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As locals, we like to go to San Luis Obispo Children's Museum's "Moonlight Hours" where anyone could come visit that night from 5pm - 8pm for FREE (Now, they've shortened this to 5PM - 7PM)! Here are the photos that we took from our free San Luis Obispo Children's Museum visits below. They usually have the Moonlight Hours event every month so check out their website to see when their next one is.
With three floors, my 4 year old and 2 year old sons were so excited and thrilled! We started with the 3rd floor via elevator and worked our way down. The top two floors were great for babies and toddlers and the first floor was very appropriate for bigger kids (like elementary age). They also have an outdoor area as well for some musical fun and other things to build!
While researching on affordable preschool programs for my little boys, I stumbled on a brief information on the Tiny Tots Enrichment Program that's organized at the Grover Beach Community Center. The Tiny Tots program is run by the Parks & Recreation Department of the City of Grover Beach. I placed my little one in the program in May 2021 when they re-opened from the pandemic and my 4 year old absolutely loved it. It's well structured and they do crafts every day as well as do a lot of learning. They have a small outdoor playground in the back, which you can't see from the entrance or parking lot so it's away from drive by eyes.
We paid $143 a month and my preschooler went twice a week for 3 hours each day (this rate might be higher now). The requirement is the child is at least 3 years old but less than 5 years and 11 months old. The preschool is held at the Grover Beach Community Center and they follow the latest safety guidelines. You can pick the Mon & Tues program or the Wed & Thurs program. You drop your child off and they get to interact with other kids while they learn. You could run errands and then come back to pick them up at their pick-up time.
For more information, please contact the Grover Beach Parks & Recreation Department at (805) 473-4580. Address of Tiny Tots Location: 1230 Trouville Ave, Grover Beach, CA 93433. Here is the registration link for Tiny Tots in Grover Beach.
Here are my recommended Asian Restaurants in San Luis Obispo County from my experiences:
Kuma
Located in Los Osos, the name of this sushi and ramen house is perfect. Kuma in Japanese means "bear" and Los Osos, the city, means "bear" in Spanish. I'm kind of obsessed with their intentions when naming the restaurant! We came here for lunch and were blown away by the quality and price of their lunch special! I got a sushi roll and a small ramen bowl for only $20. We had options to pick from to, like the type of broth, meat and the selection of sushi. It instantly became my favorite sushi spot, even though it's farther away from me when comparing the list of Japanese restaurants on this list. However, it is the perfect after-hike meal when I'm going hiking at Montana de Oro. The Montana de Oro hike and Kuma are located in Los Osos, part of San Luis Obispo County. I also ordered their complimentary hot tea so if you're a hot tea fan, don't forget to order that as well. Kuma Address: 2011 10th St, Los Osos, CA 93402
Kumi Ko
Located in San Luis Obispo that's a couple of blocks from the SLO airport is Kumi Ko, a Japanese restaurant with sushi and other Japanese dishes. It's my favorite place to eat Japanese food when I am in San Luis Obispo City. The sushi is fresh, the bento boxes taste delicious and the service is reliable with good standards. You can them ahead to order take-out but it will take about 45 minutes. I prefer to dine in. My bento box came with 2 options for a half roll of sushi and I glad picked spicy tuna with the spicy pork entree. Address: 3830 Broad St, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
Mee Low Heng Noodle House
Located in downtown San Luis Obispo, Mee Low Heng serves noodle soups and stir fry noodles. Try their dumplings as an appetizer. They put it in a hot and sour sauce that's delicious! The place is small but the building is uniquely 2 stories and reminds me of the medieval Chinese era. Many order take out as well. Address: 815 Palm St, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
Fay's Fusion
Located in Pismo Beach, near the Pier, is a boba shop called Fay's Fusion. I used to come here a lot because of their popcorn chicken but they sold their business in 2024 and the new owners only serve boba. See a list of boba shops that I've visited in San Luis Obispo County. Fay's Fusion Address: 220 Hinds Ave, Pismo Beach, CA 93449
Kochi Korean BBQ & Shabu Shabu
Located in Atascadero, California (still part of San Luis Obispo county) is a large Korean restaurant that serves amazing Korean BBQ, where you traditionally grill it yourself! You can also have shabu shabu, sushi and other delicious dishes. Best yet, they have a special kid's room for kids to play in, while waiting your food. This is a super bonus! Address: 6900 El Camino Real, Atascadero, CA 93422.
Sushi 805
They have sushi, hot Japanese dishes and amazing Korean food like hot seafood tofu stew! Portions at Sushi 805 were big, sushi was fresh and I feel like I was not being ripped off. This place is a must go in Grover Beach if you're into hot, spicy Asian food done the authentic way.
They also have an all-you-can-eat system for ordering for a flat fee as an option. Address: 460 W. Grand Ave., Grover Beach, CA 93433
Raku Ramen
Located in San Luis Obispo, this ramen shop gets super busy. They have different kinds of broths for ramen with even an option to order size small, instead of the regular size! They also have rice bowls, appetizers and other dishes.There's a patio area so it may be okay to bring your dog. Raku Ramen Address: 799 E Foothill Blvd Ste A, San Luis Obispo, CA 93405
Kanpai Sushi
Located in Shell Beach, Kanpai serves fresh, great quality Japanese food. It's a great place for sushi, ramen, hot, sizzling dishes and some wine or beer! Prices are kind of high but the quality and service make up for it. Each sushi roll is a great size!
