It’s been nearly 15 years since Paul Giamatti and Thomas Haden Church gallivanted through the Santa Yvez Valley in Sideways—a film that helped put this under-appreciated California wine region on the oenophile’s map. Yet ask anyone today what destination comes to mind upon hearing the words “California” and “wine,” and the response is still almost guaranteed: "Napa Valley."

Well, it’s time to really pay attention to the Central Coast, a region that spans roughly 250 miles, from Santa Barbara up to Monterey Bay, including the Santa Ynez Valley and San Luis Obispo County, among other regions. It has been producing good wine quietly for decades, with 27 approved American Viticultural Areas here (compared to Napa’s 16), and 90,300 acres are planted with wine grapes (double Napa’s 45,000). According to Danielle Laudon, the director of marketing at Visit Santa Ynez Valley, “Wine makers are not just specializing in Pinot Noir here. They’re crafting Sauvignon Blanc and cabs from the Happy Canyon AVA; cool climate syrahs from Los Alamos Valley; pinot noirs, Viogniers, and Chardonnays from Santa Rita Hills.

The list goes on.”But wine is just one thing. Sheer natural beauty, stunning new hotels, emerging craft beer and cider scenes, small-town vibes, expansive horse ranches, and close proximity to Los Angeles are equal draws.

Now big-city transplants are catalyzing the area’s evolution. According to Laudon, people visit, fall in love, relocate, and set up new businesses, improving such places as Paso Robles, Atascadero, or the Santa Ynez Valley hubs of Ballard and Los Olivos for future travelers. Once enough has bubbled up, towns can begin marketing their local charms—as Visit Santa Ynez Valley started to do in 2014.

Ultimately, what makes the Central Coast great is that it isn’t Napa—which means that, despite an influx of media attention, you can still have it all to yourself. And the feeling you get when you visit a place that has largely remained untouched by commercialism and still seems undiscovered: pure magic.

Here are the cities and towns to string into your next California road trip—including what makes them special and why they’re buzzing now.

Santa Barbara
What makes it special: This laid-back weekend playground for Angelenos (people like Tom Cruise and Jennifer Lopez have houses here) has beautiful beaches, hotel hideaways you’ll never want to leave, and walkable streets lined with Spanish Colonial-style buildings.

What makes it hot: The Funk Zone—the city’s artsy, industrial neighborhood—started gaining traction a few years ago, as its streets became lined with wine bars and tasting rooms. Now it’s getting its first luxury hotel in the 121-room Hotel Californian. On opening later this summer, it’ll have the biggest guestrooms in town, all decked out in custom-designed Moroccan tile, Egyptian cobra-shaped wall sconces, and $4,000 shower heads. A stunning spa (with a straight-out-of-Santorini lounge area and a hand-painted domed ceiling) makes it more urban resort than hotel; so does the oversized roof deck overlooking the Pacific and the Santa Ynez Mountains.

Don’t overlook Santa Barbara’s family-friendly clout, either: At the just-opened Museum of Exploration + Innovation, you can try your hand at 3D printing, launch an air rocket, or build a mini race car.

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