There are many great photo opportunities throughout San Luis Obispo County. With famous California beaches, a cozy downtown and a lot of agriculture, you can take many different thematic snaps! Here are my favorites as a local and the pictures that I've personally snapped!

• Pismo Beach Pier and Coastline

  
  A lot of visitors from the Central Valley, Los Angeles and Bay Area come to Pismo Beach to enjoy the beach weather and local restaurants. The Pismo Beach Pier is iconic and there are large stan...

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As a transplant and not having any family around, we've attempted to find a babysitter before for date nights. When the kids were babies and toddlers, we were lucky if we had a date once or twice a year! As they've gotten older, it's been much easier and more fun for our kids to use local organizations for Kids Night Out or Parents Night Out as a chance to have a date night. Here are some options in San Luis Obispo County:

1. Central Coast Gymnastics - Every month, Central Coast Gymnastics in San...

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With the Barbie movie getting a lot of hype and a lot of people are dressing up in their pretty pink, I couldn't help with recollect places that I've visited that reminds me of Barbie.
(I ordered a pink drink at the Silver Bar Cocktail Lounge at Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo.)

Here's my list of Suggested Barblie-like Things To Do in San Luis Obispo County:

1. It's a no brainer for my first pick. The pretty pink boutique motel called Madonna Inn is our iconic Barbie place to be in San Luis Obispo. ...

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Kanpai Sushi is one of the best three top sushi restaurants that I've had in San Luis Obispo (SLO) County.

Over the weekend, we walked into Kanpai Sushi in Shell Beach for dinner without a reservation for two on a whim (kids were at a last minute kids' only event). The only reservations available left on Kanpai Sushi's website were 8PM and later so we decided to take our chances and walked in around 6:15PM to see if there was room at the sushi bar, which usually required no reservation. Luck...

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We had a movie date over the weekend in Downtown San Luis Obispo at The Movie Experience, also known as Downtown Centre Cinemas. It's centrally located and is part of a big shopping complex. 

What made this date stood apart from the rest was that I had an awesome dinner while we were watching the movie in the movie theater and my dinner is not hot dogs and popcorn. The movie theater doesn't blatantly say you can bring your own food and drinks to the movie theater, but it also doesn't say you c...
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Mistura does everything right! Located in Downtown San Luis Obispo, Mistura's ambiance is sleek, the service is sharp and the food and drinks are stand outs!

For a belated Valentine's Day celebration, my husband and I made a reservation online for Mistura for a Saturday.

We arrived about 15 minutes before our reservation after finding a metered parking spot. Luckily, we had coins because the meter we parked right by didn't not use the parking app that the other spots use in San Luis Obispo....

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My husband surprised me with an anniversary SLO staycation in Downtown San Luis Obispo!

He had presented me the reservation date and details on our actual anniversary day in an envelope as a gift but I had to wait a few weeks to experience it, when my mother-in-law was able to come to visit and watch our precious kids for us! It was a gift with big anticipation and he executed it well! Our staycation was extra unique as it was on a Monday night in December. It had rained earlier in the day bu...

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While I was in college at San Diego State University (SDSU), I worked at a seafood buffet and worked on Thanksgiving Day. [You can skip my college story and just scroll down or jump straight to the list of 24 restaurants in San Luis Obispo County that will be open on Thanksgiving Day and serving a turkey dinner for 2024.] It was by choice as I got better tips and only had to work for 5 hours and could still go home and spend time with my parents and sibling. I'm a native San Diegan but I live...
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I had a very memorable date night with my husband earlier this month in Pismo Beach. We went to three different places on Price St, which is 2 blocks parallel from the Pismo Beach Pier. [ If you're looking for a date night suggestion for Downtown San Luis Obispo, read about our Date Night in Downtown SLO. ] 

First Date Stop in Pismo Beach: Tastes of the Valleys Review

There is a quaint wine bar in Pismo Beach on Price St. named Tastes of the Valleys. It stays open until 7PM on Saturdays so w...

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My husband works a shift work schedule and I work intermittently from home as a contractor for other companies.

In the rare occasion that my husband is home during the week while the kids are at school, we'd take advantage of our proximity to fantastic places around San Luis Obispo County and do something a couple of tourists would mostly do.

Here is a list of things that I'd like to do in my spare time, besides watching shows and movies, with my husband around SLO County:

• Eat at a nice and hig...

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I've been to three Mother & Son Dances so far: one on the East Coast and two on the West Coast.

Below is a table on Pros and Cons on Going to a Mother and Son Dance based on my personal experiences and feelings, and I hope this will help you if you're on the fence about going to one.
 