They also offer a great kid's menu for kids 10 and under! Read my full review on Kanpai Sushi and see more pictures. Kanpai address: 2665 Shell Beach Rd, Shell Beach, CA 93449
Oki Kohi Espresso Bar
In San Luis Obispo is a coffee and mini-mart that also serves dim sum! They sell buns that are bigger than the palm of my hand and deliciously steamed shu mai! I love the items they have for sale. View a video of Oki Kohi in San Luis Obispo. They have a sit down area with wifi so you can hang out for hours while dining and drinking here. Address: 2252 Broad St Suite 130, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
Poke Morro
Poke Morro is a small poke restaurant in Arroyo Grande Village and located close to other shops, restaurants and businesses. They used to have a location near the Regal Movie Theaters in Arroyo Grande but that one closed down. They still have a location at The Village in Arroyo Grande though. If you're craving a Hawaiian style raw fish bowl, this is a great place for it. You can customize your bowl and pick your sizes. Address: 121 W Branch St, Arroyo Grande, CA 93420
Red Dirt Coffee House
They serve good coffee and Hawaiian lunch plates! In a very casual atmosphere in Arroyo Grande, Red Dirt Coffee House has couches, tables and chairs and a very tropical decor inside and out. They used be located on Grand Ave in Arroyo Grande but now they've moved to a bigger shopping center where the Wal Mart is located in Arroyo Grande (AG). Look out for daily specials like adobo and Hawaiian favorites like spam musubi!
Red Dirt Coffee House Address: 1142 W Branch St, Arroyo Grande, CA 93420
Pacific Umi Sushi
Sushi and Japanese food in Grover Beach done right! It's a bit more upscale than the other sushi restaurants in the Grover Beach area, but the quality and portions are large. Address: 1319 W Grand Ave, Grover Beach, CA 93433
Noi & Doi's 2nd Street Cafe
This is one of the best Thai Food in San Luis Obispo county and it's located in Los Osos! Try one of their curries or noodle dish. Actually, everything is good here! If you want an appetizer, try their fried calamari. They have a cute outdoor seating area. It's also a dog-friendly place. Noi & Doi's Address: 1325 2nd St, Los Osos, CA 93402
Sushi Kokku
Located in a shopping center in Pismo Beach, Sushi Kokku is a casual sushi spot. The sushi here is significantly cheaper than surrounding areas. You order at the counter and then they'll bring the food to your table. Sushi Sushi Kokku Address: 581 Five Cities Dr., Pismo Beach, CA 93449
Stroller Strides As of August 2022, Stroller Strides website for San Luis Obispo county has been showing errors: https://slocounty.fit4mom.com (redirects to a generic page now). They must have cancelled the local chapter for SLO County.
More about Stroller Strides: Stroller Strides is a great exercise group for moms who bring their kids in their strollers with them while they work out! After the work out, the kids can have some playground fun as all of the work outs are done at parks with playgrounds. When they have activated the local chapter again, information will be updated on this page.
Stroller Fit Club
Located in Paso Robles, Stroller Fit Club is a program for moms with little ones and can work out with the stroller with kids ages 6 months - 4 years old. Classes take place at a park in Paso Robles and is run by Paso Robles Sports Club. You can visit the Paso Robles Sports Club to learn more about the Stroller Fit Club by going on their website: https://prsc.caclubs.com/fitness/moms-fitness-series or calling them.
Parent Participation Fitness Classes There are a couple of classes from the Parent Participation group that you can join where you hike for a few miles with other moms who will be carrying their little ones or join a walking group with your little ones in a stroller. Both are recommended for infants 6 weeks and up. If they are available for enrollment, the classes would be listed under programs currently offered by Parent Participation on this link: https://slcusd.asapconnected.com/#CourseGroupID=23145
When I moved here as a mother of 2 preschoolers, I had been recommended by many people to join MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers), a mom group for women with children from birth to five years old. I had joined one on the East Coast.
In San Luis Obispo County, there are currently a few MOPS locations.
The other two MOPS groups that are run by Grace Central Coast are in Paso Robles and Arroyo Grande. Here is their main website: https://gracecentralcoast.org/mops. Moreover, there are online MOPS options that are open to everyone nationally. They also have many Special Needs Programs and expand beyond preschoolers too when using the online search for virtual meetings.
There's usually a nominal fee to be part of MOPS per semester and they are at different prices, depending on the chapter.
At any time and from any location in the US, you can use the https://www.mops.org/groupsearch/ Group Search tool to find the right one for you.
Originally from San Diego, California, I'm a San Diego State University alumna, veteran's wife and mom of two kids who were born two years apart. After living on the East Coast for 6 years, we now reside in San Luis Obispo County and here, the exploration continues. In between work and momming it, I like to exercise.
Some of the links are just useful local information that I'm sharing for free and some are commission-based products that may help me earn a small commission for each sale to upkeep with the fees of running this local blog.
Originally from San Diego, California, I'm a San Diego State University alumna, veteran's wife and mom of two kids who were born two years apart. After living on the East Coast for 6 years, we now reside in San Luis Obispo County and here, the exploration continues. In between work and momming it, I like to exercise.
@sanluisobispomom