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City of San Luis Obispo
—  City  —
The city of San Luis Obispo looking east from the top of Bishop Peak.
Flag Seal
Location in San Luis Obispo County and the state of California
Coordinates: 35°16′27″N 120°39′47″W / 35.27417°N 120.66306°W / 35.27417; -120.66306Coordinates: 35°16′27″N 120°39′47″W / 35.27417°N 120.66306°W / 35.27417; -120.66306
Country	United States
State	California
County	San Luis Obispo
Incorporated	February 16, 1856
Government
- Mayor	Dave Romero
- State Senate	Abel Maldonado (R)
- State Assembly	{{{leader_name2}}}
Area
- Total	10.8 sq mi (27.7 km2)
- Land	10.7 sq mi (27.6 km2)
- Water	0.2 sq mi (0.5 km2)
Elevation	233 ft (71 m)
Population (2000 census)
- Total	44,174
- Density	4,144.5/sq mi (1,600/km2)
Time zone	PST (UTC-8)
- Summer (DST)	PDT (UTC-7)
ZIP codes	93401-93403, 93405-93410, 93412
Area code(s)	805
FIPS code	06-68154
GNIS feature ID	1652788
Website	http://www.slocity.org/

San Luis Obispo (pronounced /ˌsæn ˈluːɪs oʊˈbɪspoʊ/; Spanish for St. Louis, the Bishop) is a city in California, located roughly midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles on the Central Coast. The city, referred to locally as "SLO","SLOTOWN" and "San Luis", is the county seat of San Luis Obispo County and is adjacent to California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly). As of the 2006 Census Bureau estimate^[1], the city population was 42,963 (down 2.8% from 2000). Founded in 1772, San Luis Obispo is one of California’s oldest communities.

History

The entrance lobby and belfry of the Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa. A statue of Fray Junípero Serra stands outside the church.

Earliest human inhabitants of the local area were the Chumash peoples, who settled in the vicinity circa 5,000 to 10,000 years BC. One of the earliest villages lies south of San Luis Obispo, and reflects the landscape of the early Holocene when estuaries came farther inland and sea levels were higher. These Chumash people exploited marine resources of the inlets and bays along the Central Coast and inhabited a network of villages including sites at Los Osos and Morro Creek.^[2]

San Luis Obispo once had a burgeoning Chinatown in the vicinity of Palm St. and Chorro St. Laborers were brought from China by Ah Louis in order to construct the Pacific Coast Railway, roads connecting San Luis Obispo to Paso Robles and Paso Robles to Cambria, and also the 1884 to 1894 tunneling through Cuesta Ridge for the Southern Pacific Railroad. SLO's Chinatown revolved around Ah Louis Store and other Palm Street businesses owned and run by Chinese business people. Today, Mee Heng Low chop suey shop is all that remains of the culture, although a revitalized Chinatown development is being planned. A display of some of the unearthed relics from this period can be seen on the first floor of the Palm Street parking garage, which was built over the location where Chinatown once stood. The San Luis Obispo Historical Society (adjacent to the Mission) also contains rotating historical exhibits.^[3]

San Luis Obispo was also a popular stop on both U.S. Route 101 and California State Route 1 with the rise of car culture. Due to its popularity as a stop, it was the location of the first motel, the Milestone Mo-Tel.

Geography

San Luis Obispo is located at 35°16'27" North, 120°39'47" West (35.274305, -120.663192)^[4].

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 10.8 square miles (28.1 km²), of which, 10.7 square miles (27.6 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.5 km²) of it is water. The total area is 1.66% water.

San Luis Obispo is on the West Coast of the United States and in the Central Coast of California. The Pacific Ocean is only about 12 miles (19 km) west of San Luis Obispo. The Santa Lucia Mountains lie just east of San Luis Obispo.

San Luis Obispo is a seismically active area; there are a number of nearby faults including the San Andreas Fault. The Nine Sisters are a string of hills that partially run through San Luis Obispo. They are geologically noteworthy for being volcanic plugs. Six of the nine peaks are open to the public for recreation.^[5]

360° panorama of Cal Poly and San Luis Obispo, CA taken from the top of Poly Canyon; [San Luis Mountain] and Bishop Peak in the middle with Cal Poly below.

Climate

San Luis Obispo experiences a cool Mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification Csb). On average it has 29 days with rain per year - mostly during winter months. Summers are generally warm and sunny, often with morning fog from the Pacific coast. The extreme recorded temperatures are 104 °F (40 °C) in July, and 21 °F (-6 °C) in January. Storms of any kind are uncommon.