Pros and Cons on Going to a Mother and Son Dance

Pros
You get to bond and spend special time with your son(s). It can be fun to dress up according to the theme of the Dance or dress up nicely. The k...

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There's only 6 weeks left for the school year and I'm starting to look back at how much has happened for my two kids.

For the first half of the year, all of the kids were required to wear masks. It feels like that was so long ago but it was only a few months ago that the masks mandate was lifted for the kids around this part of town. 

It never bothered my kids that they had to wear masks. Since the start of the pandemic, I sewed their fabric masks with 100% cotton fabric, as I've read it's ...
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This weekend is going to be a very eventful Easter weekend with my husband's birthday tomorrow and Easter happening on the following day.

I had put in an order for a small Lemon Coconut Cake at the Madonna Inn online a month ago for pick up today at 11AM. I had a few things to do today so I decided to pick up the cake last to avoid any melting frosting. 

First, I went to Ross, a block away from Madonna Inn, to pick up some small chocolate bunnies as it is Easter Day on Sunday and I still need...
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Jump to SLO Easter Brunch List

This year, Easter Day is on Sunday, March 31, 2024 so the the egg hunt events are mostly towards the end of March or the week before.

2024 Upcoming Egg Hunt List (Current Count: 11)

(I took this picture at the Egg Hunt event at Dinosaur Caves Park in Pismo Beach)

2024 Egg Hunts in Order by Date:

• March 23, 2024 (Sat) - Spring Fling at Meadow Park in San Luis Obispo from 11AM - 1PM. There will be a free egg hunt for kids who are between the ages of 0 - 8 yea...

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Here is a list of Teen Centers and places for teenagers to thrive in San Luis Obispo County, year round:

1. Colony Park Community Center Teen Center for 6th - 12 graders. Hours of Operation: Monday - Friday from after school - 6PM. $10 yearly membership fee (scholarships available). Each teen will receive a Teen Center Membership Card to be scanned each time he/she enters the Teen Center. Each member must have a signed waiver to participate and must follow all Teen Center Rules. Please bring wai...

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As I'm getting more familiar with finding things that are gluten-free and dairy-free for a family member, I feel so fortunate that San Luis Obispo is so understanding on dietary needs at restaurants and grocery stores. I think if I were in a different town, in a different state, it would be a very different and difficult journey.

Here's a list of grocery stores that I've found to have gluten-free snacks in San Luis Obispo County so far:

1. Grocery Outlet - The Grocery Outlet that we frequent is...

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This summer, we took my sons to the Boomers in Santa Maria for the first time. It was a drive to the next county over but we always enjoy going into a big town again.

There's never an admission fee to go inside however you have to pay for the rides, mini golf and playing on the arcades. I think that if the kids are still little, they can skip the rides and just enjoy the indoor arcade. They also serve food so you don't have to worry about being hungry last minute. They have burgers, pretzel...
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I was happy to hear that Circus Vargas debuted in San Luis Obispo this summer and we got the chance to watch a performance the day before Independence Day at the beautiful Madonna Inn property.

I've attended a Circus Vargas show twice! Jump to a list of my tips on going to Circus Vargas with little ones. 

It was a sunny day and we caught the 4pm showing. Parking right by the circus tent was $10 cash, which we gladly paid instead of parking far away. I had an elderly family member with us and th...
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Read our blog entry about our recent experience watching Circus Vargas perform on July 3, 2021 via this link.

Read my tips and experiences on going to Circus Vargas in SLO with kids.

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My collage below is a collection of photos taken by me at AJ Spurs in Grover Beach, California.

AJ Spurs is located right off Highway 101 so it's a quick exit in Grover Beach. It's pricey, quirky and great for a special occasion.

We've actually dined at the AJ Spurs in Buellton (part of Santa Barbara County) before we dined at this Grover Beach location (in San Luis Obispo County). The decor is similar but I feel like this place feels much bigger! The parking situation is much easier as well....
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We did a staycation at La Quinta in Downtown San Luis Obispo about a year after the pandemic started.

It was a short 18 hour staycation. Our main motivated was we wanted to be able to use our 1865 Craft House & Kitchen gift card that we've been hoarding and since it's located right next door from the La Quinta Inn in Downtown San Luis Obispo, we decided to have a relaxing tourist experience as locals as well. Since traveling far was not advised during the pandemic, we opted for staycations ins...
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Here's a list of summer camp options for kids that are usually available in the summer throughout San Luis Obispo (SLO) County below. Most places don't post information until a couple of months before summer break begins.

2024 Summer Camps for Kids in San Luis Obispo County Availability

1. Summer Experience at multiple schools in San Luis Obispo County for grades: 1st through 12th. Times and schedule vary by grade groups.


