The Inherent Bummer Guide to Southern California
We could make this very simple: Get a California State Park pass, load a Yeti to the brim with ice and beer, stop at all the locations on the NSSA Southwest Explorer Season schedule and eat at any and all Mexican food establishments that go by the name of a Mexican man or woman (Mario’s, Juanita’s, Roberto’s, etc) and you’ll be good. You would nail it with that itinerary.
But since we’re fresh off those highways after making “So-California,” we figure we’d put together a few spots we saw along the way to get the van rolling for you too. Now keep in mind there is no way to officially and properly guide someone through the entirety of the sprawling coastal grids of So-Cal, but if you need a starter kit sans YELP, here you are. Please put your own remix on this every time and if you have anything you’d like to add, shoot us a line at Hello@inherentbummer.com, we’ll add to it and turn this guide into a living document. —Travis
San Diego
Mexican Food: While most of Southern California has world-class Mexican food on every corner, something about the proximity to the border in SD gives the Mexican food down there a little extra salsa. There are seriously hundreds out there, but here are some highlights:
Juanita’s Taco Shop (Leucadia): On PCH in Leucadia, Juanita’s is so old school they still use Styrofoam and straws but it’d be a tragedy to change anything in there. So we let it slide. Get the California burrito.
Las Olas (Cardiff by the Sea): If you prefer to sit and stay awhile, perhaps ride out your post-surf margarita buzz a little longer, Las Olas is the spot. Located between Seaside and Cardiff reefs, there is no avoiding a sunset meet up. Mingle around the bar and watch the fajitas steam past you and chomp on chips and salsa (get the salsa fleet with bean dip) while you wait for a table.
El Pueblo (Cardiff by the Sea): If you’re booking down I-5 and need to pull off for something extra special and a little under the radar and fast, El Pueblo is the spot all Encinitas locals swear by. Hangover breakfast burritos and lunch fish tacos are the call.
Del Taco: I swear to God, Del is as California as it gets and now that they have a vegan menu there is no excuse not to stop at least once. Cheap, reliable and inherently Californian. It was our first stop on this trip and maybe our best.
Bahia Don Bravo (La Jolla): Up the road from a not-so-secret-but-still-a-secret reef that looks like a more picturesque lowers on its day.
Jorges (Encinitas): Soup that will cure all your problems — or at least a cold. Post Poods Park skate session this is a local’s favorite. Easy to find off the 5 Freeway if you’re hungry and stuck in traffic. *Submitted by Thomas Barker.
Ricos (Encinitas): Healthy burritos and you will probably maybe see a pro skater. *Submitted by Thomas Barker.
Bars: There are a lot of these. Like a lot. For our purposes, cantinas between road tripping itineraries is what you’ll find below, spots to mingle during overnight stops:
The Shack (La Jolla): Play pool and buy a cold one with the crunched up $20 in your boardshorts after baking on the rocks and eel grass at Windansea all day.
Captain Kenos (Leucadia): Because there has to be one dive/pirate bar with cheap beer, haunted tales where weird locals mix it up with cute clientele late in the night (but before midnight, they close at 11:59pm). Captain Kenos can be many things. Especially if you try the spaghetti.
The Privateer Coal Fire Pizza (Oceanside): Good dinner and beer spot on Coast Highway in Oceanside.
Saint Archer Tasting Room (Leucadia): If you love coastal towns and beer, this stretch where the Saint Archer Tasting Room is will make you feel like you’ve died and gone to heaven. It is a post-surf hang spot where locals and tourists congregate for great local beer and food. It feels small town in a state where all is basically overdeveloped. Somehow they haven’t found this area yet. Start here and walk around, you’ll find something you love within a few yards in all directions. Saint Archer might even have “So-California” playing. It’s where we premiered it.
Beaches: Sneaky beaches that may or may not get us punched for mentioning:
Hogan’s Beach (La Jolla): Fixed between a very missable pair of bushes on a back coastal street, there’s a trail leading down to a small patch of sand enclosed by rocks. Out front is a finicky right wedge and a world class left on its day. It gets deep. And there’s big animals out there. But there’s no better place for a quick bodysurf or asymmetric wiggle.
Seaside (Encinitas): When you need something reliable, or wanna skate a parking lot and regroup? Go to this lot. It’s big and there’s usually enough of a wave to convince anyone to paddle out. The parking lot is practically in the lineup and Rob Machado and about 150 local shredding 13 year olds live there. It can be a scene, but between the madness is a really fun session.
Oceanside Pier and Harbor (Oceanside): Oceanside is where to go when all hope is lost and no one can make a decision. Miles of fun beachbreak that sucks in swell and forms sandbars up and down the beach. Always a wave and a fun one at that.
Windansea (La Jolla): Be a shame not to at least take in one sunset from Windasea. A California classic full of characters of the local and tourist persuasion.