Demographics

Cerro San Luis as seen from Bishop's Peak. A montage of two photos taken in September 2006 and March 2007. (The differences between plant cover in the hot and the cold season are typical for the city's Mediterranean climate.)

As of the 2000 census^[7], there are 44,174 people, 18,639 households, and 7,697 families residing in the city. The population density is 4,144.5 people per square mile (1,600.0/km²). There are 19,306 housing units at an average density of 1,811.3/sq mi (699.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city is 84.11% White, 1.46% African American, 0.65% Native American, 5.28% Asian, 0.13% Pacific Islander, 4.82% from other races, and 3.55% from two or more races. 11.65% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 18,639 households out of which 17.7% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 31.3% are married couples living together, 7.2% have a female householder with no husband present, and 58.7% are non-families. 32.7% of all households are made up of individuals and 9.5% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.27 and the average family size is 2.86.

In the city the population is spread out with 14.2% under the age of 18, 33.6% from 18 to 24, 23.7% from 25 to 44, 16.5% from 45 to 64, and 12.1% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 26 years. For every 100 females there are 105.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 106.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city is $31,926, and the median income for a family is $56,319. Males have a median income of $41,915 versus $27,407 for females. The per capita income for the city is $20,386. 26.6% of the population and 7.1% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 9.3% of those under the age of 18 and 4.6% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

Government

Local

San Luis Obispo is an incorporated city, and it is also the county seat of San Luis Obispo County. The City of San Luis Obispo is governed by a mayor who is elected to two year terms and four city council members who are elected to four year terms.^[8] The fire department of San Luis Obispo was first organized in 1872 and now has forty-five full-time firefighters and four fire stations (as of 2007).^[9]

Fire Department

The SLO City Fire Stations are staffed with three man ALS engine companies and a four man ALS Truck company. Each apparatus has at least one Paramedic on duty each day. The department responds to over 4,500 calls each year. The San Luis Obispo City Fire Department also maintains a bike medic program which is used at Farmer's market and other special events throughout the City. Four members of the Fire Department are also on the San Luis Obispo SWAT Team as SWAT Medics and respond using Squad 1 (an ALS equipped ambulance which also carries some light rescue gear and other specialty tools) The front-line members of the department are represented by the San Luis Obispo City Firefighters' IAFF Local 3523.^[9]

Notable Ordinances

In June 1990 City Councilman Jerry Reiss proposed a city ordinance to ban smoking in all indoor public areas. Following a failed effort by R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. to defeat the ordinance, the City Council voted 4-1 in favor on June 19, 1990 with only Mayor Ron Dunin dissenting. As a result, on August 2, 1990, San Luis Obispo became the first municipality in the world to ban smoking in all public buildings, including bars and restaurants. This statute has been a catalyst worldwide in anti-smoking legislation.^[10][11][12]

In 1982, following public hearings, the City Council approved an ordinance forbidding the construction of "drive-through" businesses.^[13] In-N-Out Burger opened a restaurant in the nearby town of Atascadero because of the ban.^[14] In 2008 the City Council voted 3-2 to keep the ban.^[15][16] The first fast food chain restaurant in SLO, a McDonald's, is closing due to the ban, awful food quality, and healthier dining options.^[17][18]

In 1982 a city ordinance was passed that prohibited the sale of alcoholic beverages at any business selling gasoline, with the exception of one Mobil (now Union 76) service station on South Higuera Street that was grand-fathered in prior to the ordinance. The city council voted 3-2 to abolish the ordinance in 2004.^[19]

State and Federal

In the state legislature San Luis Obispo is located in the 15th Senate District, represented by Republican Abel Maldonado, and in the 33rd Assembly District, represented by Republican Sam Blakeslee. Federally, San Luis Obispo is located in California's 23rd congressional district, which has a Cook PVI of D +9^[20] and is represented by Democrat Lois Capps.

Economy

Downtown San Luis Obispo is centered around the carefully restored Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa. The downtown area also has many eclectic shops and boutiques. New downtown shopping centers have been added in recent years. The Court Street Center and Downtown Center house stores that belong to nationwide chains.

One of the primary draws of this area for both students, visitors and residents is the plethora of outside sports, such as hiking, kayaking, surfing, windsurfing, diving, sailing and kite boarding.

