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Arroyo Grande is a city located in San Luis Obispo County on the Central Coast of California. Only 10 minutes inland from Pismo Beach and Grover Beach, this more suburban city has a a bit of a historic charm with the Village of Arroyo Grande and also known for their many acres of rural farms. Even as you're passing by Arroyo Grande High School, you can see a view of a farm across the street.

Things To Do in Arroyo Grande

Sometimes, Arroyo Grande (also known as "AG" to locals) is a sleepy town. The most exciting thing to do in Arroyo Grande is during the summer time when the Mustang Waterpark is open! Throughout the year, there are seasonal events that you can look out for like free concerts in the summer, Halloween trick or treating in the Village of Arroyo Grande or fall events at the Elm Street Park. However, there are a few notable restaurants that you can visit that are pretty well known to all San Luis Obispo County residents and this brings many people to Arroyo Grande.

Mustang Waterpark

In the summer time, the Mustang Waterpark in Arroyo Grande is open and it's a very fun thing for locals and tourists to do. The waterpark is open between the end of May through the first weekend of September, typically from Memorial Day weakend through Labor Day weekend. See pictures and read my review of the Mustang Waterpark, where I also rented a cabana at before. Mustang Waterpark is interestingly located at the Lopez Lake Recreation Area, which is a large camping ground where you can choose to camp at as well!

Village of Arroyo Grande

Usually throughout the year, we'd come to the Village (short for the Village of Arroyo Grande) for a couple of nice restaurants like Mason Bar & Kitchen for dinner and Sidewalk Cafe for breakfast. The quality of the food at those two restaurants are great! As a fun thing to do after eating a meal in the Village is walk on a swinging bridge right behind a parking lot. See the short video below to see how long this swinging bridge is.

Usually the parking lot next to this swinging bridge is easy to park at, unless there is a festival, in which then, they'd close it off. You can walk to many shops and restaurants around the entire Village of Arroyo Grande. It is only a few blocks big. Walking through their narrow alleys can be fun.

Arroyo Grande Restaurants

There are many different restaurants in Arroyo Grande. The most famous one is called Ember Restaurant, which I highly recommend making reservations for! Read my personal reviews or see my pictures for the following restaurants in Arroyo Grande:

• Klondike Pizza (Village of Arroyo Grande)
• Palo Mesa Wood Fired Pizza (Village of Arroyo Grande)
  
• Mason Bar & Kitchen (Village of Arroyo Grande)
  
• Sidewalk Cafe (Village of Arroyo Grande)
  
• Ember Restaurant
• Blue Seafood & Grill
• Tropical Hawaiian BBQ
• French Fries (has an arcade inside)

Coffee Shops of Arroyo Grande

Surprisingly, Arroyo Grande has the most coffee shops compared to other cities in the South County region of San Luis Obispo County! With a few chain coffee shops, AG also has unique ones that stand out with their beautiful latte art. Here's my rank from most favorite to least favorite among coffee shops in Arroyo Grande:

1. Tribe Coffeehouse
2. Cafe Andreini
3. Greenhouse Coffee Co
4. Banner Coffee
5. Starbucks (there's 2 of them in AG)
6. Dutch Bros
7. Red Dirt Coffee House

Arroyo Grande Hotels

Best Western Casa Grande Inn

The Best Western Casa Grande Inn is in Arroyo Grande but neighbors Pismo Beach, California. Hotel guests are just two miles from the attractions of Pismo Beach and Pismo Beach Pier where they enjoy ocean recreation such as sailing, fishing, scuba and ATV riding.

Hampton Inn & Suites Arroyo Grande/Pismo Beach area

This 103 room interior corridor property offers rooms with a 32 wide screen television and complimentary high-speed internet access fitness center heated pool whirlpool and various sizes of exclusive meeting rooms. They have a complimentary On the House hot breakfast and a fine selection of restaurants nearby.

