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A dear friend from the Bay Area came down and visited me. I wanted to take her to a special place where a successful yuppie like her would appreciate. After some research online, I decided to take her to The Rooftop at Inn at the Pier hotel in Pismo Beach that overlooks the pier and ocean. It was absolutely the right pick!

The entrance to the hotel took a bit of time to figure out because it's on the opposite end of the beach parking lot. However, once we got on the property, I instantly felt relaxed.

In order to use the elevator to get to The Rooftop, a key is required (update: today, a key is not required to get to The Rooftop Restaurant anymore) so I asked the front desk if we could get to The Rooftop (because we're not staying there as a hotel guest) and I'm glad the front desk personnel was so pleasant as she activated a card and handed it to me. She hoped we would enjoy it. I was already excited! This key in hand was special.

As we slid the card into the slot of the elevator and pressed the button to get to the top floor, my friend and I looked at each other with amazement as everything looks so new. As we exited the elevator, it was easy to find the entrance to The Rooftop as the sunshine brightened the room from inside. Like finding an oasis in a desert, we've entered The Rooftop with the sound of the heavens in my head.

To my surprise, there's a small pool up there for hotel guests to use! There were also kids from the hotel enjoying a nice time with their parents. There was the bar at the very end, opposite from the ocean. And then there were many tables with the view of the pier and ocean! 

Seriously, you can not get a more vertical view of the Pismo Beach Pier from anywhere else!

With many lounge seats, patio tables and chairs, you pick a place to sit and a server will come to you to take your order. The place had many patrons there already and we found a table as close as we could towards the ocean.

We ordered drinks and food. My friend ordered the Bloody Mary and I ordered a local beer called Cali-Squeeze. Both were very refreshing and great!

I ordered the clam chowder, while my friend ordered the corn and home made chips. All were delicious and definitely chef-ly made!


We talked and laughed. We shared personal stories. It was the best hang-out place that my best friend and I have ever shared together and we've known each other since I was four years old. I can't wait to come back to The Rooftop again.

All photos were taken by SanLuisObispoMom.com. This review and experience are my own and not sponsored or endorsed in any way.

Updated Visited for Memorial Day Weekend 2023

On a date night, we wanted to have a higher view of the Pismo Beach Pier one evening during the busy Memorial Day weekend so on a whim, we decided to go to The Rooftop again at Inn at the Pier. This time, we didn't need a key from the front desk anymore! I like that they do this now as it's one less step to get up there. So, we pressed the 3 button in the elevator to go to the top and turned right out of the elevator to step up to their Rooftop restaurant. It was a Saturday evening and there were only a few other parties besides for us. I was kind of surprised. However, I appreciated the speedy service and a great seat to see the Pismo Beach Pier. Here was our view. It was a nice clear evening around 6:15PM!

We also saw smoke coming out of a classic car while we were dining up there. See my video short below for a nice view of the ocean from different angles and unexpected glimpse of a smoking car.

For this visit, we ordered wings and the seabass. The lobster roll was not on their menu this time, which I was bummed about but that gave me a chance to try something else (wings). I wasn't very hungry because we had just had a few appetizers for Pau Hana at Pono Pacific Kitchen in Grover Beach a half hour before. To my surprise, the seabass at The Rooftop is a full sized sea bass (head omitted).

Read about my staycations at the famous Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo.

Read about my visits at other romantic restaurants that I've visited for dinner in San Luis Obispo County, including Pismo Beach:

• Oyster Loft
• Pono Pacific Kitchen
• Ventana Grill
• IG Video Reel of Our Date at Ember

As local who live a 15-minute drive from Madonna Inn, I have the luxury to come to Madonna Inn and dine at their restaurants and attend their events. I've even ordered whole cakes from them before and have tried almost all of their signature flavors. See a list of Madonna Inn cakes and the flavors that I've personally tried below. These are all my personal pictures.

Desserts we've tried from Madonna Inn:

Raspberry Delight

Lemon Coconut Cake

Read a blog entry about my cake pick up experience for Madonna Inn's Lemon Coconut Cake and what to expect.

Pink Champagne Cake

Toffee Crunch Cake

Black Forest Cake

Appie Spice Cake

 
You can also pre-order a whole cake for special occasions online and include a personalized message on the cake, like "Happy Birthday", etc. You can still call and come in person to make an order but last minute orders are not guaranteed because of how busy they get.

Events we've attended at Madonna Inn:

I've attended many events at Madonna Inn! They have different events throughout the year and I've also been invited to attend a banquet dinner for a company. It's the most perfect place to celebrate special parties. Here's a list of events that I've attended:

Circus Vargas at the Madonna Inn

Valentine's Day Dinner at the Madonna Inn

SLO Brew Fest at Alex Madonna Expo Center

More Reads About Madonna Inn:
I've stayed at Madonna Inn in two different rooms. Read about our staycations at the Madonna Inn. 

View a video reel below of my walk around Madonna Inn at night after a rainy day.

