anna

We're going to Lompoc the first weekend in November to see our son. What will the weather be like? Where is a good place to stay? Any good restaurants?

ray

where? What is Lompoc????

Joe

The fall is the absolute best time for the central coast. The nights can be very chilly though, but daytimes should be 70-ish and bright and sunny.

Restaurants? Tom's Burgers is unique with an A-Z menu, i.e. avocado ... zuccuni. Try the Hitching Post or AJ Spurrs in Buellton for good steaks and American fare. There is a rather smallish pizza restaurant called Bravo where they have extremely good, but not traditional pizza. The chef/owner, Andre, is a great human and wonderful proprietor.

Hotels? Nothing great look for a good rate at Embassy Suites or Inn at Lompoc. I think both serve a free Happy Hour with drinks and munchies.

Terrific wine tasting is available in Santa Ynez Valley only 30 minute drive.

deevee

Was in the area 10/31 to 11/4 last year. The weather was glorious! Warm enough to swim in a heated pool in the day. Cool and breezy at night. Sunshine, starlight, nice.

As for restaurants, we ate at the Hitching Post in Buellton one night. Steaks were very good and service was great. I wish I could remember the names of a couple other places we ate further inland. I wasn't crazy about the hotel we used so I won't reccomend it. Enjoy your trip.

anna

Thanks for the dining suggestions.
What was the horrible hotel, so we don't book there?

lynette

Anna, Don't stay in Lompoc... check out the Santa Maria Inn. The Hitching Post in Casmalia is between Santa maria and Lompoc and it is delicious! (Closer than going to Buellton... was suggested by a previous poster.) If you do need to stay in Lompoc... the Embassy Suites is probably your best bet.

ann

I lived in Lompoc for a long time, and while I'd rather stay in Solvang, for convenience' sake the Best Western is clean and comfortable. One of the newer hotels in town. DO NOT STAY at the Inn of Lompoc. It used to be nice, but has gone very far downhill. If you can stay in Solvang, Pedersen's Inn is VERY nice.

anna

Thanks for the hotel and dining suggestions so far. We do want to be as close to Vandenberg AFB in order to make the most of our visiting time with our kid. He's the one who suggested staying in Lompoc, so I've booked the Embassy Suites for now.

jvs

I liked visiting Lompoc. There is a good (and almost desolate) beach there. Great for children because it is very shallow for a long stretch. Exit off of HWY 101 (Im sorry, I forgot the road's name-it goes past the A&W- if this helps) but it just dead ends at the beach. If you are up for it- you can walk along the RR tracks and go to a completely desolate beach where I guarantee you will not see another person.

cc

The beach in Lompoc is desolate because it's normally quite dangerous. The water is a lot more volatile in this area and the sand is just a bunch of dunes and no place to lay out in the sun.