My wife and I are planing to drive with our bikes to Santa Barbara and spend a day riding down to Ventura at a leisurely pace on. I've searched and read some older threads but I know how quick things change so thought I'd ask for advice on the planning. We've been to Ventura a couple years ago and spent a Saturday on the beach but thats all, it was the first and only time we've been to the west coast.

We don't know whats best, staying in Ventura, take the Amtrak to Santa Barbara and ride down or vice versa, my wife wants to stay in Santa Barbara but it's not set in stone yet. We are staying two nights but want to stay at the same place both nights. We will be doing it on 11-5-16 any advice or suggestions would be appreciated, like which direction would be best to ride, north or south or even another route that we don't even know about. We are coming from Lake Havasu city AZ so we're looking at about a 5 to 6 hr drive to get to either town. Thanks for any advice