This California Town Is the Dreamiest Golden State Getaway

In terms of coastal California getaways, one might say there's simply too much to choose from. But if you want to ditch the crowds and go road-tripping, then “SLO” down—halfway between Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area. San Luis Obispo awaits and will not disappoint.

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Sure, the Golden State boasts pearly white beaches, and there are plenty of wave-battered marine terraces to stroll across. So, how does one choose a fine balance between wild places, great food, breweries, and history? There’s no need to search any further than SLO. Whether hiking one of its “Nine Sisters” or wine tasting at Tolosa Winery, exploring SLO’s many scenically rugged landscapes or enjoying its uniquely lit downtown, all options are within easy reach at a relaxed pace. 

It's safe to say that because SLO supports a throng of natural wonders surrounded by a city population of under 50,000, the vibe is healthy, mellow, and friendly. It’s no wonder SLO was deemed “the happiest place in America” several years ago by the Oprah Winfrey Show. On days when dewy coastal fog smothers the coast, those “Nine Sisters,” of sandstone spires, extending from downtown SLO to the coast provide incredible mountain biking, trail running, and hiking. Panoramic views offer a grand perspective revealing how interconnected SLO is to its diversified landscapes, population, and teeming downtown.

Here's how to ramp up your SLO-cation. Whether you choose to slow down or speed up, after three restful and adventurous days in an around San Luis Obispo you'll want to come back for more.

How to Get to and Around San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo Regional Airport (SBP) connects SLO to major hubs like Los Angeles and San Francisco, but also offers direct flights from Seattle, Denver, Pheonix, and Dallas.

SLO also rests on either side of Highway 101 and Pacific Coast Highway 1. Whether arriving from Los Angeles or San Francisco, driving is a pleasure. After escaping the two major hubs, the routes from north and south eventually become utterly scenic, and the grip on the steering wheel less intense.

Another option is Amtrak. The railways are a stress-free alternative while traveling to SLO, with routes from either end—Los Angeles or San Francisco—revealing parts of the coast that aren’t visible while driving. It’s safe to say that train visitors arriving for a 3-day weekend in SLO will experience a glimpse of timeless California before it reached statehood in 1850.

Rental cars are available at both SBP and Amtrak. However, a reliable, inexpensive, and cleaner way to travel while in SLO is by SLO Transit, or outside the city limits with San Luis Obispo Regional Transit Authority.

When to Visit San Luis Obispo

There honestly isn’t a bad time of year to visit San Luis Obispo, which is blessed with a mild, year-round Mediterranean climate. It’s easy watching the weather forecasts from home before nailing down that perfect 3-day weekend. March to October is considered the high season in SLO, when most visitors are off for spring break and summer. Yet, fall and winter are arguably the most scenic months, with cool and crisp mornings and evenings as the sun sits lower on the horizon. It’s the best time of year for soaking in sunrises and sunsets.

The warmest months are June through October, with average highs in the mid-70s and lows of 55 degrees. Dress in layers. Typically, winds are predominant out of the northwest, so don’t skimp on beanies, down jackets, and fleece.

Where to Stay in San Luis Obispo: Best Hotels

The Granada Hotel is a classically cool and hallowed spot tucked away on 1130 Morro Street in downtown SLO that's seen numerous phases over the past century. The rustic brick building with its original wood floors has been a SLO staple of one kind or another since 1922. For 46 years, up until 1968, Mr. & Mrs. Remage ran their hotel as a popular enclave for traveling actors and artists. Prior to that, according to the hotel's history page, rooms were "rented by the hour" back in the roaring '20s.

At one point, more recently, the property became a low-income housing project and was eventually slated for demolition. That's when the Nomada Hotel Group took control, restoring the heritage building, adding its Bistro restaurant and adjoining speakeasy Nightcap bar. The Bistro has indoor and outdoor seating, the lighting is magical, and the staff is always super friendly and accommodating.

Do yourself a favor and stroll the low-lit hallways of the Granada Hotel. There’s nostalgia and history ensconced throughout the establishment. Yet, throughout the cozy, 17-room hotel, the walls are adorned with exquisite contemporary art and photography by local and international artists. There are also two relaxing guest lounges within the hotel, and one more upstairs that’s an outside balcony overlooking Morro Street. These are relaxing little escapes within the Granada, ideal for diving into the next tome on the queue or working remotely.

Brightly lit right off Highway 101, the Madonna Inn is as visible, colorful, and iconic as it gets. Think of a metamorphosis between Disneyland and Las Vegas, 1,200 feet below Cerro San Luis Mountain (one of the “Nine Sisters”) and the image might approximate the famed Madonna. 

