Known as the Valley of Flowers, Lompoc's 1500 acres of flower fields produce seeds and cut flowers for the majority of the United States. Many fields bloom throughout the year, allowing visitors an up-close look at sweet peas, marigolds, larkspur, delphinium and others. Over 60 murals decorate downtown buildings depicting town landmarks including nearby Vandenberg Air Force Base, the historic Point Conception lighthouse and La Purisma Mission, one of 21 Missions founded by Franciscan monk Father Junipero Serra between 1769 and 1823.

Our arrival at La Purisma was punctuated by the odors of the Misson's livestock corrals located adjacent to the parking lot. The near fully-restored Spanish-style Mission is located on 900 acres, which include farming areas, gardens and walking trails as well as the buildings that comprise the Mission itself.

Heading north again, the road passed through more agricultural communities, including Guadalupe, a town nestled along a large rise of sand dunes where parts the 1923 epic The Ten Commandments was filmed. The entire movie set, including giant sphinxes and three-story-high pharaohs, was dumped into trenches and covered by sandstorms over the years. Bits and pieces of the set have been recovered and an archaeologist is currently planning a full excavation.