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('Pismo Beach Coastline Photo' captured during one of my hikes)

As a transplant from San Diego, moving to a small city from a bigger beach town gives me a different perspective. I'm used to the beach life but I've put my feet in the water here in Pismo Beach more than I have in the 29 years that I used to live in San Diego. That's because, hanging out at the beach here is so easy! And because, well, I have more time to enjoy the SLO life here.

During the summer months, most college kids go back to their hometowns and footprints are replaced by tourists by all over the world. It's fun to see the change but I've got to say, the college kids who come back to SLO to study are way more chill than the tourists who come here with their families during the holiday and vacation seasons. I'd expect the opposite but that's not the case here from what I've personally experienced.

The college kids here frequent Downtown San Luis Obispo and hang out at the weekly Thursday farmers market and study at local coffee shops. There is not a shortage of coffee shops in SLO, thankfully! They'd also hang out in Pismo Beach, which is probably the most famous beach on the Central Coast of California. I am going to be honest that I am very biased with this.

I've been approached by many parents asking me what I think about San Luis Obispo for their future and current college kids and I've got plenty of great things to say! Of course, there would be headlines here and there about trouble but compared to many colleges in California, San Luis Obispo is relatively mild with trouble making episodes. Plus, there are lots of outdoorsy things for them to do to keep their mental health in check.

Here's a list of suggestions for college kids to do or places to hang out in San Luis Obispo County:

1. Hang out at Pismo Beach. With a long pier, a nice beach walk trail and amazing Central Coast view, anyone would feel at peace coming here. They're famous for their clam chowder at the local Splash Cafe near the pier and the big and freshly baked cinnamon rolls at Old West Cinnamon Rolls will satisfy a sweet tooth. There are also many souvenir shops and other restaurants to choose from for breakfast, lunch or dinner. See pictures that I've taken at Pismo Beach under the 'Beaches' category of my blog. I walk along Pismo Beach often and have seen really cool sea creatures like whales, sea lions and by-the-wind-sailors. What's also more unique about Pismo Beach is you'll see many white Pismo clams, even large ones that are more than 3 inches.
   
   
   
2. Go to the Weekly Farmers Market in Downtown San Luis Obispo in Thursday. The farmers market in downtown SLO on Thursday evenings are fun. There's usually a band playing and lots of local produce options. There are also many fun street food booths with different cuisines. My favorite is usually Shalimar's booth. On particular dates, they'd have themed nights for holidays and special events.
   
3. Check out the wine tasting rooms in San Luis Obispo and Paso Robles. Checking out the vineyards in the area can be a very beautiful experience right before harvest season. Paso Robles is a famous wine country now with over 300 wineries and it's located within San Luis Obispo County. You can view my top 10 favorite wine tasting rooms as a resident of the area. Remember, you have to be 21 and older to consume wine but I've seen many older college kids enjoy a wine tasting outing with their parents and I think it's so classy and fun to see them share that local experience. The wine tasting experience out here is drastically different than the Temecula and Napa Valley wine tasing experiences that I've had. It's typically less rowdy herel!
   
   
4. Hike at Montana de Oro. There are many beautiful hiking trails here in San Luis Obispo County but the one that most residents and tourists will rave about is the Montana de Oro hike! The beautiful coastal view, cliffs, nature will take your breath away. Make sure you have your appropriate hiking or trail shoes on and water. I recommend that you also pack a picnic or lunch as well. Here's a clip from my hike at Montana de Oro below.
   
5. Go camping at Oceano Dunes. One of the rare things about living around here is you can drive on the beach on half of the Grover Beach and all of the Oceano side on the beach. You can buy a day pass for $5 or a camping pass to stay overnight for just $10 (this rate may increase over time)! I've camped with a tent here with my family and you can't beat camping literally on the beach. It's a wonderful way to watch the sunset. Like Pismo Beach, Oceano and Grover Beach are located on the South County part of San Luis Obispo County.
   
   

[ Note: This blog post is under progress. I will have this list grow to 10 items by the end of September. ]