Scenes from the 1990 film My Blue Heaven were filmed in commercial areas of San Luis Obispo.

Southwest of the town center, several large shopping malls have developed since 2003.

Education

Cal Poly Performing Arts Center

All public K-12 institutions in San Luis Obispo are operated by San Luis Coastal Unified School District, which contains seven elementary schools, one junior high school, and one high school, San Luis Obispo High School. There are also two private elementary schools and one private high school, Mission College Prep.

San Luis Obispo is also home to California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly), a public university enrolling nearly 20,000 students. The community is also served by Cuesta College, a community college a short driving distance away.

Transportation

The Bill Roalman (Morro Street) bicycle boulevard

The city is home to San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport which offers private and commercial air service to several major cities. Amtrak provides daily rail transport service here as the northern terminus of the Pacific Surfliner line from San Diego, and as a stop on the Coast Starlight line. The Amtrak train goes north to San Francisco, Portland, and Seattle, and south to Los Angeles. Greyhound closed its doors in San Luis Obispo on March 12, 2009. It still continues to service San Luis Obispo and currently uses a transit bus stop on Railroad Avenue. Public transit includes the city-wide SLO Transit bus lines as well as the county-wide SLO Regional Transit system. Rideshare encourages the use of the local public transit, as well as carpooling and cycling. Riders for the SLO Transit system are now able to plan their trips using Google Transit. [4]The SLO Car Free program provides an online one-stop-shop for all car-free vacationing needs from bus schedules and bike maps, to discounts on transportation, lodging, and attractions. [5]

Bicycling is increasing as a mode of transportation. The Bill Roalman (Morro Street) Bicycle Boulevard gives priority to bicycle traffic while a special bicycle traffic signal (one of only a handful in the United States) allows bicyclists their own phase in traffic flow. The SLO County Bicycle Coalition offers a free bicycle valet service during the weekly Farmers' Market. In 2007, the city was designated as a Bicycle Friendly Community at the Silver level by the League of American Bicyclists.

The city provides parking in three multistory parking structures downtown [6]. Street parking downtown is metered. The city's innovative Racks with Plaques program has increased bike racks in the downtown area and has cut down on parking congestion.

Culture

The city of San Luis Obispo with Bishop Peak on the right and Cerro San Luis on the left.

The Madonna Inn is a famous local landmark. Established by Alex Madonna in 1958, the inn is famously eccentric. The Fremont Theater, a historic Art Deco theater from the 1940s, still plays first run movies on the huge screen. Murals adorn the walls of the main theater while neon swirls light the ceiling. Another destination is Bubblegum Alley. Since about 1960, people have been sticking their chewed gum on the walls of this alley. The doctor's office on the corner of Santa Rosa and Pacific streets is one of very few commercial buildings designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. San Luis also has a Carnegie Library which is now home to the San Luis Obispo County Historical Museum.^[21]

A sculpture of a child and bear at the Mission in downtown San Luis Obispo. A fish was added after the photograph was taken.

San Luis Obispo hosts a Farmer's Market every Thursday night at 6PM on Higuera Street, between Osos and Nipomo Streets. During this weekly event, the street is closed to vehicle traffic while vendors sell food and goods and various visual and music artists perform for the crowds.

A Mardi Gras parade used to be held in San Luis Obispo, but it has been canceled recently because of difficulties related to crowd control and alcohol consumption.^{[citation needed]}

Cal Poly's open house, Poly Royal, was held annually from 1933 to 1990. It was canceled in 1945 due to war rationing.^[22] It began as a show-and-tell for students to display their projects. It traces its origins to the 1904 Farmer's Institute and Picnic Basket. By the 1980s, as the college became the "the most popular...university in the 19-campus CSU system," Poly Royal began drawing over 100,000 people from throughout the state, including 126,000 people in 1985. Concerts, parties, and other entertainment were added and it earned $3–4 million in revenue for the city every year.^[23][24]

Following a "mini-riot" in 1989 at an off-campus apartment during Poly Royal, the events in 1990 would cancel the event "indefinitely." Two nights of rioting on April 28-29 led to 127 arrests, over 100 injuries and 14 police injuries on top of "several hundred thousand dollars" worth of damage. A liquor store near campus, Campus Bottle, was destroyed by revelers demanding alcohol. The second night was much larger than the first as people were leaving a concert on campus and parties off-campus were broken up and revelers flooded the streets. Mayor Dunin called the events "the worst experience in the history of San Luis Obispo.” After a meeting between Mayor Dunin and University President Warren Baker the following Monday, Poly Royal was canceled from that point forward. The name Poly Royal returned in 2001 as "Open House Presents Poly Royal," a scaled down version that was designed for students and parents.^{[25][26][27][28][29]}

