10 essential food experiences to enjoy along California’s Central Coast
By Brian Cicioni for USA Today
January 28, 2022
California’s Central Coast lies roughly halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco. Too many tourists just pass through this area, perhaps only stopping to take pictures of the rocky cliffs that lead down to the Pacific Ocean. But there are memorable culinary experiences waiting to be had in nearly every one of the small towns and cities that line Highway 1.
From oyster shucking and seaweed foraging to olive oil tasting and Santa Maria-style barbeque, here are 10 essential foodie experiences along California’s Central Coast.
Plan Your Next Road Trip With These 50 Hidden Gems Along Highway 1 in Central California
By Stephanie Osmanski for Parade Magazine
December 29, 2021
Can’t recommend this one enough! A totally unique experience, Bee’s Knees Fruit Farm and Country House is an enchanting farm stay unlike any other. A two-level home featuring a wrap-around porch, movie room, and full bar, what makes your stay at Bee’s Knees most special is the pick-your-own orchard on the property.
Pick your own apples, pears, plums, apricots, peaches, citrus, and berries (depending on the season), tomatoes, and lettuce, too. It’s all the mixings for a dinnertime salad and Bee’s Knees owner Pattea Torrence arranges for fresh seafood from Giovanni’s Fish Market to be delivered. Then, prepare it all yourself in the property’s gourmet kitchen and enjoy the 360-degree views as you eat a truly authentic farm-to-table meal. Just don’t let the cat inside!
Sleep, Pick, Play At This Farm Stay
By Wendy Altschuler for Forbes
August 11, 2020
Owner, fruit farmer, and designer extraordinaire, Pattea Torrence, texts me to say that she left drinks—bubbles for us, apple juice and blood orange soda for the kids—chilling on the deck and that I should take Turri road, the scenic route through rolling hills and cattle country, to get to The Bee’s Knees Fruit Farm, located near the scenic California Highway 1 Discovery Route. Torrence is well-known in these parts for restoring the Old Edna Townsite, preserving its provision-supply history, which can be traced back to the 1840’s. When I arrive, I punch in the gate access code and as soon as I drive on the meandering gravel road, flanked with flowering plants and trees, I know I made the right decision to vacation in San Luis Obispo, California, with my family in tow, for some undisturbed social distancing.
This Woman-run Farm Stay Is One of the Most Charming Places on California’s Central Coast
By Madeline Diamond for Travel & Leisure
November 4, 2021
The Bee’s Knees Fruit Farm and Farm Stay is a beautiful destination in San Luis Obispo, CA, where guests can enjoy the farm experience, pick fruit, and more.
It’s hard to think of a more peaceful vacation destination than a farm stay. The sights and sounds can be all-encompassing, not to mention the opportunity to unplug from the distractions of everyday life. One luxury farm stay in San Luis Obispo, CA, offers a quiet oasis for guests who stay overnight, as well as a hub for fresh produce for local visitors. And it’s all run by Pattea Torrence, an anchor of her community who’s dedicated to sharing the beauty of California’s Central Coast with visitors from near and far.
Three Days In San Luis Obispo County
Eric Lindberg for Encompass Magazine
Holiday 2021
My journey begins in Los Osos. Having spent the previous night surrounded by orchards and flower gardens at Bee’s Knees Fruit Farm, I set out early for the short drive southwest to Montaña de Oro State Park, a California seaside gem. More than 800 acres of coastal hills and beaches protect a wild ecosystem of crashing waves and rocky coastline. As I walk the Bluff Trail, a gentle hike following the curving shoreline, flycatchers, sparrows, and thrashers flit and sing along the path.
The Best Beaches in Every State
By Wendy Altschuler for Trip Savvy
July 2021
The list of beaches in California is very long. San Diego County alone has more than 40! For a unique adventure, travel to Avila Beach, located along the famous Highway 1 Discovery Route on the state’s central coast. Rent a kayak and paddle by barking sea lions, harbor seals, sea otters, pelicans, and other wildlife. Book a stay just 20 minutes from Avila Beach at The Bee’s Knees Fruit Farm, a well-designed, sunny rental in San Luis Obispo County. If you stay there between May and October, you can pick berries, apples, pears, apricots, figs, or peaches. Beyond the beach, the central coast has so much to offer, including wine tasting, aquarium visits, farmer’s markets, beach cycling, hiking, and golfing.
