Adelaida Road winds through the northern end of San Luis Obispo County where the land is thick with walnut trees and vineyards. (Don Kelsen / LAT)
Vinny and Gerry DiPompei prepare to sample Adelaida 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon at Adelaida Cellars vineyard. (Don Kelsen / LAT)
Lake Atascadero attracts people and their pets in search of exercise or solitude. (Don Kelsen / LAT)
The lobby of the Carlton Hotel is compact but plush, with upholstered furniture and marble floors and counters. The ground floor’s coffee shop and spacious restaurant overlook the main intersection. (Don Kelsen / LAT)
The Carlton Hotel, estab. 1929. (Don Kelsen / LAT)