Food: Non Mexican style food spots:
El Pescador Fish Market (La Jolla): Please don’t’ ever go to La Jolla and not stop here. Basically every kingpin at every reef in La Jolla works here or has worked here. The street cred behind this place is undeniable and the food is as legit as it gets. You cannot go wrong. Order at the counter, get an IPA and enjoy the scenery and keep an ear out, you might hear some insider info about where will be good at low tide and if the fish are biting off Mex.
Cream of the Crop (Oceanside): Every road trip needs body recharge stations for health and wellness. Road tripping is not the healthiest thing to do, so every now and again it’s nice to know where to recharge with hummus and juice and healthy produce. We found this great (yet expensive) market full of sustenance that we desperately needed by day 2. Sandwiches, healthy snacks and juices for a lot of money, but worth it.
Orange County
Mexican Food: A few among the thousands to choose from.
La Tiendita (San Clemente): Perhaps the most unique and delicious take on a two item taco and enchilada plate. Goes best post-Lowers walk. Make sure you go next door, get a Tecate and/or Modelo at the liquor store and sit in the easy-to-miss back patio. They don’t mind.
Taco Loco (Laguna Beach): This place is a bit of a tourist trap in the summer, but we saw Nyja Huston eating here as we drove by, which was funny, so we’ll give it honorable mention.
Great Mex (Newport Beach Peninsula): Way out on the peninsula, this is where you’ll find people from Newport returning over and over.
Avila’s El Ranchito (Costa Mesa and Newport Beach): This is a chain, but it started locally. Classic old school mexican food restaurant. Nothing especially extraordinary, but nothing wrong with it either.
Wild Taco: This is a little less traditional, more new school Mexican, but if you need a midday pit stop for a Michelada and good fish tacos, pull in here after pulling in at 54th street. They have a patio and its located in a good zone for people watching. Get the guac.
Marios (Huntington Beach): Now consider this a bit of insider trading: I don’t tell everyone about Marios. It’s a special place. A place where both clandestine meetings and large celebrations can go down. It’s on Main Street in HB, but hidden in a secret shopping center way away from the chaos. Sit in the bar area, order the house margarita, rocks and salt, and try to eat less than 4 baskets of chips. On any given day you will see any number of the Turner Brothers (Timmy and Ryan), Jeff “Doc” Lausch and just about every other local HB legend. Always sitting in the bar area. If you visit, be nice, I’ll be watching.
Bars: There are a lot of ways to imbibe in Orange County, but again, for the sake of road tripping and just passing through, here are some oasis’ that work.
Red Fox Lounge (San Clemente): Locals only hole in the wall. Don’t be surprised if you run into a Guduaskas brother or two in here washing off the T-Street salt with a post-surf brewski. Dark. Local. And always core score way up!
The Sandpiper (Laguna Beach): Edgier than usual bar for Laguna. Which makes it feel legit. Right on PCH, this is a good spot to end up if you do pit stop in Laguna and don’t want to spend $12 on a Modelo. Good chance you’ll see something interesting and/or live music. Good chance for both actually.
The Alley (Newport Beach): The Alley is where you end up. You just do. You could try to not go there. You could go somewhere hipper. You could go anywhere else. But you just kind of end up at The Alley at some point when you’re in Newport. Either for a Bloody Mary, or a meet up spot to start the night, or you might just wake up and be at The Alley. We ended up here after striking out all day thanks to north wind (OC devil wind). You can get anything from beer to a full-blown steak dinner and everything in between. Lots of older Newport cougars and those who like to be preyed on by cougars inhabit this spot. Happy hunting!
The Wayfarer (Costa Mesa): If you are single and looking to mingle, the Wayfarer is where you wanna be. They have a full bar, full music venue option and it’s where a lot of Newport/Costa Mesa’s finest congregate. Have for years and somehow they still are. .
Beaches: More sneaky beaches to check that aren’t on the NSSA Southwest Explorer schedule (actually, some of these are).
Strand (Dana Point): I’m only going to say that, and that south of Salt Creek is basically a stretch of beach that is local’s Salt Creek. There is a big parking lot above it now and plenty of paths down. Didn’t used to be, there are now. Of course. Couple rock gatherings that make for fun waves.
River Jetties (HB/Newport): The space where Newport and Huntington come together is a stretch of sand safeguarded by a long sand walk to check it. It keeps the crowds down a touch and if you make the trek to check it you may be stoked with what you find.
The Gap (Huntington Beach): Between the Pier and the cliffs in Huntington is clean sand a relatively easy to access beach. In the middle of summer, its’ a blessing to find parking and space among clean sand and hoards at the pier and dogs at the cliffs.
Food/Coffee: Somewhat healthier options in the OC.