2. Summer School Camp from City of San Luis Obispo Youth Services They call ...

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Every year, we have Mother's Day as a special day to celebrate. Sometimes I love this holiday even more than my birthday as I feel like I'm celebrating it with all of the moms in country.
(My sons playing a game at a local Mother Son Dance that they attended with me during Mother's Day weekend)

Here are some tips on how to celebrate Mother's Day in San Luis Obispo County for 2024:

1. Go to a special event. There are special Mother's Day themed events around San Luis Obispo County. You can check o...

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Earlier this month, my family decided to celebrate our son's birthday by planning a surprise staycation at the Madonna Inn! Madonna Inn is a famous California boutique motel property where every room has a different theme, meaning no two rooms are alike! 

Now that the stay-at-home order has been lifted and back to a tier level, we felt that our son deserved something extra special. He missed traveling like we used to do when things were more normal and had always enjoyed staying at hotels so w...
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There are many ongoing events around San Luis Obispo County, the 3 most largest light displays are:

• Holiday Plaza with Christmas Lights in Mission Plaza has Santa available for pictures for a fee until Christmas Eve. However, the lights will be up longer than. It's free to visit here in the day and the evening to just see the Christmas decorations or watch the lights at night. See my most recent downtown SLO date night instagram video reel to get a small glimpse of some of the Christmas ligh...

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The Pumpkin Patch (actual name) in Edna Valley of San Luis Obispo is a really wonderful pumpkin patch where you can pick from pre-picked options or cut the pumpkin yourself, straight from the vine! They have white pumpkins, orange pumpkins, greens pumpkins, warty pumpkins and more! They are open seasonally from mid-September through all of October every year. I find that you get a better deal supporting this business than going to your local big chain grocery store!

Right next to pumpkins a...
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Every year, we take the kids to visit the Spirit Halloween Store in San Luis Obispo. They always have new costumes for the Halloween season. Some of my favorite ones were Marshmello costumes, baby costumes and family matching themed costumes. For 2024, the Spirit Halloween Store in San Luis Obispo was located at the Former Bed Bath & Beyond Store: 317 Madonna Road San Luis Obispo, CA 93405. Jump to the 20% Off Coupon Link for Spirit Halloween.
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Doesn't it seem like there are more events around the area for Mother's Day than Father's Day? Thankfully, some places do have something special planned for the fathers in our lives. Here are some ideas on what to do around San Luis Obispo County that could help make it a more memorable Father's Day.

1. Go to a Special Event.
   • There is usually at least one free concert in Grover Beach (part of San Luis Obispo County) that is for the public on June 16, 2024 (Father's Day). It is part of the Gro...

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During the pandemic, school districts around San Luis Obispo County offered free meal pick ups for kids during school closures.

Please check with each school for any recent updates and changes.
Website for San Luis Coastal Unified School District
Website for Lucia Mar Unified School District
Website for Paso Robles Joint Unified School District
Website for Atascadero Unified School District
Website for Templeton Unified School District
Website for Shandon Joint Unified School District
Website for San...
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Jump to SLO Easter Brunch List

2024 Egg Hunts (Currently there are 11 in SLO County):

• March 23, 2024 (Sat) - Spring Fling at Meadow Park in San Luis Obispo from 11AM - 1PM. There will be a free egg hunt for kids who are between the ages of 0 - 8 years old (bring your own basket). After the hunt, stay and enjoy lunch both free activities as well as local vendors.Included in the event are special appearances by the Bunny and Roman the Romaine, live music by Ku Dog and Friends, and food trucks...

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Two days ago, I went to the SLO Craft Beer Fest at the Alex Madonna Expo Center at the famous Madonna Inn property in San Luis Obispo, California.

We decided to go with the Friday ticket versus the Saturday ticket because it was significantly cheaper and we're hoping it would be less crowded. It was a steady crowd but not overwhelming and we enjoyed ourselves with unlimited tastings and food samples too. We didn't have to bring any extra cash for food and drinks because our ticket included al...
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As a Valentine's Day celebration, my husband and I used the Sycamore Mineral Springs Resort & Spa gift card that he gifted me last November for our 7th anniversary yesterday.

We had our very first couple's massage together at Sycamore Mineral Springs Resort & Spa. After our spa time, we had brunch at The Gardens of Avila Restaurant, also part of Sycamore Mineral Springs Resort & Spa's property. When we came here for the first time, we were a bit clueless on how things work around here and hop...
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One of the more popular things to do in San Luis Obispo County is visit the Monarch butterflies at Monarch Butterfly Grove in Pismo Beach. It's free to visit and free to park.

