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On the Beach is CA lodging that lives up to its name
Everyone at some point in their relationship searches for
that special romantic getaway – a place that has all the
special touches, is easy to get to, and that will make just
the right impression on the partner who will join you for
this retreat from every day living.

Problem is, it can be a bit of a crapshoot making your
selection. Everybody advertises with words like “romantic”
and “special,” but not all getaways will measure up to your
standards. What to do?

Sometimes, as with our recent trip to the Central
California Coast, it’s just the luck of the draw. We
happened on a place that, on the outside, looks a bit
ordinary. But its location was perfect so we took a chance.
We’re glad we did.

We found our little diamond in the rough in the coastal
village of Cayucos, a burg of a couple thousand people -
most of whom seemed to be out of town during our spring
visit. It’s just north of Morro Bay and is located on
Estero Bay, where you’ll find top grade packing sand
stretched out before you on a long, wide beach with waves
that seemed to be created especially for mid-level surfers.
The town is situated against a backdrop of the greenest
hills you’ll find in California.

On the Beach Bed and Breakfast is situated on precisely the
best property in town – just footsteps from the pier, as
you might have guessed. Everything is within walking
distance – several restaurants, a grocery store, shops of
all persuasions and, of course, the beach.

On the Beach is a relatively new inn and the owners
obviously have put a lot of thought into how to make the
rooms memorable. Each room is about 50% larger than a
standard hotel room, and the high ceilings add to the
spacious feel. Balconies open to a wide view of the beach
and the pier. With our second story unit, we felt secure
enough to open the balcony door for the night and let the
sounds of the ocean waves lull us into a very restful sleep.

Our first clue that this was a special place was the
guestbook We started reading through two years’ worth of
entries and began to blush. Not that it was X-rated, but
let’s just say if those walls could talk, they’d have a few
stories to tell. One couple shared with future guests their
experience of spending an entire 24 hours in the room,
where they said they had plenty to keep them occupied.

It’s a bathrobes-in-the-closet, chocolates-on-the-pillow
kind of place, replete with the oversized whirlpool tub
that, on high speed, pounds every one of your aching
muscles back into shape. Special touches include plush
pillow-top mattresses with elegant duvet style bedspreads
and matching decorator pillows and shams. There is a
hand-painted side table and two fabric-covered side chairs
as well as a Queen Anne armchair with matching ottoman.
Primp yourself in the freestanding full-length mirror. If
you need a fireplace, you have one. Even the walls are
unique – no ordinary wallpaper here, but Fortuni paper that
helps to give the accommodations the look you would find in
an exclusive boutique hotel.

Also under the heading of “extras you don’t always get with
your romantic getaway,” we would put the three mini-meals
offered free daily. Not only is there a continental
breakfast each morning down in the lobby bar, but there is
a mid-afternoon wine-tasting, and an early evening dessert
buffet.

We didn’t feel we necessarily had to spend 24 straight
hours in our room, so we were rather quick, really, to hop
down to the beach and pier. The pier’s a little like being
on a boat – it’s just rickety enough that the end of it
sways while you are rethinking your decision to walk to the
end of the pier. But the pier does offer a birds-eye view
of the surfers below (which, I swear, spend 20 minutes
paddling for every one minute they are riding), and it
really gets exciting when they jump OFF the pier into
frothy water so far below it was scary.

The requisite seagulls were out in force, helping to
validate our seaside adventure and add to the overall
ambience. The town is just two or three blocks long,
depending on how you define a block. A couple doors up is
Schooner’s Wharf – highly recommended to us for dinner but
closed for spring cleaning during the short time we were in
Cayucos. The Pier Café was a good substitute though -
superb clam chowder and great fish combinations served in
rather unpretentious surroundings just footsteps from – you
guessed it – the pier.

Note to husbands and boyfriends: The shops in Cayucos open
kind of late so tell your significant other that you want
to be sure and allow time for shopping and have scheduled
shopping for very first thing in the morning so as not to
miss it. Plan lunch in San Luis Obispo and, when the shops
are – surprise – not open, explain to your significant
other that, while you’re deeply disappointed, you will need
to get on the road in order to have time to explore San
Luis Obispo.

There is plenty to do in Cayucos, so it’s not mandatory to
leave. The California Coastal Trail is a nine-mile
round-trip hike through the bluffs and beaches of Cayucos.
More beaches are down at the Cayucos State Beach. There’s a
fresh water pool at Hardie Park, which is a short walk from
On the Beach. And, up the road about 25 miles is Hearst
Castle.

From the looks of On the Beach guestbook, not many folks
made it as far as Hearst Castle. A lot of the past guests
seemed fairly content to limit their exploration to the
inside of their room. At least it would seem that most
people found this to be a very special romantic getaway
indeed.

AT A GLANCE

WHERE: Cayucos is about 20 miles north of San Luis Obispo
and just four miles from Morro Bay, where you will find
many additional restaurants and tourist services. On the
Beach in is easy to find in Cayucos. Just go to the pier.

WHAT: On the Beach is a rare find: great accommodations in
a perfect place with friendly innkeepers. Rooms are
surprisingly luxurious and well-appointed with mini-kitchen
facilities.A whirlpool is in the room, and a hot tub is on
the inn’s roof top. The beach is out your door and window.

WHEN: Reasonably good year-round weather means this
destination is good anytime. It’s nippier in the winter and
much cooler than beach temperatures in Southern California.
But in spring and summer it warms up nicely. Midweek, you
can pretty much have the place to yourself in the spring.

WHY:  It’s a great getaway from either Los Angeles or San
Francisco and is almost equi-distant. A wonderful place to
restore your spirit and forget about work.

HOW: Call the inn directly at 877-995-0800 or visit
www.californiaonthebeach.com.

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