San Luis Obispo is affectionately known as the “Happiest City in America.” For those of you looking for more of a city-vibe, SLO features one of the most prominent downtowns on the Central Coast. There are tons of boutiques and restaurants to explore, and this is a great place to start if you haven't visited the city before.
Our favorite restaurants include: Giuseppe's - Italian; our go-to dinner in downtown SLO Arigato - Sushi; one of our first date spots Firestone Grill - The best tri-tip sandwiches and fries Mistura - Peruvian High Street Deli - Our favorite sandwich shop; if you order after 4:20 your sandwich is $4.20 Seeds - Coffee and açaí bowls
SLO has a great wine region with various wineries to grab a glass or bottle. A few of our favorites in Edna Valley are Sextant (where Ryan worked in college), Tolosa, and Chamisal Vineyards. If you're looking to venture 30 minutes north to Paso Robles, Le Cuvier, Daou, and Jada are all great options as well.
If wine isn't your thing, there are also a handful of breweries and bars to visit while in town. For breweries, you can't go wrong with Barrelhouse's speakeasy style tap room in downtown SLO, Central Coast's newer tasting room near the Madonna Inn, or Libertine Brewing Company if you like sours. Bar wise, downtown SLO is packed with options. Stop by Bull's Tavern, Mother's Tavern, or Frog and Peach. Everything is walking distance once you get to Higuera Street.
Take advantage of the great weather in August with a morning hike at Bishop's Peak, Madonna, or the Cal Poly "P." Combined, these three hikes are referred to as the tri-tip challenge. After completing all of the hikes in a day, it is tradition to go to Firestone Grill for a well deserved tri-tip sandwich.