The ultimate fall trip to Lompoc, California

With cooler temperatures on the way, fall is the ideal season for a road trip to Lompoc, CA

Sip award-winning wines from Sta. Rita Valley wineries, warm up with a pumpkin latte in a cozy coffee shop, take a lazy drive on scenic country roads or relax at Jalama beach.

Whether a week or a weekend, the comfortable weather conditions clear the way for outdoor activities like these:

Take a self-guided Art Tour

Slip on walking shoes and get ready to see larger-than-life murals. Lompoc’s historic Old Town is home to 40+ murals that cover buildings, dot doorways, and liven up entire city blocks. Before you go, download the Mural Map so you can plan a route. Many of the murals are located in Art Alley, just between W. Ocean Avenue and W. Cypress Avenue. Park at the Lompoc Valley Chamber of Commerce, where 20+ murals are located within a two block radius.

These picturesque murals showcase Lompoc’s history, with depictions of everything from mining and flower fields to pioneer families and the land’s Native American heritage.

Tour La Purisima Mission 

Want to see what life was like in central California back in the 1800s? Visit La Purisima Mission. As the state’s most extensively restored mission, you can explore restored buildings, see livestock roaming in fields, or hike one of the many trails located inside the 2,000 acre park.

Sip And Tour Lompoc’s Popular Vineyards

Tour the crisp fall fields of Lompoc’s most renowned vineyards. Located in the rolling Sta. Rita Hills, visitors are just a short drive away from sprawling vistas and award-winning wine. You can create your own wine tour, visiting spots like Foley Estates Vineyard, where a 3500 sq. ft. tasting room awaits, or Babcock Winery & Vineyard, where they can sip Pinot in a retro rock-and-roll themed hangar.

Cozy up in a coffee shop

As cooler temps prevail, lose yourself in a good book and sip a pumpkin latte or munch a pumpkin treat. From the quaint to the eclectic,  coffee shops are a great escape on your trip.

Watch a rocket launch

Vandenberg Space Force Base is the primary spaceport on the West Coast and just minutes from Lompoc! Our valley is the best place to view rocket launches. The launches take place from several Space Launch Complex launch sites. Check out our list of several great launch sites where visitors are able to view the launch action.

Take a scenic drive on country roads

If dramatic coastline views or winding paths flowing through gentle hillsides are your thing, explore the scenic country roads in and around Lompoc.

Enjoy quiet time in nature

To escape the city and shed some stress, consider spending some quality time in nature. Lompoc has a variety of calm, soothing outdoor activities:

• Hike Bodger Trail, a short, 1.5 mile hike just outside the city with stunning views of the Lompoc Valley.
• Find the hidden Nojoqui Falls that are tucked inside a seemingly simple city park.
• Wander the soothing shores along Jalama Beach, located just 30 minutes outside the city.

Go Skydiving

If you are looking for something a little more rigorous than art tours and beach walks, why not skydive? Lompoc offers the highest tandem jump on the west coast. Skydive Santa Barbara has an 18,000 feet tandem jump. The 90-second free-fall is an adrenaline-pumping adventure.

Visit Explore Lompoc for more fall activities that will make your seasonal trip a memorable one.

Located on scenic Pacific Coast Highway 1, just 155 miles northwest from Los Angeles with close proximity to Santa Barbara and Solvang, Lompoc is a world of its own.

Lompoc is a destination for wine tasting, golf, cycling, hiking, skydiving, birding, and surfing at nearby Jalama Beach.