Coastal California: a journey through wine, geology and heritage
Sip your way through Central California as you discover the striking landscapes that shape its world-class wines. From sun-drenched volcanic slopes to wildlife-rich shores, this California tour package blends expert knowledge with vineyards, historic missions and indulgent hotels.
Limited to 14 guests
15th - 22nd October 2025
Prices from GBP £5,540 pp
8 days / 7 nights
Highlights
Learn to read the stories written in the Californian landscape as your expert Tour Leader unpacks millions of years of geological history along beaches, valleys and coastal mountain ranges.
Taste varietals shaped by fault lines, volcanic soil and the cool Pacific air, hear talks by winemakers and take private tours of renowned vineyards, including a bespoke tour of a cutting-edge wine and viticulture facility, where future vintners master their craft.
Encounter California’s incredible wildlife as you hear elephant seals roar at Piedras Blancas, spot otters beneath Morro Rock, and discover rare native plants in Santa Barbara Botanic Garden.
Walk in the footsteps of Spanish missionaries at La Purísima Mission, explore Hearst Castle’s Hollywood heritage, and uncover the layers of Santa Barbara’s colonial past.
Stay in boutique hotels in eclectic San Luis Obispo and pretty, easy-going Santa Barbara – coastal cities that blend vibrant food and art scenes with Pacific sunsets.
Group size 6 to 14.
A note on recent events: The areas we visit on this tour remain unaffected by the recent wildfires in Southern California (January 2025). Our thoughts are with those impacted.
Overview
Forget the crowds of San Francisco and Los Angeles – this tour of California takes you off the beaten path to the landscapes that shape California’s world-class wines. Every rock, vineyard and coastal view along this stretch of the Pacific has a tale to tell.
Guided by local geologist Rick Behl and a team of handpicked local winemakers and historians, you soon discover what makes this stretch of Californian coast so special – and quaffable.
You’ll journey from the laid-back university town of San Luis Obispo – or SLO to those in-the-know – to the elegant, Spanish-influenced streets of sublime Santa Barbara. Along the way, you’ll explore geological wonders millions of years in the making, spot seals and otters, and wander through world-renowned gardens, impressive mansions and beautifully preserved Missions.
Each day brings a generous splash of California’s thriving wine culture, with almost-daily wine tastings, numerous vineyard visits, and several private talks and tours. But this isn’t just a wine tour. It’s a journey through deep time, where the Californian landscapes reveal how the wines you taste are shaped by the earth beneath your feet.
By the time you leave, you’ll never look at a bottle of Californian wine in the same way again!
Join us for this incredible coastal journey. Just one run in 2025, so reserve your place soon!
- Start/ finish: The tour begins in San Luis Obispo, California, and ends in Santa Barbara, California.
- Activity level: Leisurely, with most walks of under 1 mile (1.6km) on generally easy terrain (see our definitions here).
- Transport: We will travel by small, comfortable, air-conditioned coach.
- Weather: Autumn temperatures range from a high of 75°F during the day to a low of 51°F at night (24 to 10°C).
- Accommodation: We will be lodging in centrally located boutique hotels in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara, with easy access to city centre walks. See details of the hotels in the Need to Know tab.
Where you will visit...
Check in to Hotel San Luis Obispo, a stylish, boutique stay with a laid-back Californian vibe – the perfect base for your coming adventure.
Later, meet Tour Leader Rick Behl and your tour manager for a welcome drink and an overview of your coming journey through the geology-rich wine-growing regions as you travel the California coast. Then get to know the rest of your group over dinner.
- Hotel: Hotel San Luis Obispo, downtown San Luis Obispo
- Group dinner at hotel
Let’s get this tour of California off to a rip-roaring start! Kick things off with a scenic drive along the rocky coast to the beaches of Piedras Blancas to see – and hear – the raucous colony of northern elephant seals. (Click here for a live preview!)
Next, tour Hearst Castle, the lavish estate of publisher William Randolph Hearst and fabled playground of the Hollywood stars of the Roaring Twenties and 1930s. It’s undoubtedly one of the best places to visit in California.
On our return, we’ll stop to examine exotic rocks such as deep-sea pillow basalts and scaly serpentinite (California’s state rock). Moonstone Beach, famous for its agates, jades and jasper, is the perfect place for a picnic lunch.
Back at the hotel, soil scientist, geologist and wine maker Maia Davis will introduce you to wine “terroir” – how geology, soils, climate and even culture influence the character of wines. A guided tasting gives you tastebuds-on experience of detecting the differences in terroir!
The evening is all yours. You could wander SLO’s Farmers Market, an institution since the 1970s, where you can feast on freshly barbecued meat, browse local handicrafts and bounce along to live music.
- Hotel: Hotel San Luis Obispo, downtown San Luis Obispo
- Free evening to explore SLO
It’s back to the California coast, this time to visit the quaint seaside town of Morro Bay and its imposing Morro Rock, a 23-million-year-old volcanic neck used by mariners as a navigational aid for over 300 years. Keep an eye out for frolicking otters in the waters below.