Established in 1958 by Alex Madonna, the expansive property was originally just a dozen rooms. Today 110 uniquely themed rooms grace the 1,000-acre property, each possessing its own wild, often shocking character. Some are bright pink, others gaudy emerald-green, with everything in between. Many of the rooms feel as if you’re inside a cave, because the bathrooms, showers and some of the walls were constructed from rocks found on the existing property.

Don’t miss out on an early morning or late-night dip in the hilltop heated swimming pool overlooking the vast Madonna grounds. The adjoining spa is equipped with a whirlpool and fitness room, and the vistas from the pool are stunning.

If road tripping and car camping are your preference, Montaña de Oro State Park is an ideal option along the central California coastline. Between the coastal mountain range smothered in coastal sage scrub and its rugged, wave-battered shale bluffs are 47 primitive campsites at one of the most gorgeous yet oft overlooked state parks in the system. It's a terrific basecamp to explore this region of neighboring San Luis Obispo.

There’s something said about car camping and waking up to crashing surf, swaying Monterey cypress trees, and California thrashers and western scrub jays—and that’s just what you get when reserving a spot at the park's Islay Creek Campground. Each campsite comes with a fire ring and picnic table. There are water spigots and toilets nearby, and firewood is for sale near the visitor center.

Where To Eat: Best Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner in San Luis Obispo

You’ll smell the freshly made, mouthwatering cinnamon rolls before even setting foot inside SLO Provisions for breakfast. Located on Monterey Street, its menu is as diversified as SLO’s natural wonders. The freshly cut bacon here is intoxicating, as are the breakfast burritos. Fresh greens from local farms contribute to their delicious salads. 

When you walk into Eureka! for lunch, rest assured, all its dishes are produced from raw ingredients in their scratch kitchen, catering to meat lovers and vegetarians alike. Sink your teeth into their tasty bison burger, topped with a spicy charred Fresno chile, bacon-infused jalapeño jam, and a slab of smoked mozzarella dripping with whiskey caramelized onions. Not a carnivore? No worries, their homemade veggie burger is stellar. A perfect blend of a beet and kidney bean patty stacked with house pickles, tomatoes, and onions. It’s also layered with leafy arugula, and a splash of tart lemon vinaigrette.

From its elegant ambiance, helpful, friendly staff, and scrumptious menu, the adjoining Bistro to the Granada Hotel is a dining experience all its own. Whether dining inside next to their low-lit bar or outside on their patio equipped with heating lamps, the seasonal menus of French fare mixed with contemporary California flavors is a delicious combination representing the Central Coast. Try the seared liboke sea bass served with "forbidden" rice, beet salad, and fried Kennebec potatoes. For dessert, the peanut butter and ganache pie is a real topper.

Where To Drink in San Luis Obispo: Best Bars

Just 10 minutes east of downtown SLO, sipping wine in the vast Tolosa vineyard and its shady olive grove feels as if you’ve been transported to a winery in the heart of Italy. Part of that just may be those swirling Mediterranean-like microclimates hovering over SLO’s rolling hills and breathtaking Edna Valley. Cool, crisp northwest Pacific winds and rich soils of surrounding ancient seabeds and craggy limestone have contributed to the ripening of their stellar pinot noir and chardonnay grapes.

Oak Otter Brewing is an appropriate name for a brewhouse in a city shrouded in coast live oaks with a vital marine mammal thriving in its coastal kelp forests. Its website even expresses to its patrons “to seek their inner otter” while hanging out and enjoying one of many award-winning, in-house craft beers. A revolving selection boasts traditional styled beers hidden in a cozy taproom.

Just across the hallway where you check into the Granada Hotel, the adjoining low-lit, speakeasy-like Nightcap bar offers a comfy lounge for capping off another memorable day in SLO. Known for its craft-style cocktails, don’t miss their nightly martini hour from 6 to 7 p.m.

Savvy Tips for Visitors to San Luis Obispo

Although the weather is typically mild and beautiful in SLO, it can get chilly at any time of day, no matter what the activity. Mornings and evenings are usually cool, so keep a lightweight windbreaker or rain jacket handy that can be easily stored while on the go,

One of those activities is a stop at the Downtown San Luis Obispo Farmers’ Market. Considered to be one California’s finest farmers’ markets, it’s open every Thursday night and Saturday morning at the Madonna Plaza Shopping Center. Located on Higuera Street, the market is loaded with fresh produce, and is known for its delicious and affordable street food—an ideal spot to eat well and save some dollars.

