We are planning a PCH road trip for February. We will be spending a night in Paso Robles. The next day we will drive to see the Elephant Seals at the Rookery and then spend some time exploring Morro Bay before continuing to visit Pismo Beach. The following day we plan to begin in Solvang before heading south toward Santa Barbara, etc. Would you recommend spending the night in Pismo Beach or Buellton, closer to Solvang?
Thank you.

You could do the entire drive Paso Robles - Solvang in a single day (perhaps 4 hours total without the stops), but much depends on the weather and how much time you want to spend in Morro Bay and Pismo.

It's only about 50 miles from Pismo to Solvang. Buellton is less than 5 miles from Solvang. But if you just want to make another overnight stop, I think Los Alamos is charming. Santa Maria is bigger and has all the lodging chains which would make it an easy last-minute decision.

Were you planning to visit Hearst Castle?? That would change everything.

No. We are not planning on visiting the Castle. Thanks for your help on lodging choices.

I, too, would press on to the area closer to Solvang, and Los Alamos would be a good choice. Our family’s first stay in the area was in 2013, Los Olivos/Santa Ynez Valley, with a return visit in 2015 when we rented a little house in Los Olivos.

If you stay in cute and tiny Los Alamos, Bob's Well Bread and Full of Life Flatbread are both excellent places to eat.