Essential Eats Along California’s Highway 1 Discovery Route
By Ali Wunderman for Forbes Magazine
June 2021
One of the most exciting Highway 1 experiences is the opportunity to pick your own fruit, which grows sweet and lush in this part of California. Bee’s Knees is an enchanting farm where you can scoop up your own blackberries and nectarines from June to July, and apples and pears through September. Even a winter drive yields delicious citrus options.
Summer Travel: California Reopens on June 15
By Carole Dixon for Find Your Paradise
June 2021
After over a year of restrictions on daily activities in California, the flood gates are opening on June 15th and the Golden State will safely open to the masses. So where are you headed first? San Francisco, LA and San Diego are obvious choices and Disneyland is the top summer time destination for pent-up families. How about putting the top down and cruising up the Historic Highway 1 Discovery Route – the 100-mile stretch between Santa Barbara and Big Sur on California’s Central Coast? Here are a few smaller towns along the way with new hotels and from wildlife to wineries. Welcome back, we missed you!
Daydream Destinations for Your Next Getaway
By Melissa Curtin for City Lifestyle Los Angeles
Spring 2021
While we may be deep in the pandemic with days blurring together, we have ample time to reflect, read, spend time in nature and be thankful to be alive. Most of us are craving to be on the “move,” so why not start daydreaming about a future getaway? Below are some jaunts to help inspire your wanderlust and aid in your future memorable adventure, if only in your mind for now.
Get reacquainted with California’s grandeur by leaving the big city for California’s Central Coast
Finding Foodie Fun on Route One
By Matt Kettmann for the Santa Barbara Independent
January 5, 2021
Following the seaweed foraging at Estero Bluffs that afternoon, we pulled into the Bee’s Knees Fruit Farm, located in that pleasantly rural valley between Los Osos and S.L.O. As my wife and I unloaded the bags for our stay in the farm’s sprawling cottage, the kids ran off to say hi to the chickens and ducks. Inside, we found a Victorian-esque decor very common in farmhouse design, yet with each room completely updated in modern comforts and technologies. Such a combination is quite rare.
24 Road Trips We Can’t Wait to Take
By Erica Nichols and Marie Tutko with Jackie Bryant, Elena Gomez, Sarah Pfledderer, Archana Ram, and Ann Wycoff
January 4, 2021
The Bee’s Knees Fruit Farm launched new overnight stays in its 100-year-old farmhouse, where you can pick the produce for your dinner right from the farm and owner Pattea Torrence will bring in local beef, chicken, or seafood for the main dish. North on the famous Highway 1 is Morro Bay (you’ll want a photo!), where you can spot sea otters, and farther up the road is the town of Cayucos.
The Bee’s Knees Fruit Farm in San Luis Obispo
By Melissa Curtain for LaLaScoop
November 8, 2020
Surrounded by fruit orchards and gardens galore on this incredible property in Los Osos Valley, Bee’s Knees Country Home is the place to get away from it all! Beautifully decorated in country-style fashion, the 5-acre property boasts a wrap-around porch perfect for doing nothing or eating lunch with birdsong. No need to leave here. Stay in and make dinner off the land, bring home fish from local Giovanni’s Fish Market in Morro Bay (a few minutes away) and dream that you own the place.
Farm Focus in San Luis Obispo
By Erin Roffman in 805 Living Magazine
November, 2020
During the quiet of the Coronavirus lockdown, Pattea Torrence, owner of the Bee’s Knees Fruit Farm (beeskneesfruitfarm.com, from $325), near downtown San Luis Obispo, noticed that leaves from different kinds of trees made distinct sounds in the breeze. To that point, Torrence says, “Staying on a farm makes people feel grounded, more in tune with nature.”
‘A touch of glam and gold’
By Rebecca Juretic for the Tribune
November 7, 2019
As a designer, Pattea Torrence is a force. She’s known for taking on the immense task of reviving the century-old Old Edna townsite in Edna Valley. But when Torrence purchased her latest venture, The Bee’s Knees Fruit Farm in San Luis Obispo, she experienced something brand new: uncertainty.
“Every little detail, the condition of the house, was pristine,” she said. “I was afraid at first to add my touches.”