San Luis Obispo has been home of several other events, including a stop on the way of the Olympic Flame Relay, the Tour of California bicycle race, Cinco de Mayo celebrations, an annual Mozart festival, held every July, and a long-standing Christmas Parade. Another attraction is the development of Edna Valley into a well-known wine region. Just south of the city, people can spend an afternoon wine tasting several wineries in the area with a very short drive. The wine region extends north beyond Paso Robles (30 miles north) and south to Santa Ynez (70 miles south).^{[citation needed]}

During Summer months, local residents and visitors congregate in the Mission Plaza for a free outdoor concert every Friday evening. The event is called Concerts in the Plaza. Other noteworthy events include the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival, Festival Mosaic, and the Plein Air Festival.^[30]

Since June 2000, the first Thursday of every month is The Bike Happening (also known as Bike Nite) in San Luis Obispo. People gather after the Farmer's Market at the Mission Plaza with their bikes. The bikers then go around on multiple circuits on the main streets of downtown adhering to the traffic laws (for the most part). The ride is considered a fun/social ride meant to encourage people to get back on their bikes and to have fun. Each Bike Happening has a theme and a large portion of the crowd is in some costume adherent to the theme.^[31]

One of the cultural focal centers of San Luis Obispo is the Christopher Cohen Performing Arts Center built on the Cal Poly Campus, which was constructed utilizing the donations of local businesses and individuals. The Performing Arts Center consists of multiple venues, including the original Spanos Theatre. The largest venue, Harmon Hall, seats 1,300. Many high school and college programs are scheduled. Local artists perform plays, music and dance. The addition of the Performing Arts Center attracts many touring performances which are usually not found in communities of comparable size to San Luis Obispo. The Summer of 2007 was the opening concert of the Forbes Pipe Organ, which was built elevated into a side wall of Harmon Hall and required the donation of a further $3 million for purchase and installation.^[32]

Notable residents

Born or Raised in San Luis Obispo

• Zac Efron, actor
• Jim Lonborg, baseball player
• Arron Oberholser, golfer
• Chris Pontius, daredevil entertainer (Jackass)
• Paul Rachubka, soccer player
• Loren Roberts, golfer
• Chris Seitz, soccer player

Lived in San Luis Obispo

• Jon Anderson, musician (Yes)
• Ernie Ball, guitarist and entrepreneur
• John Barbata, musician
• Peter Buck, musician (R.E.M.)
• John Darnielle, musician (The Mountain Goats)
• Allen Fox, tennis player and coach
• Jack Kerouac, writer^[33]
• Mike Krukow, baseball player and sportscaster
• Chuck Liddell, champion mixed martial artist
• Ah Louis, Chinese American pioneer and businessman
• Hannah Marks, actress^[34]
• Lee Michaels, musician
• G.D. Spradlin, actor
• The Pendragons, magicians

Attended Cal Poly

Notable bands

• The Sentinals, 1960s surf band
• Sherwood, an Indie rock band
• Watashi Wa, a Christian pop rock band
• Still Time, an Indie rock band
• Scissors For Lefty, an Indie rock band

Notes and references

External links

California portal

• Economic Vitality Corporation of San Luis Obispo County
• The San Luis Obispo City-County Public Library
• The Tribune, the largest daily newspaper serving all of San Luis Obispo County
• San Luis Obispo New Times, alternative weekly newspaper with 100,000 circulation founded in 1986
• City of San Luis Obispo
• Downtown SLO Association has information about concerts in the plaza and Farmers' Market.
• San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce promotes member business and serves as the city's contracted tourism promoter. Also runs the city's Visitors Center, 1039 Chorro St.
• San Luis Obispo local weather

Municipalities and communities of San Luis Obispo County, California County seat: San Luis Obispo Cities Arroyo Grande | Atascadero | Grover Beach | Morro Bay | Paso Robles | Pismo Beach | San Luis Obispo CDPs Baywood-Los Osos | Cambria | Cayucos | Lake Nacimiento | Nipomo | Oceano | San Miguel | Shandon | Templeton Unincorporated communities Adelaida | Asuncion | Avila Beach | Bee Rock | Bern | Bromela | California Valley | Callender | Cambria Pines | Cholame | Chorro | Halcyon | Harmony | Huasna | Los Osos | Pozo | San Simeon | Santa Margarita

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From Wikitravel

San Luis Obispo [1] is a city in San Luis Obispo County in the Central Coast region of California.