A walk through Montaña de Oro State Park takes us over ancient sand dunes to a clifftop for sweeping views of colourful fractured rocks and the Pacific Ocean. Lunch is a picnic in nearby Spooner’s Cove, where you’ll see thin cycles of time recorded in interbeds of porcelanite, shale and dolomite nodules.
In the afternoon, we’ll go behind the scenes on a bespoke guided tour of Cal Poly’s Wine & Viticulture Centre where students master every aspect of the wine industry, from planning vineyards to marketing their product.
We’ll round off the day pairing fine wine with fine art at the Sculpterra Winery & Sculpture Garden.
- Hotel: Hotel San Luis Obispo, downtown San Luis Obispo
- Group dinner in downtown SLO
Time to check out of Hotel San Luis Obispo and dive into California’s wine heritage with Libbie Agran, founder of the Wine History Project of San Luis Obispo. She’ll tell us all about how local viticulture began with the Spanish missions, but blossomed with the arrival of immigrants from Italy, Switzerland and France.
On our way to Santa Barbara, we’ll stop to:
- View migrating Monarch butterflies at Pismo Beach (if the timing is right).
- Visit an abandoned mine to glimpse an unusual geological feature.
- Explore La Purísima Mission, “the crown jewel of California’s missions”.
The final stop of the day a a vineyard in the Santa Rita Hills or Santa Ynez Valley. Harvest season is in full swing so we may experience a tasting, a vineyard tour, or a fascinating talk on winemaking methods.
Check into Hotel Virginia, in a charming building that dates from 1916, a short walk from downtown and the beach.
- Hotel: Hotel Virginia, Santa Barbara
- Free evening to explore Santa Barbara
Spend the morning exploring Santa Barbara, nick-named ‘the American Riviera’. You could chill at the beach, browse the shops of Stearns Wharf, visit the Santa Barbara Mission or relax at a coffee shop on State Street. If you’re stuck for ideas, just ask – we’ve got plenty!
We’ll meet for lunch near the historic Santa Barbara Courthouse, then tour the Courthouse’s iconic Clock Tower and Mural Room.
In the afternoon we’ll drive to Carpinteria, a shoreline marked by bluffs, sand dunes, beaches and tide pools. “La Carpinteria” translates to “the carpentry shop”. It was named by Spanish explorer Gaspar de Portolá in 1769 because the Native American Chumash built canoes, baskets and houses, and used tar from the seeps here to waterproof them and even to attach arrowheads.
Back in Santa Barbara, we’ll end the day with wine tasting at the Au Bon Climat tasting room following by free time to explore the Urban Wine Trail and other treats of the city.
- Hotel: Hotel Virginia, Santa Barbara
- Free evening to explore Santa Barbara
Today is all about the landscapes, geology and wine of the Santa Ynez Valley and San Rafael Mountains.
At Figueroa Mountain Lookout, we’ll revel in expansive views of the Coast Ranges and wineries of Zaca Creek and Foxen Canyon (we’ll visit at least one). We’ll also examine serpentinite (California’s state rock!) and gigantic, folded strata that tell the story of California’s shifting landscape.
Next, we visit the charming, historic town of Los Olivos, the ideal spot for a picnic lunch with views of rolling hills.
The afternoon brings a scenic drive along Highway 154 back to Santa Barbara, via the San Marcos Pass, the gateway from the Santa Ynez valley to the coast for thousands of years.
Back in Santa Barbara, we explore the Funk Zone; once a marine industrial section of town, it’s now a creative district packed with art studios, wine tasting rooms and restaurants.
- Hotel: Hotel Virginia, Santa Barbara
- Free evening to explore Santa Barbara
We start the day with a guided tour of the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. As well as bringing to life the region’s natural history, this gem of a museum is home to the Dibblee Geological Foundation, which preserves the legacy of Tom Wilson Dibblee, one of the most renowned explorers of California’s geologic landscape.
Next up: the Santa Barbara Botanic Gardens. The nation’s first botanic garden dedicates 78 acres solely to highlighting and preserving native plants.
Lunch is in the picturesque coastal town of Montecito, before we head to Arroyo Burro Beach County Park. There we’ll take a one-mile stroll past spectacular examples of folds and faults in the rocks of the cliffs, dramatic asphalt deposits and sea mammal fossils. If we’re lucky, we might also spot whales breaching offshore.
Finally, we’ll celebrate our last night together with a farewell dinner at a Santa Barbara restaurant.
- Hotel: Hotel Virginia, Santa Barbara
- Group dinner
After breakfast, it’s time to say goodbye – but we won’t be surprised if you want to carry on exploring Santa Barbara’s beaches, wineries, and mountain trails! When you’re ready, your transport to the Santa Barbara airport will be waiting to start you on your journey home today.
Thanks for joining us! We hope to see you on another GeoCultura tour soon.