Things to Do in San Luis Obispo Over Three Days

Day 1: Sand Dune Hopping, Wine Tasting, and California Coast History

After leaving the Granada Hotel, head to the Guadalupe-Nipomo Sand Dunes National Wildlife Refuge for an epic sunrise hike on the most intact coastal dune biome in California. The tallest dunes are 500 feet and tower over a turbulent Pacific Ocean. The dunes are works of art as they're constantly sculpted by perpetual northwest winds. Stop and take a gander at these shifting sands where movies like the original Ten Commandments (1923) were filmed during Hollywood's Golden Era, and more recently Hidalgo (2004) and Pirates of the Caribbean III (2007).

After a ramble across those waves of sand, head back to town and hit SLO Provisions for a late breakfast. You can’t go wrong with one of their impressive, customized breakfast burritos—try one with the house-made chorizo or go veggie. Do yourself a favor and add avocado to what is a world-class gordita.

Walk off that scrumptiousness with a stroll downtown to the historic Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa. Founded in 1772, the mission’s architecture is something to behold, and there’s oodles of history inside the adjacent museum, with important Native American interpretive exhibits.

From here, drive 10 minutes to the scenic Tolosa Winery for wine tasting. While sipping your favorite pinot on the outside patio shaded in olive trees and gazing out over long artistic rows of succulent grapes, savor this Cal-Central Coast moment to reflect on a stellar first full day in SLO.

Return to the Granada Hotel and wash off any residual grains of sand leftover from the dunes. Head downstairs to the Bistro for dinner, for what will be an exquisite experience for your tastebuds.

Day 2: Paddle the Coast, Hike a Scenic Peak, and Dine in Style

At dawn take Highway 1 about 15 minutes north to the Morro Bay Harbor, where you can literally walk right up to the mammal with the densest fur in the animal kingdom. Southern Sea Otters boast 1,000 hairs per square inch, keeping these fastidious groomers warm in the Central Coast’s chilly waters.

Afterwards, rent a standup paddleboard from Morro Bay Paddlesports and stroke past those seemingly cuddly apex predators tending to their kits. Paddling the navigable channels of the Morro Bay Estuary is a high tide luxury at one of the premiere birding hotspots on the entire California coast. Don’t be surprised if a curious harbor seal sneaks up behind you too.

For breakfast, it’s just a short jaunt up to Main Street, and the Top Dog Coffee Bar—where pups are welcome guests. Sink your teeth into one of their gnarly good breakfast bagels stacked with egg, sausage, cheese, and avocado. Then wash it down with their peach and pear smoothie.

For a great read, head to Coalesce Bookstore just next door to Top Dog. Celebrating 50 years, this independent bookstore has tons of character and countless tomes to choose from.

While driving back to downtown SLO, make a pitstop at the San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden, and marvel at the diversity of endemic flora inhabiting the Central Coast, its valleys, coastal mountains, and teeming grasslands.

A late afternoon ramble awaits just west of downtown SLO. The 4-mile, out-and-back Cerro San Luis Obispo Trail offers all the perspective of just how close everything is in SLO. There are stupendous, 360-degree vistas of downtown and the other “Nine Sisters” peaks from the top of this one, stretching all the way to Morro Rock and the tallest sand dunes on the coast.

Dinner beckons at Urbane Café in downtown SLO on Higuera Street. Try the salmon salad bowl, mixed with chopped greens, edamame, diced jicama, mango salsa, and sesame seeds.

Day 3: Cycle the Trails of Montaña de Oro and Hit the Tidal Beaches

Another early morning begins at Montana de Oro State Park, offering leg-burning hikes, trail runs, and mountain biking at what is arguably the most scenic stretch of the Central Coast. Try the Valencia and Bluff Trail Loop Trail, and count on at least four miles, depending on how far you want to go. Just take moments along the way to soak in the incredible beauty of the Central Coast while gazing north toward Morro Rock and beyond. Bonus: during low tides, walk the coastal route where plenty of beach access delivers crazy good tide pooling in the teeming intertidal zone.

After earning that breakfast, head over to Celia’s Garden Café. The menu is loaded with fresh local produce, homemade muffins, and jams. Try the egg white veggie omelet, and wash it down with freshly squeezed local orange juice.

After driving back to Highway 101, it’s a quick 10-minute drive to Port San Luis. Rent a kayak and pick up a burrito to-go from Avila Beach Paddlesports. Make the easy launch, paddling north past rafts of sea otters, raucous California sea lions, and throngs of roosting seabirds. Just inside the long breakwater is Whalers Cove, a tranquil little beach that is easy to land on. From there, it's a short, leisurely hike north to the historic, recently restored Point San Luis Lighthouse. It's a great pit stop for devouring that burrito, while gazing over the rugged central California coastline.