Ready for an awesome road trip? Highway 33 is close to home (for us), and it’s just that – a road trip. No real destination – just the road itself.

From Highway 101 in Santa Maria, we headed East on the 166 towards the 33. We crossed over the Twitchell Reservoir on our way to a little town called New Cuyama. This ramshackle collection of houses, a shopping center, and a gas station are a good place to stop and stretch your legs if nothing else. Gabe can find a great picture anywhere, and New Cuyama was no exception. From the center of town, Highway 33 is just a few miles ahead, near the Southern entrance to the Carrizo Plain.

We headed further south on the highway, passing an intersection that leads to Mt. Pinos, the peak that sits at the top of the Grapevine on I-5. There are some incredible lookout points on that peak, and it’s a spot where I’ve gone back-country skiing on many occasions.

Highway 33 is popular with motorcycle riders, and a number of them passed us on this beautiful, desolate and winding highway. At one point, near the crest of the mountain pass, some cars were pulled over – so naturally, we pulled over as well. What unfolded below us was a vista of roadway, hills, valleys, the ocean and the Channel Islands in the distance. We lingered up here for a while enjoying the view and our makeshift convenience store snack lunch.

One big circle of a road trip, easily accomplished with 5-6 hours. Perfectly simple and beautiful in every way.

Grab your camera and find a road trip like this one!