Things To Do
The Village Center
Walk around shops, breweries, ice cream in the small “downtown” strip of Arroyo Grande. Some of our favorite spots are Cafe Andreini, Rooster Creek Tavern, Klondike's Pizza and Rori's Artisanal Creamery (formerly Doc Bernstein's). *Fun fact*: Roosters roam free in the park and creek behind The Village!
Downtown
All the cute shops and breweries! Some favorites are: Farmer's market (if you're here on Thursday evening), High Street Deli, Firestone Grill, Sally Lou's (breakfast), Linnaea's Cafe, SLOBrew, Frog and Peach Pub, Libertine Brewing (sours!).
Montaña de Oro State Park
Excellent hiking at any of the trailheads in the park. Check out Spooner's cove for a beach day (Megan spent lots of time underwater here), Valencia Peak for a strenuous hike, or Hazards Canyon (at a low tide) for some truly excellent tide pooling. (Hopkins rose nudibranchs!)
Bishop Peak
A favorite hiking spot for Megan and John - a good halfway point between their houses in SLO! Amazing views from the peak on a clear day. This is a good trailhead to start at: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/bishop-peak-trail-from-patricia-drive. About 4 miles.
Pismo Beach
An excellent surf or morning beach walk/run spot! Also home of the Pismo clam, a large and delicious clam that was once very abundant on CA's central coast. Get some clam chowder (and stop to see the clam mural) at Splash Cafe. Honeymoon Cafe, Rosa's Italian Restaurant, and Harmony House Yoga are other fun places. Also check out Monarch Butterfly Cove, just a 10 minute drive south on Hwy 1.
Avila Beach
Great spot for a beach day! Food and small shops along the beach. Also check out the Central Coast Aquarium and the Avila, Cal Poly, and Hartford piers -- all places where Megan has spent A LOT of time. This is also the only off-leash dog friendly beach around (between Cal Poly and Hartford piers). Also, check out the strenuous but beautiful Avila Ridge Hike!
Morro Bay
Small fishing town with fun shops, good seafood, and strong coffee! Walk around the piers and around the south side of the Rock and you'll certainly see some otter friends!