Mothers Market: There’s one in HB and one in Costa Mesa. It is the go-to for healthier road trip dining. Both have an in-house restaurant and grocery store. Pull the van into the lot and let the crew stock up on health and hummus and produce. The juice bar is the call.
Daydream Surf Shop: Run by local legend Kyle Kennelly and his girlfriend Becca, Daydream Surf Shop is a must-see if you drive through Newport/Costa Mesa. They have a rad coffee shop and a super well-curated surfboard selection and vintage store. If you need gifts and caffeine, definitely come here. They’ve dialed in a rad scene and if you’ve never been, make sure to get scope it out. Bring your dog. Read a mag. Take a nap. Good vibes throughout.
C’est Si Bon (Newport Beach): Local Newport Beach bakery that makes the world’s greatest veggie croissant sandwiches all served and made by locals for locals. Just act like one and you’ll be fine. Veggie Croissant, I’m telling you.
Duke’s (Huntington Beach): Yes, im serious. Among all the chaos happening on HB Main Street, the easiest thing is to do to escape it is to go to the bar at Duke’s and get fish tacos. No matter how hectic the scene on Main, even mid-US Open, Duke’s has got you for easy food in the heart of Surf City.
Jans Health Bar (Huntington Beach): Up Main Street a little ways is Jan’s. Recently sold but the people who bought it have kept the same sandwich recipes. Might as well pay homage to a Huntington staple for years. It’s gotten a little more polished and sterile, but it’s still great food. Get the tuna sandwich and broccoli cheese soup.
Los Angeles
Mexican Food: That isn’t Casa Vega or El Coyote…
El Compadre (Echo Park and Hollywood): With two locations both on Sunset Blvd (one toward Hollywood and one toward Echo Park) El Compadre is everything you want in a Mexican cantina. Dark, yet somehow colorful. A place as lively at noon as it is at peak dinner rush. Bustling bar. Margarita salt covering everything, Naugahyde booths and friendly service.
Bars: Well, here are the ones we went to at least, because we all know LA has plenty of bars.
Paioli’s Pizzeria and Piano Bar (Woodland Hills): We sort of stumbled into here because the couch we were crashing on was near Woodland Hills, not exactly Hollywood, but the scene was incredible. If you wanna Karaoke, this is the spot. Great decor. Great old school vibe and a ton of fun-loving people in there sipping and pouring stiff drinks. Apparently they serve pizza too.
Tenants of the Trees (Los Angeles): Well I wish I could say this was cool because I think it is, but we didn’t get let in. Apparently 9 dudes piling out of a van all wearing the same Inherent Bummer hoodie isn’t a vibe or something (I think it is). Anyway, a bunch of girls left too and told us to come with them to their birthday party anyway, so that worked out.
Zebulon (Los Angeles): Loud music venue/bar. Kind of a hip scene but large enough to accommodate us and all our hoodies. Beer is beer, but the scene was kind of cool. It’s an option if you’re in the area. Noa Deane premiered his “Head Noise” vid here and The Line played.
Beaches: I spent a lot of my life assuming LA didn’t have waves very often. I was wrong.
Zuma: If you find yourself in Malibu, and it’s small, Zuma may have a wave. Long beach break with plenty of space. Maybe David Hasselhoff will want your parking spot.
County Line: Dependable and crowded, but if you keep going all the way until Malibu gets lonely, County Line has options. And if not, you can eat at Neptunes Net across the street, that’s where Johnny Utah (Keanu Reeves) meets Tyler in Point Break.
North: Not technically LA, but Ventura and Oxnard are just a hop and skip and offer a whole plethora of coast for a variety of swell options and you can actually get there via PCH. So if all else fails (like it did us) aim north and enter the great vast zone that Dane rips and you’ll unlock a whole new world of waves and locals.
Surf Shops: For a good time and some wax.
Boardriders Malibu: Boardriders Malibu may sound like a Malibu megastore owned and operated by the corporate giant who owns Quiksilver, which it kinda is, but you wouldn’t know it because it’s run by Chad Marshall (of Brothers Marshall fame) and he’s made it sick. Local Malibu legend in the making, Chad “Bad” Marshall is the sickest. A fun dude who has good style, taste, a sense of humor and who likes to have fun. It may have a Quiksivler logos aplenty, but Chad has made this spot off PCH in Topanga/Malibu feel like a core surf shop that’s been there forever. Be sure to stop by and ask him for a set at First Point. We actually interviewed him while we were there, keep an eye out for that later this week.
*As we said, a list like this is never complete, so if you have any suggestions for places to eat, drink, or get caffeinated during a road trip like this, fire it over to hello@inherentBummer.com
And if you haven’t seen “So-California” yet, here it is, in it’s entirety, freshly uploaded to the new Inherent Bummer YouTube page:
