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Things to do

Pismo Beach Pier Plaza

At the end of Pomeroy Ave

Take a photo with the Pismo Beach sign. Soak in the view of the ocean, surfers, and maybe some wildlife. There are plenty of places to eat on the way to the pier.

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Monarch Butterfly Grove

400 S Dolliver St, Pismo Beach

The Monarch Butterfly Grove is one of a few sites in the state that has counts of over 10,000 butterflies annually. From late October to February, the butterflies cluster in the limbs of Eucalyptus trees flanking an estuary that flows to the ocean.

 

One of the paths connects to Meadow Creek Trail and leads you to the dunes and ocean. It’s a relatively easy 30 minute walk on a boardwalk with views of the ocean and the dunes that ends near Fin’s Bar & Grill.

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Avila Valley Barn

560 Avila Beach Drive, San Luis Obispo, CA

Check out their fresh produce, pies, roasted corn, ice cream, and farm animals.

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Sycamore Mineral Springs Hot Tubs

1215 Avila Beach Drive, San Luis Obispo

Private hillside hot tubs open to the sky. You can rent a tub and towels by the hour. The last reservation is at 10:45pm.

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Hearst Castle

750 Hearst Castle Rd, San Simeon

It is a historic estate in San Simeon. Conceived by William Randolph Hearst, the publishing tycoon, and his architect Julia Morgan, the castle was built between 1919 and 1947. Today, Hearst Castle is a museum open to the public as a California State Park and registered as a National Historic Landmark and California Historical Landmark.

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Elephant Seal Vista Point

5 miles north of Hearst Castle

View the majestic elephant seal colony. In January, female seals arrive, ready to give birth. Pupping season peaks at the end of the month. No admission fee or reservation required.

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Madonna Inn

100 Madonna Road, San Luis Obispo

Visit the Copper Cafe section for their famous Pink Champagne cake and my favorite, German Chocolate cake with cherries. Afterwards, go downstairs to check out the unique men's restroom and in the gift shop view the postcards of how each of the rooms are decorated in a different theme.

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Lights at Sensorio

4380 Highway 46 East, Paso Robles, CA 93446

A colorful field of lights and light towers to be viewed at night.

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The Dunes Center
1065 Guadalupe Street, Guadalupe
The center is a natural history museum that brings together the science, art, and beauty of the Central Coast and features maps, photographs, curiosities, and relics from the site where Cecil B. DeMille created one of the first blockbuster films in 1923.


The Luffa Farm
1457 Willow Road, Nipomo
Come by the Luffa Farm for a free, informal tour that lasts about 15-30 minutes. Come learn about about the luffas, explore the gardens, or shop at the gift shop for luffas and handcrafted bath and herbal products.


Oso Flaco Lake Trail
3030 Oso Flaco Lake Road, Arroyo Grande
Oso Flaco Lake Trail explores a rare, undeveloped gem on Southern California’s coastline. The trail takes a boardwalk over a 75-acre birdlife-boasting lake and across sand dunes to a tucked-away beach and a viewpoint overlooking the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes. These are the largest dunes on the coast of Southern California, but Oso Flaco Lake Trail is a short hike at just 2-miles round trip.

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