The Agrarian Hotel, BW Signature Collection

The Agrarian Hotel, BW Signature Collection is established in the heart of the historic village of Arroyo Grande surrounded by the beauty of the central coast along with the vineyards of the countryside. This hotel is an iconic landmark within itself in the village of Arroyo Grande, California. Situated around exclusive antique shops, acclaimed elegant eateries, and blissful wineries. This hotel is a Cal-Green certified building and we have utilized environmental-friendly materials ensuring our LEED certification. We are committed towards being eco-friendly and having a low carbon footprint. Our energy is complimented by solar panels and we recycle the waste water back into the environment. They also partnered with Low Energy Program and have electric vehicle charging station on premises. This is the newest hotel in Arroyo Grande. See rates for Agrarian Hotel, BW Signature Collection.

Reading Suggestions:

See free events throughout San Luis Obispo County.

See my top 10 favorite wineries to visit in Edna Valley and Paso Robles (San Luis Obispo County).

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

See a list of hotels in the Pismo Beach area.

Avila Beach is located in San Luis Obispo County on the Central Coast of California. It's a small beach town with a 3 different piers (click here to see pictures of the piers), which is a lot for a small beach town. With less than a handful hotels in the area, this makes it a quieter traveling spot but still very beautiful. The locals like to keep it a secret but nowadays, a lot of tourists have discovered it and it can get very hard to find parking during the summer weekends!

Things To Do in Avila Beach

There are many cool things to do in the Avila Beach area that makes it unique. Besides for going to the beach, shopping and dining at many of the restaurants at their beachfront and hanging out in the sun, here are a few things you can also do.

Avila Valley Barn

Avila Valley Barn is a barn in Avila Beach that is free to visit and see the animals! You can get market and bakery goods like pies while you're here and you can feed the goats by buying a bag of lettuce. We've taken sat on their hay ride (extra fee), had our toddler partake on a pony ride (also extra fee) and ate some delicious food when they have food available for sale right outside. Parking is free on their dirt parking area. Read more about Avila Valley Barn.

Avila Beach Piers

The main Avila Pier among the three is closed off so you can't walk on it. A couple of years ago, we were able to walk on it halfway. The pier is old with large cracks but the views from standing on it were wonderful. The other two piers are also unique: one is exclusive to Cal Poly (our local university) personnel and the farthest one is a pier that you can fish and walk on called Port San Luis Obispo Pier, also known as Harford Pier. See my Instagram video reel of Port San Luis Pier; it is like heaven on Earth. You has a marina right by it and sometimes you can find sea lions as you walk on this pier.

Avila Farmers Market on Fridays

During the summer months, Avila Farmers Market takes place near the pier. It's free to come and hear the entertainment. Many locals would bring their low back chairs and hang out. There are fresh produce, drinks and food for purchase. You can take the free Avila Beach Trolley on the weekends during the summer months from different points of Pismo Beach and Shell Beach to get here. 

Central Coast Aquarium

Within walking distance from the beach at Avila Beach is a small aquarium called Central Coast Aquarium. You can probably see the whole thing within 30 minutes. It is free entry for kids 2 and under and they provide a discount if you have an EBT card. See a video of the jelly fishes that I recorded while at Central Coast Aquarium. My kindergartener also came here for a class field trip, which I volunteered for, so it's a local aquarium and a treasure for us here. Read more about our Central Coast Aquarium visits and see more pictures of Central Coast Aquarium in Avila Beach.

See more pictures of the main Avila Beach Piers.

Avila Beach Hotels

Avila Lighthouse Suites

Avila Lighthouse Suites is right on the beach, close to the pier and in the center of all the summer Avila Beach farmers market action on Fridays! Experience ocean front luxury just steps from the sand in Avila Beach at the Avila Lighthouse Suites. An all suite beach front resort featuring non-smoking spacious two room suites with microwave oven, refrigerator, coffee maker and private balcony.

San Luis Bay Inn

High on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, San Luis Bay Inn has one of the most breath taking views on the Central Coast of California. The San Luis Bay Inn is located high above the Pacific shore, wrapped in the Santa Lucia Mountains with the lapping ocean at your doorsteps. You awake to misty mornings, bright sunny afternoons, and the invigorating aroma of the ocean.

See all hotels in San Luis Obispo County.

Avila Beach is only one of many beaches in San Luis Obispo (SLO) County. See all of the pictures that I took of all the beaches in San Luis Obispo County.

