Get to Know the Santa Barbara County Town of Lompoc

Thank you to Explore Lompoc for hosting my stay so I could write this review of my experience. 

We woke up to the hotel shaking – from a different kind of earthquake – as a rocket launched 24 satellites into space from nearby Vandenberg Space Force Base, outside Lompoc (“lom-poke”). This California Central Coast town has the best vantage points for viewing rocket launches and is the only place in the US that launches unmanned satellites into orbit.

Come to catch a front-row view of a launch or a taste of the Santa Rita Hills vineyards and stay to discover the rich agriculture history, dating back to the Chumash people. Explore Old Town’s outdoor murals, sip a coffee flight or make your town taco trail. Minutes outside of town, hike to a hot spring, admire flower fields, or stroll a quiet beach.

Just an hour north of the City of Santa Barbara along a seldom-traveled section of Highway 1, Lompoc makes a unique base to explore this California Central Coast region. There are plenty of reasons to stay local and enjoy a full weekend of wine country fun.

Learn Lompoc history through art murals

Park anywhere in the Old Town and stroll the streets to view over 30 massive art murals depicting Lompoc’s roots, such as “Fields of Gold” (once known as the Mustard Seed capital in the 1900s), “Tragedy at Honda Point”, “Chumash Indians”, “Lompoc’s Flower Industry”, and “Diatomaceous Mining”, a giant abstract mural by artist Roberto Delgado that honors the local Diatomaceous earth business. Particularly moving is the “Price of Freedom” by artist Eliseo Silva, that pays tribute to the men and women who served, fought and died in the 15 wars and conflicts of the 20^th century.

The “Temperance” mural by artist Dan Sawatsky Chemainus depicts Lompoc’s early days, where women tried to fight the evils of alcohol in 1883 by banding together to yank a building off its foundation, only to cause the booze to spill down the block. The “Great Floral Flag” showcases a giant American flag planted in flowers by Bodger Seeds in 1942 to salute the men and women fighting in WWII, thanks to master artist Art Mortimer and others.

Savor Santa Rita Hills wine country

Known for bottling some of California’s best Pinots and Chardonnays, the Sta. Rita Hills AVA produces cool climate wines between two mountain ranges that lie east-to-west and funnel direct ocean breezes and fog into the valley. The unique topography often causes up to 45-degree diurnal shifts, which when combined with marine-based soils and agricultural diversity, results in distinctive wines.

Plan a weekend afternoon in the town’s laid-back “Wine Ghetto” – a collection of wineries, tasting rooms, and production facilities located in an industrial park. Sample an amazing number of small batch wines from different local vineyards, without traveling through the countryside for each.

To savor the wine country experience, plan a drive through the glorious hillside country and make a reservation at an estate vineyard that offers picture-perfect on-site tastings. Book an experience at the sustainable, biodynamic Hilt Estate with three estate vineyards and one of the most diverse lineups of wine in the Santa Barbara County. The architecturally stunning tasting room lies in the southwest corner of the valley, offering a beautiful view from The Barn. Enjoy an Estate Tasting flight at Sanford Winery, one of the first vineyards in Sta. Rita Hills, dating back to 1971. They focus on minimal intervention to allow the natural fruit to shine. Babcock Winery, another long-time local favorite, is known for their innovative and unconventional approaches to winegrowing. Order some of their gourmet picnic fare to accompany a curated tasting flight in their vintage inspired tasting room.

Get into nature

Just on the outskirts of town, park your car in a mini cul-de-sac, to hike Bodger Trail up to Lookout Point, for bird’s eye views of the entire town of Lompoc on the valley floor. This 1.3-mile out-and-back hike begins with a full incline through a lush valley, with seasonal flowers, and takes you by a former landslide, ending with 130 degree sweeping views.

Admire the beauty of the Santa Rita Hills Lavender Farm, pull over to admire the fields of colorful flowers (as the area is a major producer of cut flowers), or drive about 10 minutes to the coast to Surf Beach or Ocean Beach Park and Estuary. Park near the Lompoc Surf train parking lot and scale down to a magnificent creamy sand beach that seems to go for miles. During the week, barely anyone will be there to witness the rolling sets of waves careening on the shoreline or to see the sign warning of sharks and no lifeguards. In the spring, the beach is often lined with blue and clear valellas or “wind sailors” dragged to shore from storms or warmer waters. Stroll through a beautiful sandy beach pathway – with succulents and shoreline flowers near the train tracks – that leads to an estuary teeming with birds, due to the park sitting at the mouth of the Santa Ynez River.

About 30 minutes south of Lompoc town, a drive through glorious green and yellow mustard flower hillsides ends at Jalama Beach, a stunning coastal hideaway that seems locked in time, and what Paradise Cove in Malibu could have been if it had been left undeveloped. The wild remote beauty has strong winds, rugged surf, and a beach of kelp, rocks, and multitude of birds. Spiral down in your car across train tracks and past campsites, to savor the world-famous beach burger with onion rings at Jalama Beach Grill. Add in their thick clam chowder with an herbal spice kick and soak in the history of this shack and convenience store, opened in 1978. The owner’s daughter lives next door and is still greeting guests and running the operation, as her 90-year-old dad often commutes in from Santa Barbara to see old friends.

Heading south and just 25 minutes from the town of Lompoc, find the Gaviota Peak Trailhead, which leads uphill to natural 94-degree hot springs, a tenth of a mile up the trail. Near the intersection of Pacific Coast Highway and Highway 101, park in the small lot and scale up the fire road as you pass the most incredibly enormous ancient sycamore trees, the largest in the state.

Make your own Taco Trail

It’s easy to find authentic Mexican food in Lompoc, as the town is loaded with taco trucks, taquerias, and no-frills Mexican restaurants. Blaze your town taco trail and make some new favorite discoveries.

Try Floriana’s for breakfast burritos, smoked barbecue tortas and barbacoa tacos. You’ll surely start daydreaming of when you can return for another meal.

Some of the best tacos can be found at Taqueria Don Tacho, like the garlic shrimp, al pastor with pineapple, and carnitas. The standard special is five tacos for $14.99. Their Micheladas have the perfect spice kick enhanced with a tajin stick, cocktail umbrella, and stick of gummy bears.
At lowkey Tacos El Tizon, fall in love with the crisp carnitas taco and al pastor, while a drive up the hill to Taqueria La Mision is worth it for their quesabirria. At longstanding British staple, Alfie’s, try fish tacos or their legendary fish and chips. Every day feels like Taco Tuesday here in Lompoc.

Sip unique coffee and teas

In Lompoc’s Old Town, explore eclectic vintage shops and make a stop at South Side Coffee, serving fun hot chocolate and coffee flights in flavors like honey vanilla lavender, Heath Bar and salted caramel. Order a hefty piece of chocolate chip banana bread or a bacon, egg and cheese croissant.

At Teaklish Boba in a nearby shopping plaza, find smoothies, shaken fruit teas, and bubble milk teas with fresh boba. Try a tea medley with specialty flavors like cold brewed green or black tea topped with cheese foam or vintage black milk tea infused with brown sugar.

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