Double room for single occupancy is £750.
Your tour starts on Thursday 15th October at 9am in San Luis Obispo and finishes on Thursday 22nd October at 12pm in Santa Barbara, California.
The activity level is rated as LEISURELY, requiring an average level of fitness (view our activity level definitions here). The tour will involve walking up to 2-3 miles each day, with individual walks generally less than 1 mile. Terrain is mostly on prepared paths but includes sandy beaches and will require good walking boots/shoes. One excursion requires walking down a staircase of some 240 steps: we can find you an alternate route down if this presents a challenge.
The tour has been designed to involve minimum walking with the dramatic views being available from close to the coach stops. If short walks are an issue, alternative arrangements can be made, so please let GeoCultura know in advance. To enjoy the full experience, a reasonable level of fitness is required – please call us to discuss this if you have any concerns.
Autumn temperatures range from a high of 75°F during the day to a low of 51°F at night (24 to 10°C). Rain or wind are always possible, so you should bring light waterproof clothing.
Transport will be by small, comfortable coach. The daily coach time is generally no longer than 2 hours, except for day 4 when the move from SLO to SB will require up to 3 hours in the coach (but no more than an hour at a time!).
The tour includes:
- The services of your tour expert, who will be with the group throughout the tour, providing pre-visit briefings, walking seminars and available to answer questions.
- A tour manager, who will attend to logistical matters, oversee the group’s health and safety and assist participants with their queries.
- All transportation costs from the start to the end of the tour, including the services of a professional coach driver.
- All accommodation costs for the nights stated, assuming double occupancy rooms. Single occupancy rooms are generally available for a surcharge. See Single Supplement above.
- All breakfasts, lunches and dinners, except for the four dinners marked “free evening”.
- Entry fees, local guide fees and activity fees, where arranged as part of the tour.
- All service charges and most gratuities.
The tour excludes:
- Travel insurance. Guests should carry their own health and travel insurance.
- Alcoholic drinks with meals are not included.
- Optional activities as described in the tour itinerary or extra activities that are not described in the itinerary.
- Personal expenditures, including bar bills, laundry bills, and the cost of meals on the four free evenings.
- Transportation to the start venue or from the end venue of the tour (air fares are not included).
- Passport and visa fees.
Our tour leaders are happy to provide suggestions for alternative activities for guests who prefer not to participate in certain tour walks, visits or dinners.
Nights 1-3: Hotel SLO, San Luis Obispo
This modern boutique hotel encapsulates the charm and quirkiness of San Luis Obispo and is within walking distance to restaurants, coffee shops, boutiques, and the mission.
Nights 4-7: Hotel Virginia, Santa Barbara
This recently renovated hotel with Spanish Colonial design influences provides the quintessential Santa Barbara experience. Minutes from State Street, the Urban Wine Trail, the Funk Zone and Stearns Wharf.
Note: If required for reasons beyond our control, GeoCultura reserves the right to substitute alternate accommodations of equal quality.
Deposit: A deposit of 10% of the tour price is due upon registration for a tour.
Final payment: Full payment is due 60 days before a tour begins, or upon registration if within the 60-day window.
Cancellation by guest: A guest may cancel a registration after securing a confirmed place on a tour for any reason. The following refund terms will apply:
- Greater than 60 days before tour begins: Any monies paid plus half of the deposit will be refunded
- 30 to 59 days before tour begins: 35% of tour price will be refunded
- 15 to 29 days before tour begins: 25% of tour price will be refunded
- Within 14 days of tour or during the tour: No monies will be refunded
Cancellation by GeoCultura: GeoCultura reserves the right to cancel any tour due to low enrollment, inability to run the tour or concerns about the safety, health or welfare of guests. If a tour is cancelled before it begins, all monies paid will be refunded (including any deposit).
Please refer to our Terms and Conditions page for additional details.
Your tour leader
Richard (Rick) Behl
Richard (Rick) Behl, leader for “Coastal California: a journey through wine, geology and heritage‘, is Professor Emeritus of Earth Science at the California State University Long Beach and resides in Long Beach.
He is a sedimentary geologist who has worked in paleoceanography, marine geology and tectonics. An avid explorer and traveller, Rick has visited and worked in every continent except Antarctica (yet) and participated on several legs of the Ocean Drilling Program. Rick is a Fellow of the Geological Society of America.
Rick is a near lifelong Californian and has led many dozens of field trips throughout California for professional groups and universities. Rick has lived up and down the California Coast, from San Diego to Santa Barbara to Santa Cruz, and knows many of the area’s ranchers, farmers, winemakers and vintners.
Meet Rick on the Coastal California: a journey through wine, geology and heritage tour and visit our scheduled tours page for a full list of GeoCultura tours.
Hearst Castle, San Simeon, California
Elephant seals at Piedras Blancas
Sculpterra Sculpture Garden, Paso Robles
Montaña de Oro seashore
Santa Barbara at sunset
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