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    Gaviota Vista Viewpoint

    4.4 (9 reviews)

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    View of ocean from viewpoint...very fogged in day
    Jeff J.

    I've seen this little rest stop while heading south on the 101 Ventura Fwy so many times, but just never stopped in. Never really had a need to ... until this time. We left SLO this morning with three dogs in the truck. At this point on the way home they were restless in the back seat and I could tell they needed to "get busy" as we call it. Plus, knowing that they ate about an hour earlier and tanked up on water - it was definitely time to relieve them. As we passed the gas company refinery alongside our left (you can often see the burning off some natural gas into the air) I know it was just a few more miles. With the dogs all talking and whining, I safely veered off the exit ramp and drove up to the end just passed the on-ramp back on to the 101, made a u-turn a parked the camper. Why did I do that? Why not just park? Well, there's a geocache right at the guardrail and we're cachers, so we just had to find it. But that's another story... and you welcome to send me a message and I'll tell you about it our little hobby that takes us all over the place. We exited the vehicle and brought the dogs near the backside to loosen their bladders ... boy did they. Anyway, a few looks out over the cliffs into the ocean which was totally socked in. We walked north to the Amtrak train trestle which must be a sight when it flies through here. There's also another paved bridge that runs parallel to the trestle and I'm guessing it was once part of Highway 1 (PCH). Anyway, a few deep breaths of fresh ocean air and before you know it, we were heading south back home. It's a nice little stop with NO services whatsoever. Not even an Andy Gump toilet or a even a trash can. Maybe that's why there was so much trash blown up on the edge of the bushes that separated the asphalt from the ocean. It's not the most beautiful "vista view" in California - there's no bronze memorial or historical plaque to read, there's no steps down to the beach, there's no restrooms, or even a park bench. But it's a nice (and only) place to stop if you are enjoying the view of the Pacific Ocean while riding along the 101 South. There is no exit for this vista heading north on the 101, so don't even look for it. Your next rest stop will be 10 miles up the road at Gaviota Pass. Choo-Choo!

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    8 years ago

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    3 years ago

    The road is barricaded, with no access to the. beach . Yelp is stupid and won't let you post a short review

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    4 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    Sunny Fields Park - Playground  01-17-2026

    Sunny Fields Park

    4.7(115 reviews)
    9.3 mi

    One of the coolest Viking fairy tale parks you'll see! This is such a nice park full of Danish…read moreattributes! It was built in 2003. I really had a blast checking out all the decor and elements at this park! It fits right into Solvang's Danish theme! By the way, Solvang translates to "Sunny Field(s)". If you are in downtown, it would be better to drive to this park. It's not in the main touristy area of Solvang. We drove out to the park since it's about 3 miles away. There is free parking, playground, picnic areas, sports fields, walking path, & restrooms. This park is unique! I planned to come see it for myself when I came to Solvang on Jan. 17, 2026. Every aspect from the entrance sign to the playground is filled with Danish decor! I was intrigued with the mosaic clock tower out front and the embedded elements in the walkway. The playground is awesome! You walk through the windmill to the slightly raised decking. I checked out the neat painted wood panels, each with cutouts for your face or body. Photo Op time! There's a castle with towers, slides, tire swings and regular swings, rubber rope to walk across, rock climbing wall, monkey bars, rings, and more! More specific Danish themed items at this park are a Gingerbread House, Puppet Theater and Viking Ship. They're so cool! There's also a Tot Lot for 2-5 year olds and adult supervision is required. The play houses and a wagon for climbing are in this area. It also has spring ride-on animals and 3 baby swings. There's a picnic shelter with a Santa Maria style grill. It's perfect for grilling lots of food for a large group! The restrooms are just beyond this picnic shelter. They are each accessed by their own door. I prefer this style rather than the multi-stall restroom. Whether or not you are a kid, kid at heart, have kids, or have kids with kids... come check it out! I think you'll be happy you did!

    We needed some play time for the kiddos while visiting solvang so we chose this park. It's cute,…read morevery on theme with solvang. There's bench's for the adults to sit while the kids play and there shade. Would visit again when in the area!

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    Sunny Fields Park - Playground  01-17-2026

    Playground 01-17-2026

    Sunny Fields Park - Viking Ship  01-17-2026

    Viking Ship 01-17-2026

    Sunny Fields Park - Entrance of the park.  Large enough for adults to join in the fun!

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    Entrance of the park. Large enough for adults to join in the fun!

    Gaviota State Park

    Gaviota State Park

    3.1(131 reviews)
    5.3 mi

    Didn't explore the tide pools, wind caves, hiking trails, or natural hot springs (yet), or use one…read moreof the 41 campsites, but I loved the tall train trestle looking over the sandy, secluded beach, which can be seen in the excellent movies Sideways and 20th Century Women. Gaviota allegedly takes its name from Spanish soldiers who killed a seagull while camping there in 1769, though that story might be for the birds. Of the 2000 acres of backcountry, the steep Gaviota Peak Fire Road (2.5 miles from entrance) lleads to small sulfur springs, open to the public. Overlook Fire Road is a three mile round trip up a hill for a view of the Channel Islands. It's called Overlook because mountain lions were will overlook you with napkins stuffed into the collar holding knives and forks.

    This is just for the campground, not the rest of the park. Stayed here for 1 night while traveling…read morefrom NorCal to SoCal and wanted a little break. It's not typical of campgrounds I'm used to (like in Tahoe) where the sites are separate and there is some level of privacy. This is literally just a parking lot and there's some dirt behind the parking spot for you to pitch a tent. I can't really knock it because that's often typical of beach campgrounds. But just not my style. On the positive, it's like a 2 minute walk to the beach and it's nice to be next to the ocean. It does get a bit windy, so be aware of that. As an en route campground it's definitely not worth the $50 unless you need to shower. Probably should have just slept at a nearby vista point. But I can see it being great for families with kids who want to have beach time and then just walk back to the campsite.

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    Gaviota State Park - The trails are windy AND windy.

    The trails are windy AND windy.

    Gaviota State Park
    Gaviota State Park

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    Gaviota Vista Viewpoint - parks - Updated June 2026

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