Lompoc is famous for being the world's flower seed capital
Lompoc nestles in the pretty Santa Rita Hills and it's a famously friendly, welcoming and relaxing destination. The Lompoc Valley is a breathtakingly beautiful place with its verdant rolling slopes. The vivid old town is home to marvellous murals, the perfectly restored La Purisima Mission church, vibrant fields of flowers and remarkable wines. The climate is perfection itself, mild and Mediterranean, and there's all sorts of fun to be had outdoors including cycling, hiking, surfing, sky diving and golf.
The Lompoc Wine Trail is your entryway to a host of truly exceptional wines, with a particular passion for Pinots.
Lompoc is only an hour's drive from Santa Barbara and just 30 minutes from the pretty small towns of Solvang and Los Olivos. To get a real feel for life in Lompoc, experience the following
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Visit the famous Lompoc flower fields
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Take the Heritage Walk
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Explore the Lompoc Wine Trail
If you're into camping head to Jalama Beach Park. With camping spots overlooking the beautiful ocean, this is the perfect place to soak up a bit of the great outdoors and enjoy the beach. Then, head to The Jalama Beach Store and Grill, serving up the world famous Jalama Burgers. You're in for a taste sensation.
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La Purisima Golf Course on State Highway 246 is an exceptional 18 hole Championship links created by the famous architect Robert Muir Graves, a jewel in the Central Coast's crown and one of the nation's best-designed.
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La Purisima Mission is the state's best-restored, dating to 1797 and set in 2,000 acres with 25 miles of hiking trails, a Visitor Centre, exhibits and livestock
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Lompoc Aquatic Center is open to the public and also holds water polo tournaments. There's a competition pool, lap pool, therapy pool, water slides and a play area for the kids
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Massive art lives here, with over 40 outdoor murals to marvel at
There's a wild horse sanctuary in town and you can even skydive there, courtesy of Skydive Santa Barbara.
Visit the Vandenburg Air Force Base to see unmanned test missile and satellite launches, which take place all year round.
The Fabing-McKay Spanne House was built in 1875, an ancient place in a Californian context. A lovely wooden Victorian farmhouse, it's fully renovated and furnished offering a fascinating insight into times past. Lompoc in autumn is great fun, with loads of brilliantly creative scarecrows displayed around town for Halloween. Buy freshly harvested seasonal foods, beautiful flowers and more at the weekly farmer's market in the Old Town. The Lompoc Valley Radio Control Racing Club holds races some Sundays whenever the weather's right. And you can have a go yourself during the week. Head for the Lompoc Valley Radio Control Track. The Tule Village comes to life frequently with displays of traditional Chumash and Colonial Spanish life.
The beaches are absolutely gorgeous. The lovely Beattie Park sits under the foothills with amazing views of the valley and, when it's clear, distant sightings of the Pacific Ocean. You can learn to scuba dive at the Lompoc Aquatic Center, and if you're already a good diver you can hit either Gaviota State Beach Park or Refugio State Beach Park. They're both just half an hour from town and popular dive spots. Bicycles are a great way to explore the area in all its splendour, with plenty of bike hire opportunities. And there are miles and miles of excellent hiking trails.