It also leads to a walking trail that is parallel to the ocean. You could go towards the Grover Beach side and see amazing views of Grover Beach and Pismo Beach by going on the Meadow Trail or go North and walk near the RV's and continue along that route until it leads you to the boardwalk and Pismo Beach Pier. Either d...
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Located about a 5 minute drive from the famous Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo is a very family-friendly, pet-friendly and picnic-friendly park called Meadow Park. There are a few benches spread throughout the park which makes Meadow Park a really great option for kids' birthday parties.

With a lot of green grass and playground, you'll find a lot of activities happening here. With trails all around the park, you can take an easy stroll or exercise. Read about a few Moms Exercise Groups for San ...
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Every year, there is a lot of family-friendly and free Christmas events in San Luis Obispo County that are planned by the community and local city governments. Sometimes, you may also find free Santa Photo opportunities!

2024 Fall & Holiday Themed Upcoming Event List (Growing List):

• November 15 - 17 (Fri - Sun) - Atascadero Fall Festival at Sunken Gardens. Free admission event for 3 days. You pay for rides and games. There will be food vendors. Hours are Fri: 4PM - 10PM and Sat & Sun: 12P...

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Wineries and San Luis Obispo county go hand in hand. If you're a wine enthusiast, you're definitely in for a treat when you visit SLO! The wine culture here is amazing, relaxed and friendly.

One of our first favorite wineries as a local was Tolosa Winery. As you drive towards the tasting room from their road, the vineyards engulf you as you continue towards the parking lot. Here's the video that I took (non-edited and not a boomerang-type effect) from our drive from entering the road.

I've b...
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My first-born is starting kindergarten next month. Back in May, he had his Kindergarten Round-up (something that they have around San Luis Obispo county for the little ones who are about to start kindergarten in a few months) where they tested him on at least 10 things: like drawing a picture of himself, writing his name, counting to 20 and more! I was surprised that they were testing them on all that because I was expecting a 'round-up' to be like an orientation. My son passed all of it, tha...
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There is just something really refreshing about street food that makes eating out so exciting. Although street food is illegal around here, like you know bringing out your pots of food and selling it on the corner of a street type, the many city-run farmers markets around San Luis Obispo area and the authentic little restaurant stands give the very same exciting feel.

You get to eat out on the streets or buy it and take it home while it's still piping hot. Here some of the great street food fi...
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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 to...

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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 pe...

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One of my favorite things to do when I'm in downtown is visit the public library. When visiting the San Luis Obispo Library in downtown San Luis Obispo, you would either have to park along the street or park in a parking structure so be ready pay for parking in downtown, even if you're just going to the library. Nowadays, you can use your credit or an app for street parking so that makes life a bit easier.

Unless you're within walking distance or using public transportation, you'll most likel...
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First 5 Preschools are all over the San Luis Obispo County (8 different schools) and they're free to the public.

First 5 Preschools, also known as Early Learning Centers are funded by the San Luis Obispo First 5 Children and Families Commission
> Open to preschool children between 3 to 5 years old. 
> Priority to 4 year olds who will be entering kindergarten soon. The free preschool programs for ages 3 - 5 are held at six different schools in San Luis Obispo county including: San Gabriel Eleme...
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Over the weekend, we had special visitors and decided to take them to the kid-friendly Kelsey See Canyon Vineyards in San Luis Obispo.

The most extraordinary part about this vineyard is that they have beautiful peacocks roaming around. Enjoying a taster in their large outdoor patio while listening to the peacocks was a very interesting experience! Address of Kelsey See Canyon Vineyards: 1947 See Canyon Rd, San Luis Obispo, CA 93405. 

See more pictures that SanLuisObispoMom.com took from the ...
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On the Central Coast of California, in the county of San Luis Obispo, is a small beach called Grover Beach. It's part of the Pismo State Beach area and there is a direct beach entrance in through Grand Avenue to drive onto the beach. West Coast, at its finest, you can drive or ride your vehicle onto the beach here if you drive right on through the toll (for a small fee). The park rangers are in charge of the booth and can answer any questions that you may have.

You could always just walk to G...
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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 wi...
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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, l...
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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 most active one in San Luis Obispo is run by Grace Central Coast. They seem to have a MOPS group and their own church group for moms. Here is their current website: https://gracecentralcoast.churc...
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September 2024 Update

Storytime schedule below are free at all the libraries locations in the San Luis Obispo County. They are typically only 30 minutes long, occasionally longer. If you can't make it to the times of the library closest to your home, you can always venture out a little bit and go to another time and day at another library. During the school year, there is a fuller story time schedule when school starts back again.

Storytimes hosted by the libraries are usually only 30 minute...
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