Read About All of Our Travel Adventures and Reviews:

• Birthday Weekend at LEGOLAND Castle Hotel Review and LEGOLAND California Amusement Park Review


• Birthday Celebration at Great Wolf Lodge in Southern California


• Universal Studios Hollywood Family Trip During Spring Break


• Ensenada Cruise on Carnival Cruise for 3 Days


• Ensenada and Catalina Island Cruise on Royal Caribbean for 4 Days


• Alaska Cruise on Princess Cruise for 11 Days


• Moon Palace The Grand Family Summer Vacation in Cancun for 5 Days


• Cabin Trip in Monterey


• Staycations at the Iconic Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo on the Central Coast of California: Madonna Inn’s San Francisco Room Review OR Madonna Inn’s Antique Room Review


• Staycation at the Granada Hotel & Bistro in Downtown San Luis Obispo


• Staycation at La Quinta Inn in Downtown San Luis Obispo


• Staycation in Atascadero at The Carlton Review

 (All photos are taken by SanLuisObispoMom.com)

Before my family and I moved to the San Luis Obispo County area, my husband was raving about the dinner spot that his company took him after his final interview. They had flown him from the East Coast, where we had lived, to come to Avila Beach, part of San Luis Obispo County, for this new job opportunity. It didn't take him long after that to make his decision. He wanted to move here and be able to see this panoramic view with me. 

This view and the location of this restaurant took some bravery. It is right above the bluffs. I can't imagine the special planning it took to build this right here. Anyone is welcome to walk around the balcony and take wonderful pictures for memories. I often look back on the photos I've taken here. 

(Photo taken by SanLuisObispoMom on the balcony of Ventana Grill)

Ventana Grill is a really special place to us and when we have visitors, we try to take them here for dinner. The ambiance is perfect, service is excellent and food is high quality. They do take reservations but it's not required. We've dined here without reservations but you're not guaranteed a window seat. Even without sitting by the window, you can still see the ocean and cliff views and at anytime, you can walk outside on the balcony and see this wonderful panoramic view of Pismo Beach and Shell Beach. The food is a hit or miss but it has never stopped us from coming back! When there is an issue, it is often because something is overcooked.

To see other restaurants in San Luis Obispo county, including the beach areas under this county, go to: Family-Friendly Restaurants.

To see other pictures of restaurants that I've visited in San Luis Obispo County, go to the Restaurants Page.

Read about my visits at other romantic restaurants that I've visited for dinner in San Luis Obispo County, including Pismo Beach:

• Oyster Loft
• Pono Pacific Kitchen
• SeaVenture Restaurant inside of SeaVenture Beach Hotel
• The Rooftop at Inn at the Pier
• IG Video Reel of Our Date at Ember

(Note: This review post about Circus Vargas in SLO is for a performance in 2019. To see the information for Circus Vargas 2021, click here.)

Read my tips about attending Circus Vargas with kids.

Yesterday, my family went to the Circus Vargas performance at the 4pm showing. It was nice to break our day with a fun family-friendly show at the beautiful Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo, California! See below for our highlights, videos and pictures that SanLuisObispoMom.com captured at this show time.

Parking was $10 per vehicle to park by the circus. We arrived about 25 minutes before the 4PM performance to enjoy some pre-show activities for the kids on the stage. As you enter through, you'll find food and merchandise available for purchase. So if you didn't have time to eat beforehand, don't worry, they have options! 

It was very nice that they had a lot of fun kid's activities for the pre-show. It helped our kids release a bit of energy and get them excited. After they've alerted us to return to our seats, they started dimming the lights and the show began! 

The opening was so thrilling because all of the performers were on stage to welcome you with dance! I couldn't wait to see what's to come! We sat in the arena section and because we got there early enough, we found seats along the entrance so we were able to see everything in plain view. 








One of the many fascinating performances was when this contortionist shot an arrow with her feet and hit her target!


There were performances that were absolutely delightful while there were others that were scary; like when this circus performer jumped through a ring of knives while walking on a trampoline!


Usually when I think of the circus, I would think of looking up at trapeze tricks and Circus Vargas did not disappoint!


My son's favorite was when the juggler was juggling 10 balls at once!


When it was the final performance, we were at the edge of our seats when the motorcyclists came out! They started out with two motorcyclists inside a globe and then gradually moved up to four! It was incredible and no one got hurt!


They even performed in the dark at one point!

When the fourth motorcyclist joined in, I could barely open my eyes!


These were the highlights that SanLuisObispoMom.com captured and there were many performances not shown here! The circus show is great for any age and it's very family-friendly. 

Circus Vargas usually comes to San Luis Obispo, California every year! Right now they are performing at the Madonna Inn from June 28 - July 8, 2019 so if it's not too late, you can still catch their show for 2019!

See Circus Vargas prices and show times at: http://www.circusvargas.com.




All photos and videos were taken by SanLuisObispoMom.com. Please give credit to SanLuisObispoMom.com if you plan on using any of our media. Thank you! 

Visit the website of Circus Vargas to find out more details on their next circus show!

Read about my staycation at the famous Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo.