San Luis Obispo from the air; Cerro San Luis (the hill for which the city is named) is on the right

Understand

San Luis Obispo is often referred to by its initials "SLO" (often pronounced "slow") or "San Luis." The city is centered around one of the best-preserved examples of 18th century Spanish architecture, Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa. Just 20 minutes north of Pismo Beach on Highway 101, SLO is the mid-point between Los Angeles (200 miles south of SLO) and San Francisco (230 miles north of SLO) and has also been known as the one of the best "one tank" stopovers between the two cities.

Get In

By plane

San Luis Obispo has a one terminal airport. Scheduled flights are available to and from San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, and Las Vegas (Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday service only) on United (operated by SkyWest as United Express), American (operated by American Eagle), Delta (operated by SkyWest as Delta Connection), and USAirways (operated by Mesa as USAirways Express.) Due to rising energy costs, both Delta and American have announced they will no longer be serving San Luis Obispo. Prices start around $200 for a ticket purchased separately, but are much less expensive when combined with flights going through San Francisco or Los Angeles. Air Charter or air taxi is another alternative, where you can catch flights to San Diego for the weekend, or to any large or small airport. Air charters and air taxis fly point-to-point, at the departure time, departure airport, and arrival airport of the passengers' choosing. Prices start around $150 for a seat on flights that might already be going to your destination, or go from $1,000 to $10,000 or more for a custom-chartered flight where you hire the aircraft to fly you directly to your destination, any time you want to go. On-demand flights, and seats on flights already chartered to/from San Luis Obispo are offered by Pacific Air Taxi. Air taxi flights have a much shorter check-in time (typically just 15 minutes) than larger airlines, so you can just arrive and go. Travel time for an air taxi flight is usually 80 minutes from SLO to Sacramento.

By train

Amtrak runs a train through San Luis Obispo a couple times a day. Make sure you leave plenty of time because it takes 6 hours to get to SLO from San Francisco and 8 hours to get to SLO from San Diego.

By bus

Greyhound also offers bus routes into SLO. Once again set aside time because the trips can be long but Greyhound is one of the cheapest ways to go.

In addition to Greyhound service, San Luis Obispo County's Regional Transit Authority provides bus transportation from as far south as Santa Maria up to San Simeon and San Miguel in the north.

By car

Since San Luis Obispo is home to the first ever motel (The Milestone Mo-Tel) it is definitely a car town. Highway 101 runs through SLO and besides Highway 1 it is the only way into town. Highway 1 runs north through Morro Bay, and Highway 101 runs both north and south. There is no Highway 1 southbound from SLO, which is confusing to many tourists, but it starts again in Pismo Beach.

Get around

By car is the best way to go if you want to see the surrounding areas of San Luis Obispo. SLO does have a city transit system but it ends its service at 10 pm on the weekdays and even earlier on the weekends. There is also a trolley linking some of the hotels on Monterey street to the downtown area, but it operates very short hours and doesn't travel to much of the city.

The infamous wall of gum

The Madonna Inn's ornate exterior

• Make sure you go downtown and take a look a Bubble Gum Alley and leave some of your own chewed gum behind (south side of Higuera Street (pronounced by the locals as hai-GAIR-uh) between Broad and Garden).

• After you have seen downtown head on over to the Madonna Inn to see the Pink Room and the famous mens' bathroom (pictures). Just south of downtown SLO, take the Madonna Rd. exit off the 101 and park at the sprawling hotel. Go in the main entrance, take a right, and go down the stairs to get to the mens' room.

• The Palm Theater showcases the very best of Independent, Foreign, Art House, and Mainstream Cinema. Located on the corner of Palm and Broad, the Palm theater is easy to walk to from downtown. Also, the theater is solar-powered, and it hosts the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival every year.

• College basketball, baseball, volleyball, soccer, and football games can be seen (depending on the season) at California Polytechnic State University, in the hills on the northern end of town. Games are generally pretty cheap to attend (soccer games are $5) and very entertaining. Go Mustangs!

