Over labor day weekend, we went out for 2 days. We flew to Oceano down the coast for ATV riding and camping close to the beach, and the next day we flew to Paso Robles for museum/wine tasting and visiting Hearst Castle before flying back that evening. It was a great trip
![nice shot of Santa Cruz nice shot of Santa Cruz](/blogimg/03/thumb1024_103_20130901_PAO-L52.jpg)
nice shot of Santa Cruz
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![the great coastal drive on hwy 1 the great coastal drive on hwy 1](/blogimg/20/thumb1024_120_20130901_PAO-L52.jpg)
the great coastal drive on hwy 1
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![Hearst Castle's Private Runway we weren't allowed to use Hearst Castle's Private Runway we weren't allowed to use](/blogimg/31/thumb1024_131_20130901_PAO-L52.jpg)
Hearst Castle's Private Runway we weren't allowed to use
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![All the beach campers for labor day weekend All the beach campers for labor day weekend](/blogimg/52/thumb1024_152_20130901_PAO-L52.jpg)
All the beach campers for labor day weekend
![Oceano Airport. The runway is shorter than it seems Oceano Airport. The runway is shorter than it seems](/blogimg/51/thumb1024_151_20130901_PAO-L52.jpg)
Oceano Airport. The runway is shorter than it seems
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Eventually we got to Oceano, and setup our tent before going to a rental shop to get a couple of ATVs and go play on the dunes (Oceano has the biggest dune area in California):
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![basic camping site, but good enough for us basic camping site, but good enough for us](/blogimg/07/thumb1024_207_Oceano.jpg)
basic camping site, but good enough for us
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![oh noes, I got stuck at the top of the hill oh noes, I got stuck at the top of the hill](/blogimg/26/thumb1024_226_Oceano.jpg)
oh noes, I got stuck at the top of the hill
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![at least it's a good place to use your truck at least it's a good place to use your truck](/blogimg/34/thumb1024_234_Oceano.jpg)
at least it's a good place to use your truck
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![trying to go up the hill again, not going to make it trying to go up the hill again, not going to make it](/blogimg/46/thumb1024_246_Oceano.jpg)
trying to go up the hill again, not going to make it
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![plenty of california I'll keep my guns rednecks having fun :) plenty of california I'll keep my guns rednecks having fun :)](/blogimg/58/thumb1024_258_Oceano.jpg)
plenty of california I'll keep my guns rednecks having fun :)
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![WTF happened here? WTF happened here?](/blogimg/72/thumb1024_272_Oceano.jpg)
WTF happened here?
The next morning, we got up not too late, packed up, and flew off to Paso Robles. On the way there, I got a few more shots of the beach and the dunes:
![](/blogimg/01/thumb1024_301_20130902_L52-PRB.jpg)
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![Paso Robles Airport Paso Robles Airport](/blogimg/12/thumb1024_312_20130902_L52-PRB.jpg)
Paso Robles Airport
![Oh they have a small museum, sweet Oh they have a small museum, sweet](/blogimg/13/thumb1024_313_20130902_L52-PRB.jpg)
Oh they have a small museum, sweet
Since I saw that there was a small museum at Paso Robles, I went to check it out while Jennifer went to a winery.
I have a separate page on Estrella Warbird Museum, as well as the Private Car Collection at Estrella Warbird Museum.
![](/blogimg/22/thumb1024_522_20130902_Estrella_Warbird_Museum.jpg)
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After the museum/winery, we drove to Hearst Castle (unfortunately a 1h drive, which sucks considering they have an airport, but it's private and they do not allow visitors to use it). Despite the time spent driving, Hearst Castle was great. We got their 3 guided tours and got to see virtually everything. It's a fantastic place well worth the tours:
![visitor center visitor center](/blogimg/02/thumb1024_602_Hearst_Castle.jpg)
visitor center
![you take their busses to the top you take their busses to the top](/blogimg/06/thumb1024_606_Hearst_Castle.jpg)
you take their busses to the top
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Our first tour start with the cave and kitchen. Both well furnished:
![](/blogimg/13/thumb1024_613_Hearst_Castle.jpg)
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![chateau cheval blanc chateau cheval blanc](/blogimg/19/thumb1024_619_Hearst_Castle.jpg)
chateau cheval blanc
![chatteau laffitte chatteau laffitte](/blogimg/21/thumb1024_621_Hearst_Castle.jpg)
chatteau laffitte
![curacao triple sec curacao triple sec](/blogimg/24/thumb1024_624_Hearst_Castle.jpg)
curacao triple sec
![Vermouth Noilly Prat de Marseille Vermouth Noilly Prat de Marseille](/blogimg/27/thumb1024_627_Hearst_Castle.jpg)
Vermouth Noilly Prat de Marseille
Rest of the tours:
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![Hearst got a lot of fancy ceilings for his many rooms Hearst got a lot of fancy ceilings for his many rooms](/blogimg/38/thumb1024_638_Hearst_Castle.jpg)
Hearst got a lot of fancy ceilings for his many rooms
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![Tapisserie de Bayeux on the lamps, nice Tapisserie de Bayeux on the lamps, nice](/blogimg/34/thumb1024_734_Hearst_Castle.jpg)
Tapisserie de Bayeux on the lamps, nice
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The swimming pools are fantastic:
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After all the fun at Hearst Castle, we drove back to Paso Robles to fly back to Palo Alto:
![](/blogimg/00/thumb1024_900_20130902_PRB-PAO.jpg)
![177kt, sweet! 177kt, sweet!](/blogimg/03/thumb1024_903_20130902_PRB-PAO.jpg)
177kt, sweet!
![](/blogimg/06/thumb1024_906_20130902_PRB-PAO.jpg)
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