Many people from the Central Coast go north or south on the 101 to explore big cities for vacations. We decided to take a trip to the Bay Area! Without traffic, San Francisco is only a 3.5 hour drive north from San Luis Obispo. With a famous major city this close to SLO, we took advantage of the proximity and went on a family weekend getaway this past weekend to explore San Francisco and the California Academy of Sciences!
(Picture of 1st level of California Academy of Sciences)
The California Academy of Sciences is an aquarium, planetarium, rainforest and natural history museum (plus more) all in one place! This multi-storied building with also live animals at almost every corner of the large space is fun for the entire family. It's an incredible experience and you won't find any place like it. California Academy of Sciences is located at Golden Gate Park and you can get there by public transportation from really anywhere in San Francisco using the "Muni" system.
(Unique garden on the rooftop right above Level 3)

We started on the ground level which has the planetarium, rainforest, aquarium (you can get to the aquarium via the elevator inside of the rainforest), Curious Grove (for kids 5 and under), natural history, restaurant and cafe. The second level is the forum level, which we walked through the "What is Skin?" forum and the third level is the Education Center where students can get really interactive and learn more. We also saw beautiful gems and crystals on the third level. Lastly, the rooftop "R" level is the Living Roof with a one-of-a-kind garden where you can take in the beautiful view and a nice breath of fresh air. 

Broken down by each main level, scroll down to see  more pictures taken by SanLuisObispoMom.com. Looking back at these wonderful pictures is making me so eager to revisit California Academy of Sciences once again!

Level 1: 
This large dome structure on the first floor is the Osher Rainforest. It's luscious with different interesting creatures you can find as you continue the climb up and blissfully, with butterflies flying all around you. It's so beautiful and one of my favorite places to take pictures. It's also stroller-friendly and the sounds of nature was so soothing, my 3 year old was asleep in his stroller the entire time while we were inside the rainforest. 


After you've reached the very top of the rainforest, there will be a guide near the elevator who will press the elevator button to get you to the Steinhart Aquarium level that's underground from here.

The Steinhart Aquarium section is quite big. Just when you think you've seen it all, there continues to be more sections and beautiful sea life to see. It was at the aquarium that my 3 year old suddenly awoken and boy, what a sight for him to wake up to! Both of my sons loved the aquarium.




After a couple hours of exploring, it was time for lunch and surprisingly, the California Academy of Sciences has a wide range of dining options at the Cafe! There were options like chicken tenders and fries, sushi, desserts, craft coffee and more. So if you didn't pack a lunch, it's okay. The Cafe here is great!



After lunch, the exploration continued for the rest of Level 1. We spotted the large fossils of a Tyrannosaurus Rex towering over us, cute penguins swimming, and a rare white alligator (yes, a real living one!). 




Another really fantastic section on the first floor is Curiosity Grove, which is intended for children 5 years old and younger. As a mom of a 5 year old and 3 year old, this is such a great treat for the parents and little ones as we get to take a bit of a break while the kids release some energy in a child-centered space. There were blocks, puzzles, a small playhouse, tree house, books and a nursing room as well!



Level 2:
Importantly, I want to note that the first floor's restroom near the elevator had a really long line so I suggest going to the second level to go to the restroom if you want to find a shorter line (or in our case, no line at all)!

A quieter floor than the first one, level 2 is where we found the "What is Skin?" forum. My kids are still too little to indulge in this section but if you have time, learn more about the largest organ of the human body here.



Level 3: 
I really enjoyed seeing all the gems and crystals on level 3. I couldn't help but sing "Money, money, money" out loud in the singing style of a BTS song while looking at these beautiful rocks. This mama may have caused a few odd looks with my singing but these gems really put me in a good mood! This level is also where anyone can get hands-on and touch some fur and be interactive with some more learning materials in the Educational Center. 

From Level 3, you'll find a set or stairs that leads up to the Living Rooftop or you can take the elevator and press "R" to get to the rooftop

Rooftop Level: (above Level 3)
This rooftop level at the California Academy of Sciences is really special. The unique living garden and the view from up high makes this floor a great finale and ending to an amazing educational adventure! Even if you're a little tired, try not skip this floor! It's really worth it. 



After three hours at the California Academy of Sciences, it was time for us to start our journey back to our stay and locate our "Muni". If we get the chance again and when the kids are a little bit older, we would love to sign up for the planetarium show. There's just so much beauty and interesting knowledge to absorb! This trip here has been so eye-opening!

(All photos on this post were taken by SanLuisObispoMom.com. Please give credit if you plan on using any of these pictures.)

For more information about the California Academy of Sciences, you can go to their website: https://www.calacademy.org.

The price of admission varies by date. Check out the discounted California Academy of Sciences prices through our travel partner aResTravel or buy from the California Academy of Sciences website and select the amount of tickets and exact date you plan on visiting. I recommend comparing from both websites and one is usually cheaper than the other, even with convenience fees factored in. Many attractions changed their ticketing system during the pandemic and come out at the end of it with a more clunky and harder to use booking system. However, many times I find arestravel.com to be a much more user friendly website experience for buying many tickets and it could be cheaper than buying from the attraction's website too, depending on the season. See all available tickets in San Francisco through arestravel.com.  

Address of California Academy of Sciences: 55 Music Concourse Dr, San Francisco, CA 94118

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