Solvang is about an hour drive from San Luis Obispo and known as a wine country and wonderful Danish town in Santa Barbara County. As the biggest Danish town in California, you're going to feel like you just got dropped right in the middle of Europe! Here's a list of a handful of kid-friendly wineries/tasting rooms that we've personally went to with kids in tow.


Lucas & Lewellen
With a sign in front saying it is kid-friendly, my husband and I went inside of Lucas & Lewellen and shared 5 tastings for $15 (Note: Prices may be more now since our last visit). They had a kids table in the back. The staff was friendly and understanding of families with kids. We told them that we're glad they had a kid-friendly sign in front because that encouraged us to try our very first wine tasting experience in Solvang. With that information, they shared that their sister tasting room a couple blocks over, Toccata, is also kid-friendly. To see a picture we took from a past visit at Lucas & Lewellen, click here.  Address: 1645 Copenhagen Dr., Solvang, California 93463

Toccata
After a recommendation from Lucas & Lewellen to try Toccata wines, my husband and I shared 5 tastings here too for $15 (Note: Prices may be more now since our last visit). They also had a kids table with blocks, books and other toys for the little ones to play. This one was a bit busier than the Lucas & Lewellen when we came. However, they were very efficient and fast with their service. Ask them if they have any wine bottle specials. We found a bottle on sale while we were there and then headed home. To see a picture we took from a past visit at Toccata, click here. Address: 1665 Copenhagen Dr., Solvang, California 93463

Carivintâs
A couple of months after our first trip to Solvang, we came back to town and stumbled across the Carivintas Tasting Room. This one is smaller than the others but it offers a very intimate ambiance. They don't have a kid's table or a sign that says it's kid-friendly but once we got there, the nice staff member pulled out a box of legos and let the kids play. The kids really enjoyed it. We also discovered an incredible passport program while we were at this tasting room. You could go to 14 different wineries (5 tastings at each location) in Santa Ynez area with a summer passport program running from May 15 - August 15 for only $55 (Note: Prices may be more now since our last visit or discontinued since the pandemic).

It's great for those who can space apart their visits around here during their summer because going to 14 different wineries in a day would be a bad idea. Address: 476 First St., Solvang, California 93463

Casa Cassara

The location of Casa Cassara is very central since it's located across from the public park that has public restrooms so many people gather around this area. I love how this place also has a couch area, which makes this place stand out from the others. Even the bar area has stools. Many tasting rooms around here don't have that. They have a box of blocks and toys near the couch area for kids to play. My husband and I used our Summer passport for 5 tastings here. We always share one tasting set. They are usualy open every day, Monday through Sunday. Address: 1607 Mission Dr., Solvang, California 93463

Lincourt Vineyards


Lincourt Vineyards is not in downtown like the others but it is very kid-friendly and dog-friendly. About 5 - 10 minutes drive from downtown Solvang, there is a lot of green grass space for the kids and the dogs to roam around. Best of all, both their white and red tastings were excellent. I didn't see toys set out for kids but maybe if I came on a less busy day, it would be different. This place had a lot of people inside and out and it's a casual place. Address: 1711 Alamo Pintado Rd., Solvang, California 93463

Kid-friendly Restaurants in Solvang

Solvang family-friendly restaurants that we've visited so far include:

The Belgian Cafe

Solvang Cafe

Red Viking Restaurant

You can expect to find Danish aberskivers, sugared round donuts, in almost all of the brunch restaurants in Solvang like we did here at Red Viking Restaurant.

Reading Suggestions:

• More Recent! Read about my overnight stay in Solvang at the Hotel Corque hotel in July.


• Read about my overnight stay in Buellton at the at Sideways Inn, same motel as where cult movie Sideways took place! Buellton, California is the next wine town over from Solvang and is also located in Santa Barbara County.


• Read about my most recent adventure from SanLuisObispoMom.com.


• Read about my staycations in San Luis Obispo (SLO) County.


• Read my top 10 favorites wine tasting rooms San Luis Obispo County, the neighboring county next to Santa Barbara County.

If a winery or vineyard allows customers to bring outside picnics, having a picnic set comes handy because you can store all of your snacks in one nice basket. I also suggest bringing an easy roll up picnic blanket to sit on the grass of their vineyards, if that type of arrangement is allowed.