• San Luis Obispo is home to one of California's Catholic Missions, Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa. The Mission is situated on Chorro and Monterey, immediately adjacent to downtown. It is part of Mission Plaza, which incorporates San Luis Creek and a number of stores and restaurants. Walk from the Mission to the creek and up to one of the restaurants for a bite to eat.

Waves crashing at the Montana de Oro State Park

• Take some time to walk around the downtown area. Some locals feel it is beginning to lose its charm as the big businesses move in, but it's still a nice area to walk around. If you feel like walking take the stream trail by the old mission for a peaceful walk. On Thursday evenings head downtown for the weekly farmers market on Higuera Street where bands, college students, and produce stands pack the streets to bring an eclectic atmosphere. SLO Walking Tours http://slowalkingtours.com offer daily one-hour walking tours of the downtown core that familiarize visitors with both historic and contemporary SLO.

• Bike to Poly Canyon. Located on the north east side of the Cal Poly campus. Poly Canyon is a hilly, open, grassy area where many Cal Poly engineering and architecture students have constructed their required senior projects. Or hike Bishop's Peak, located to the west of campus, for an immaculate view of SLO and the surrounding areas including Morro Bay.

• Montana de Oro State Park. The park's name means "Mountain of Gold" in Spanish. A scenic state park with hiking, camping, beautiful cliffs and rocky beachfront areas.

• Kayaks and other outdoor gear can be rented at reasonable prices by students and the public from Poly Escapes on the Cal Poly campus. Kayaking is possible in many places in the county, but the most exciting place to kayak is between Shell Beach and Pismo Beach where there are sea caves you can explore. There are guided tours of the so-called "Dinosaur Caves" available from several kayak rental shops in Pismo Beach.

• There are many places to hike in San Luis Obispo. The Santa Lucia mountains and the "Nine Sisters" offer many beautiful views of the city and the countryside. The two most popular hikes are Bishop Peak and Madonna Mountain ( Cerro San Luis). Mountain Biking can also be a lot of fun.

• San Luis Obispo Children's Museum, Nipomo and Monterey. Providing an interactive, family experience, inspiring learning through play. www.slocm.org

• Downtown SLO houses many places to buy things: The Gap, Pottery Barn, Victoria's Secret, The Apple Store, Sephora, Tom's Toys, Cheap Thrills & Recycled Records, Urban Outfitters etc.

• Boo Boo Records is a cool place to buy music. Near the corner of Monterey and Osos, they sell used and new, cd's and vinyls, mainstream and independent. Sometimes Boo Boo's holds free indie shows.

The remains of a hearty breakfast at Big Sky Cafe

SLO residents like to say that it has the best tri-tip you can ever find. Make sure you are in the mood for some good BBQ. Several restaurants offer BBQ during Farmer's Market on Thursday nights.

• Big Sky Cafe, Broad St., between Marsh and Higuera, [2]. Voted best in SLO many times over, this warm and casual eatery features fresh local food and wines and a wonderfully attentive staff. Easily the best value in town.

• Farmer's Market A SLO tradition for many years, fresh locally grown produce is available as well as many street vendors. Thursday night, 6PM-9PM.

• Nona's Italian Deli Located within the "Sidewalk Liquor" on Osos and Pacific, Nona's Deli serves a delicious meatball sandwich called the Godfather. Eat your sandwich across the street, in the shady, green grass of Mitchell Park.

• Firestones, Marsh and Osos. Known locally as the best Tri-tip sandwich in the State of California. A must have for anyone who wants to understand West Coast BBQ.
• Thai Classic, 1011 Higuera St., ☎ +1-805-541-2025. One of the most authentic and tastiest Thai restaurants on the Central Coast. Meals are very moderately priced, ranging from $6 to $12. Any dish can be ordered spicy, on a scale from 1 to 5, 5 being the spiciest and not for the faint of heart. Dine in or take out.  edit

• Bars The downtown area has numerous bars along Higuera street south of Santa Rosa ave, owing to the large student population. They are all an easy walk (or stumble) from one another. These start to become active around 10:00 pm and on weekends will generally be quite busy up until 2:00 AM. Options range from Martini lounge to Irish pub to wannabe LA nightclub.

• Wine Tasting There are several award-winning wineries in SLO county, many of which offer free wine tasting. Brochures to guide you through the area are available all over town, but they are actually unnecessary. Simply drive on 101 into Paso Robles and turn on Highway 46 (either direction). There will be wineries on either side of the road. There are also a number of wine tasting bars in downtown SLO.

