst Castle, the estate of William Randolph Hearst. It’s open for tours, by the way.

Cambria has a number of quaint shops and fine dining options. Spend the day riding the shores on horseback or climbing hills on a Clydesdale, then end the day with a stroll long lovely Moonstone Beach at sunset.

It’s Prime Whale-Watching Season

There’s no better state for whale watching than California. About 24,000 gray whales and their newborn calves are making their 6,000-mile journey from Mexico to Alaska right now.

Southern California is the “first port of call” on the great grays’ return north, according to Travel + Leisure. Some of the best spots to see them include the Channel Islands and Dana Point, but also La Jolla Cove, which is part of an ecological reserve about 10 minutes from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography.

Gray w.hales can be seen migrating from December to April. Groups such as Newport Landing Whale Watching in Newport Beach, offer daily cruises. Wesley Turner, a former marine science educator for the tour company, told Travel + Leisure that he recommends gray whale watching tours in the winter “because there are so many whales coming by our harbor each day, the chances are excellent to see something.”