Throwing away old furniture around here in SLO requires a bit more thought and money to do. Not only it actually costs money to go to a trash dump to throw a piece of furniture away (different than many places in the East Coast where it's free for residents to throw their own trash), but I'm starting to be against the wasteful habit of buying new stuff when you can reuse the old.

With many people moving in and out around here, it's really easy for anyone to find something old, but still good quality, and make it your own without having to spend too much money.

Here is the before and after of a side table that I found at an estate sale in Pismo Beach below. When I picked up this side table, it was completely brown. And then, I spent 2 weeks, using chalk paint, to paint it grey. 
(before)
(after)

Before, we would leave store-bought packages of bottled water on the floor. My husband likes to bring bottled water for work. He has a bad back and so I thought having a side table for him would help him not have to bend as much when he needs water. 

I found this greyish chalk paint color from the Wal Mart store in Arroyo Grande. The brand is called Waverly and the name of the color is Mineral.

It costed me over $9 but less than $10 for this bottle. I found out later that if I had ordered it on Walmart.com, it would've been less than $6. So compare the prices online before you buy it at the store. 

The great thing about chalk paint is I didn't need to prime the side table first. However, I did sand parts that needed to be leveled a bit. Then, I wiped the furniture clean with a damp rag to remove the debris. I started painting right away after that. I couldn't do it all in one day because I could only work on this project while my kids were occupied, in preschool or napping. I also had to wait for certain parts to dry first before I could put my hands on it again to work on a different side. 

I used blue paint tape to make sure I didn't go over the parts I didn't need to. I kept most of the inside the wooden color like it originally was. The blue paint tape helped me keep the lines clean. 

When I had the time, I went to the Michael's craft store in San Luis Obispo near the airport to find a nice paper that would give this side table a bit of personality for the inside and top. I found this gray and white panel pattern for less than $2 each. I got 2 pieces.

It was exactly what I was looking for! I measured, trimmed and glued it to the top and bottom as a lining for the table and then, applied a polycrylic protective finish over it. I also applied polycrylic over all the parts I painted except for the door because sometimes the polycrylic makes the paint look streaky, even when the chalk paint was painted perfectly.
(after painting, I started working on lining the table)

I wanted my door to look super matte, while it's okay if my table has a streaky-looking finish on the sides because I know this helps give it a bit of a rustic feel. After everything was done and completely dried, I wiped the whole side table, inside and out, with a damp cloth. It was finally finished. It took me a good 2 weeks to do this project, including drying time and all.

We call this the "water table" now. I store the extra water bottles inside and continually replenish the water bottles on top. It is useful and decorative. 

Although I didn't keep my receipts, here's the approximate cost of my supplies (note that inflation may have increased these prices):

• Waverly Mineral Paint - $10 (enough to use for a couple more projects)
• Blue Paint Tape - $5 (enough to use for many projects)
• Paper Lining - $4
• Polycrylic -$16 (This is expensive but needed for the paint to last for a long time.)
• Paint Brushes - $8 for a set of 5 of different sizes (I only used 2 of the 5 and will reuse them for other projects.)

San Luis Obispo County is very lucky to have sponsored concerts and events throughout the summer. From downtown to the beaches, there's always one every weekend. Scroll below to see details of each concert series.

Downtown San Luis Obispo

Free Summer Concert Series in Downtown San Luis Obispo: Free Concerts on Fridays in Mission Plaza from 5PM - 8PM from June 21 - September 6, 2024. Free entry and family-friendly. Bring reusable cups to event (no glass). No outside alcoholic beverages, no pets and no smoking. Family friendly. There will be drinks and food available for purchase. Bring lawn chairs and blankets to sit down. Address: 989 Chorro, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401.
 

Pismo Beach

Pacific Breeze Concerts in Dinosaur Caves Park on second Sunday of every month from 1PM - 4PM beginning in May 2024 and through the July 2024 (total of 3 concerts). The first one will be on Mother's Day! The dates are May 12, June 9 and July 14, 2024. See a list of things to do on Mother's Day in San Luis Obispo County. Address: 2701 Price St., Pismo Beach, CA 93449. See event list for this event.

