San Luis Obispo, California (Population 45,595) is located nearly midway between Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay area. With urban sprawl kept to a minimum and almost ideal weather this town is a great place to live! San Luis Obispo is located about 240 miles from San Francisco and about 200 miles to Los Angeles. Driving the scenic route along Highway 1 to San Francisco is about 260 miles. Highway 1 is certainly slower then Highway 101 … [Read more...]
About Dave
http://www.davestravelcorner.com
Dave is an international travel writer and founder of Dave’s Travel Corner, a premier travel resource since 1996. He is well traveled (180 countries & territories); while on the road he enjoys the outdoors, backpacking, mountain climbing, meeting people, and experiencing other cultures.
Combining these interests with his expertise in technology, photography and writing, he shares his adventures on Dave’s Travel Corner and in select media outlets. Dave is most at home in Bangkok, Los Angeles, the Napa Valley or California’s Sierra Nevada mountains.
In 2006, he conceived the Napa Wine Project., a challenging endeavor to visit, taste with and extensively write about every winery in Napa Valley, California. He has now completed 1,200+ visits and written reviews of Napa wineries & producers.
His first book titled 'The Freeways of Los Angeles' was published in 2010.
He is a big proponent of experiential travel, valuing experiences far above "things".
San Luis Obispo, CA – Thursday Farmers Market
Every Thursday night (except in the case of inclement weather) the main street, Higuera, is closed to all vehicles - and barbecues, produce vendors, and entertainment fills the streets (6pm to 9pm). The tradition of the Thursday night market started in the 1800's when instead of barbecues the locals would gather around a large pit in the ground on Higuera street. Wild bears from the county and bulls were put into the pit and left to fight. After … [Read more...]
San Luis Obispo, CA – Cal Poly State University
California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly SLO) is located due north of downtown and highway 101. Just look for the concrete "P" stuck on the side of a hill above the campus. This four year college is known for its engineering, agricultural & business schools as well as IT and computer programming degrees. Cal Poly's motto is "Learn by doing." This motto is evident on campus as there are over 350 different clubs and many 'hands on' … [Read more...]
San Luis Obispo, CA – Outdoor Activities
Bishop Peak is a very popular hike with Cal Poly and Cuesta students. This is one of a series of nine volcanic mountains and hills that run from San Luis Obispo to Morro Bay (referred to as the Nine Sisters). From the top of Bishop Peak there are excellent views overlooking the ocean and all of San Luis Obispo and the surrounding hills. The primary trail leads off from a dirt parking lot on the north side of Foothill Blvd heading west … [Read more...]
San Luis Obispo, CA – Nearby Destinations
All cities, attractions and sites below are listed in alphabetical order AVILA BEACH is located next to a small bay in the 'shadow' of the Diablo Valley Canyon Nuclear Power Plant. Sometimes when shifts get off at the power plant a long line of cars will empty out all at once (this power plant is set to shut down in the year 2025). Avila Beach is a short drive from San Luis Obispo - only about 15 minutes. After taking the Avila Beach … [Read more...]
San Luis Obispo, CA – Carrizo Plains & Soda Lake
Carizzo Plain is located a little over an hour driving from San Luis Obispo - the drive to reach the plains and a visit here reveals the diversity of San Luis Obispo County both in topography, flora and population. Unlike coastal San Luis Obispo which is fairly well populated - the Carrizo Plains are in a part of the county that is almost completely uninhabited by people. It almost reminds one of the rolling prairies of the Midwest other than the … [Read more...]
San Luis Obispo, CA – Madonna Inn
The Madonna Inn is located next to the 101, just south of downtown; this property is an eclectic blend of architecture and style. It is not named after the virgin Madonna but rather takes it's namesake from it's founder, Alex Madonna. Alex has part of the 101 freeway named after him and the nearby Madonna Road, and the nearby Madonna Peak on so forth. The inn sits on a property that encompasses more than 1,000 acres. There are a variety of … [Read more...]
San Luis Obispo, CA – Apple Farm
Apple Farm is a country style inn and restaurant located in the northern most part of San Luis Obispo just off the 101 Freeway. Numerous charming and quaint souvenirs are sold in the gift shop next to the restaurant. We highly recommend the breakfast's at Apple Farm. This often becomes a tradition for parents when visiting their children at nearby Cal Poly to take them here for breakfast. And years afterwards the memories remain of the good … [Read more...]
San Luis Obispo, CA – The Mission
This mission is often called the 'Prince' of the missions. It was named for the 13th century saint, the Bishop of Toulouse. The church is still in operation. The tile roof is the first of its kind used on the California missions. They used tile instead of wood or thatch because often they would be faced with flaming arrow attacks by the Indians. There is an excellent museum that contains a large collection of Chumash Indian artifacts and … [Read more...]
San Luis Obispo, CA – Downtown
Downtown San Luis Obispo (www.downtownslo.com) is a collection of numerous cafes + restaurants + brew pubs, clothing stores, sports stores, a few galleries, quaint shops, and reflective of a college town, quite a few stand alone bars. The downtown area is best seen by walking. Ditch the car along one of the side streets just outside of the downtown area, or one of three parking garages (Two on Palm Street and one on Marsh Street). Our … [Read more...]