• Linnaeas Cafe At long-standing downtown institution, they have a wide variety of teas along with the usual cafe fare. The large patio and garden out back is an excellent place to relax, and the back room often hosts musicians and poetry readings. Delicious dinner is served five nights a week. Monday is waffle night. Wifi is available for free.
• Downtown Brewing Co, 1119 Garden, ☎ 805.543.1843, [3]. 2 story old brewery, has at least 10 homebrews from Ipa, honeyblonde, blueberry.. best brews in town.. Happy Hour m-f 3:30 - 6:30 half price and good late night specials during the week too!Also has lots of live music, from rock to reggae.. calender @ dtbrew.com  edit

Sleep

Hotels along the entire California coast get booked up every weekend during the summer. Be sure to make reservations if you intend to stay in San Luis Obispo on a weekend in the summer.

The cafe at the Madonna Inn

• Courtyard San Luis Obispo, 1605 Calle Joaquin Rd, ☎ 1-805-786-4200, [4]. One of the Marriott hotel chains; clean, spacious rooms and pleasant staff, as expected from a large mid-range company. $205.  edit
• Petit Soleil Bed & Breakfast, 1473 Monterey St, ☎ +1 805 549-0321. A touch of European charm in the heart of San Luis Obispo. The 16 room inn offers an amazing gourmet breakfast as well as complementary wine tasting and appetizers in the evening. $150.  edit
• Apple Farm, 2015 Monterey St, ☎ +1 805 544-2040, [5]. An upscale country style hotel with small but charming rooms and a wonderful restaurant that serves large, hearty breakfasts. $205/night.  edit
• Hostel Obispo, 1617 Santa Rosa St, ☎ +1 805 544-4678, [6]. A Hosteling International youth hostel with a homey feel, located within easy walking distance of downtown. $40/night.  edit
• Best Western Royal Oak Motor Hotel, 214 Madonna Road, ☎ +1 805 544-4410 (+1 800 545-4410 (toll free), fax: + 805 544-3026), [7]. An average motel with simple, clean, comfortable rooms in a convenient location. $165/night.  edit
• Holiday Inn Express, 1800 Monterey Street, ☎ +1 805 544-860, [8]. A reliable chain hotel with clean, comfortable rooms and a warm, friendly, helpful staff. $180/night.  edit
• Garden Street Inn, 1212 Garden Street, ☎ +1 805 545-9802 (fax: +1 805 545-9403), [9]. A bed and breakfast with 9 guest rooms and 4 suites. A little expensive for the level of luxury, but it is the only lodging in the heart of old-fashioned downtown San Luis Obispo. $180/night.  edit
• Madonna Inn, 100 Madonna Road, ☎ +1 800 543-9666 (info@madonnainn.com, fax: +1 805 543-1800), [10]. A fun and crazy theme-room hotel on the side of the road. Don't miss the cafe, if only for an overpriced breakfast, or the pool/hot tub. Have a wander around the grounds and peek in at the rooms. $235/night.  edit
• Motel 6 San Luis Obispo North, 1433 Calle Joaquin, ☎ +1 805 549-9595, [11]. A 1-star, no-frills motel with decent-sized, clean rooms. $60/night.  edit
• Motel 6 San Luis Obispo South, 1625 Calle Joaquin, ☎ +1 805 541-6992 (fax: +1 805'' 547-1152), [12]. Very much a budget hotel. Don't expect luxury, or even function, necessarily, but the price is right! $45/night.  edit

• Quality Suites, 1631 Monterey St, ☎ +1 805 541-5001, [13]. A very nice 3-star hotel, with a 5-star level of luxury and service. $225/night.  edit
• Best Western Somerset Inn - San Luis Obispo, 1895 Monterey Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401, ☎ 805-544-0973 - reservations@bwslo.com, [14]. Located in San Luis Obispo, California, Best Western Somerset Inn is a newly-renovated hotel for vacation and business on California’s Central Coast, featuring stylish, comfortable accommodations, modern lifestyle amenities, meeting space and California vacation packages.  edit
• Peach Tree Inn, 2001 Monterey St, ☎ 8055433170, [15].  edit

• Avila Beach
• Carrizo Plain National Monument
• Morro Bay
• Paso Robles
• Pismo Beach
• San Simeon

Salinas ← Atascadero ←	N  S	→ Pismo Beach → Santa Barbara
Monterey ← Morro Bay ←	N  S	→ Merges with → Grover Beach