tail end of the whale migration right now, cows and calves heading back north from Baja. The Santa Barbara channel is their highway. There's tours out of oxnard / ventura, and santa barbara.
Lots of very tasty pastry shops in Solvang.
Skip the Harley, idiot CA drivers will kill you while you are rubbernecking the scenery. 'settle' for a sporty convertible.