Lompoc, CA

Things to do in Lompoc, CA

What I loved most about Lompoc is the variety of things to do. For those who love nature, there are hikes and beaches to explore. For those who prefer relaxing afternoons, there are numerous wineries to try. As it is only about 2.5 hours away from Los Angeles, it makes the perfect weekend getaway for couples, friends, or families alike.  I cannot wait for you to visit and see it for yourself! 

Friday

We started our weekend on a Friday afternoon due to work and school. As it was a holiday weekend, we did not get to Lompoc until past dinner time, so we decided to get some snacks, shower, and relax for the night as we knew we had a busy weekend ahead of us. We stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn at Lompoc, and loved every minute of it. The staff were very helpful, friendly, and made sure we had an enjoyable stay. The room was clean and very comfortable. For that I am grateful! 

Saturday

Hungry for breakfast, but not ready to start our day, I went over to Mama's Caffe to grab some food. It was located in the heart of downtown and near all the beautiful murals (click here to check out the self-guided murals walk map). The cafe was aesthetically pleasing with plenty of seating and parking. I really regret not eating there as it was so cute! I took our food to-go and headed back to the hotel to finish getting ready to head out to our first stop of the day. 

The first winery adventure started off at Melville Vineyards and Winery and it did not disappoint. The property is just SO beautiful! There is plenty of parking with lots of outdoor seating with beautiful views of the vineyard and is family friendly. The staff was kind and helped me decide on what wine to try. I ended up getting to try the 2022 Estate Pinot Noir - Sandy's Block and it was very good. Their wines are named after family members which I thought was so sweet. It started to rain, but it still did not ruin the experience at all because they also have indoor seating with a cozy fireplace. The large windows allowed for the views of the vineyard and the rain just made the property look and feel so romantic. Who would have thought that this Tuscany looking property was so close to Southern California all along! Thank you Melville Vineyards and Winery for having me!

The second winery adventure was at Kessler-Haak Wines Vineyard. The property is family owned and has plenty of space for hosting weddings or bands with a large patio, grass area and is family and pet friendly. They have various tasting opportunities here in the patio area and also have a pretty greenhouse in which they can host more intimate tastings for 2-10 people (1700 Gypsy Canyon Dr. Lompoc, CA 93436). By this time the rain had stopped so we were able to walk around the property with our new furry friend, Miles. It was a lot of fun! We got to enjoy their delicious 2018 Chardonnay in the greenhouse that offered a beautiful view of the Sta. Rita vineyard hills. Kessler-Haak Wines also has a tasting room in the Wine Ghetto area (300 N. 12th Street Lompoc, CA 93436) that I later visited. Thank you Kessler-Haak Wines for having me! I really enjoyed my time with you. 

Hunger set in again, so it was time for lunch. Eye on I was the perfect place to eat as it offers farm to table freshly made meals. The location has both indoor and outdoor seating and is decorated with such fun details, plus it is family and furry friend approved. Even though the food is fresh and made from scratch, they were able to bring it out quickly and was full of favor. Their goal is to provide good tasting and healthy meals at reasonable prices to their community and I can honestly say they have accomplished their mission because the food was colorful, delicious, and surprisingly not expensive for the kind of ingredients they use. Eye on I simply gets it! We enjoyed their food very much. Thank you Eye on I for having me! 

The third winery adventure was at Montemar Winery. They are solely family owned and operated and it was nice to hear their story about how they got started in their garage and now have this location! I even got to go to the back and see how they make their wines and bottle them. They have both indoor and outdoor seating and can even host events like a wedding in their outdoor area. It was nice to be able to walk around their garden and look at all the types of things they grow. This place is perfect for a night with friends to listen to music, sip on wine, and enjoy each other's company under the stars. Thank you Montemar Winery for having me!  

The last winery adventure ended by checking out the Wine Ghetto (trust me, it was not a bad type of ghetto, this is just what the neighborhood is called). There are many wine tasting rooms next to each other and in the area which is perfect to wine taste for the afternoon. I checked out the Kessler-Haak Tasting room that I spoke about earlier. By this time I was pretty tired from the day so back at the hotel we got in the jacuzzi, and called it a night.

Sunday

We slept in longer than we had anticipated so we only had time to grab something quick before heading out to hike. I took my Dutch Bros Coffee and headed over to La Purisima Mission State Park trails (We originally wanted to try the Coffee Flights from South Side Coffee Co - will have to come back to try it!). The parking fee is $6 and allows you to stay there for the whole day. This fee covers the cost for parking, checking out the hiking trails, visiting the museum, and exploring La Purisima Mission and the souvenir shop (AKA a budget friendly activity for the whole family). The land is flat and very stroller friendly. You could easily spend most of the day here alone! Being here brought me back to my elementary school days where we had to make a mini mission replica. 

For lunch, explore old town, the beautiful painted murals, and eat tacos from the taco trail (see map here) to see which tacos you think are the best. 

We wanted to go to the Santa Rita Hills Lavender Farm but were not able to. In addition to lavender and farm animals, every July they host a Lavender Festival with music and food which I really want to come back for to check out. During the summer they host Lavender Wreath Making classes that look like so much fun as well. I can't want to come back to Lompoc to see the flowers blooming. 

Before heading out for the weekend, we got to catch the sunset at Surf Beach. This beach is at an Amtrack Train Station stop which made this such a unique beach with free parking. We tossed our frisbee around while we enjoyed the last sunlight of the day. It was the perfect way to end our trip! 

Itinerary for Lompoc, CA

Friday

• Road trip from SoCal to Lompoc, CA
• Explore Hilton Garden Inn Lompoc

Saturday

• Breakfast at Mama's Caffe
• Wine tasting first stop: Melville Vineyards
• Wine tasting second stop: Kessler-Haak Vineyards
• Lunch at Eye on I
• Wine tasting third stop: Montemar Winery
• Wine tasting last stop: Wine Ghetto (check out Kessler-Haak tasting room)
• Jacuzzi and rest at Hilton Garden Inn Lompoc

Sunday

• Check out
• Coffee from Dutch Bros Coffee or coffee flight from South Side Coffee Co
• Hike La Purisima Hike Trails
• Explore La Purisima State Park Museum and Mission
• Lunch from Taco trail
• Visit Santa Rita Hills Lavender Farms
• Sunset at Surf Beach
• Head home

-Out of Office

With Love, Erica 

Thank you again Explore Lompoc for partnering with us! We enjoyed our time and are very grateful to have had the chance to visit. We can't wait to return in the summertime! 

We attended this trip courtesy of Explore Lompoc. All opinions are those of 

Out of Office, With Love, Erica.