Grover Beach

Grover Beach Summer Concert Series every Sunday from June 9 - August 18, 2024 at Ramona Garden Park from 3pm - 6pm. Free. Bring your low back chairs, sunglasses, sunblock and dancing shoes. Food, Beer and wine available for purchase. Address: 993 Ramona Ave., Grover Beach, CA 93433. They can get packed quick so arrive early. See a picture below of my view from my blanket as I was watching a concert at Ramona Garden Park.

See event list to see the next upcoming date for this Grover Beach Summer Concert Series.

Avila Beach

Free music Fridays at Avila Beach Farmers' Market every Friday from May 3 - August 30, 2024 from 4PM - 8PM. The free trolley that runs in the summer can get you here from Pismo Beach, Shell Beach, etc because parking can be very difficult. I suggest parking at the Pismo Beach Outlets and then, wait for the trolley to get you there and back. Make sure you check their running hours for the day. Address for GPS: 3950 Avila Beach Dr, San Luis Obispo, CA 93405. Read about our experience at the Avila Beach Farmers' Market.

Atascadero

Saturdays in the Park Summer Concert Series at Atascadero Lake Park Bandstand in the summer include 8 different dates on a Saturday for 2024: June 15, June 29, July 6, July 20, July 27, August 3, August 10, and August 31 between 6:30PM - 8:30. They are free entry. They recommend bringing a low-back chair and if you would like to purchase any food, bring your wallet. Address: 9305 Pismo Ave, Atascadero, CA 93422

Paso Robles

Concerts in the Park every Thursday between June 13 - August 22, 2024 from 6PM - 8PM at Paso Robles Downtown City Park. Music, wine, and good times. Bring your blankets, lawn chairs and picnic baskets for this staple summer occasion. Enjoy the sounds of country, blues, rock, and other genres from local bands. Wine available for purchase onsite. Address for GPS: 12th and Spring Street, Paso Robles, CA 93446

Arroyo Grande

2024 Summer Concert Series by City of Arroyo Grande takes place between July 4 - September 22, 2024 at Heritage Square Park every Sunday from 1PM - 3PM. Bring your own chairs, blankets and sunscreen. There will be food, beer and wine available for purchase. Address: 201 Nelson St, Arroyo Grande, CA 93420. See the Events List page to see all of the free concerts by date.

Templeton

Concerts in the Park 2024 at Templeton Park are on Wednesdays between 6PM - 8PM on the following dates: June 12, June 19, June 26, July 3, July 10, July 17, July 31, August 7, August 14 and August 21, 2024. No dogs and cooking your own BBQ. There will be food and drinks for purchase. Address: 550 Crocker St., Templeton, CA 93465

Nipomo

Nipomo Concerts in the Park takes place beginning on June 26 - August 28, 2024 at the Gazebo at Nipomo Regional Park from 5:30PM - 7:30PM. This takes place every Wednesday for 10 weeks during the summer. Family-oriented event! They will have food and drinks available for purchase. Address for GPS: Address: 904 W Tefft St, Nipomo, CA 93444

Tips for Attending a Free Outdoor Concert:

• No one likes being blocked from the view of the band, so if you're planning on bringing a chair to sit at any of the outdoor concerts, bring a low-back chair so that others behind you can still see.
• It can get really hot during the summer around San Luis Obispo (SLO) County so bring sunscreen and feel free to share it with your friends if they'd like some too.
• Do not bring your own alcoholic beverages as many of these places only allow you to consume when you buy them there. Check with the direct organizers of the event if you're hoping to do this.
• Bring your own bottles of water for those hot, sunny days outdoors so you can stay and enjoy the entertainment more comfortably. Outside water is allowed for any of these outdoor free events planned by the city.
• Even though most of these places sell food, you're welcome to bring your own picnic set or a quick sandwich so that you're not so hungry and have to leave your spot to get food at any of the long lines.
• Bring a blanket for comfort. You never know when you might bump into a friend and they'd like to sit next to you but didn't bring a chair. A blanket is a great alternative! This is one of the times when those old blankets are very handy! I have a roll up blanket in the car trunk at all times for outdoor events like these. They are so easy to store and take.

See the Family-Friendly Events section for all upcoming free events throughout San Luis Obispo (SLO) County, including the free concert series in chronological order.