Things to do in San Luis Obispo
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Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa
The plaza is lorded over by the Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa on Monterey St between Chorro and Broad Sts. The fifth of the California missions, it was established in 1772 and named for a French saint. Often called the 'Prince of the Missions,' its still-active church has an unusual L-shape with a flat open-beam ceiling and whitewashed walls decorated with the Stations of the Cross. An adjacent building contains an old-fashioned museum about daily life during the Chumash and mission periods.
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Bishop's Peak Hike
A popular day hike. The trail (about 2.5 miles) starts in a beautiful grove of live oaks and then heads steeply along rocky, exposed switchbacks, home to many lizards. Scramble up boulders at the top for panoramic views of San Luis Obispo Bay and the surrounding ranch land. To get to the hike, go northwest from downtown on Santa Rosa St (Hwy 1) for 1.5 miles, turn west onto Highland Dr and after a little less than 1 mile the road ends at the trailhead.
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Farmers Market
Thursday is a good day to visit SLO, when the famous Farmers Market turns Higuera St near Mission Plaza, the main drag, and adjacent lanes into a giant street party. Barbecues belching smoke, strolling families and live music and entertainment make this one of the liveliest evenings you'll have anywhere in California.
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Bubblegum Alley
SLO's weirdest sight is Bubblegum Alley, a narrow walkway off Higuera blanketed with thousands of wads of discarded chewing gum. The origin of this local fetish may be murky, but fans will say the result embodies a certain impressionist artistic flair while others will say it simply makes a bad impression.
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San Luis Obispo Art Center
Mission Plaza is bounded by the gentle San Luis Obispo Creek, which is lined with public art and is a nice spot for respite or a picnic. It leads straight to the San Luis Obispo Art Center, a showcase for local artists as well as visiting exhibits from around California.
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Art Cafe
Many of the good smells at this cute place come from the in-house bakery that produces treats such as spice white pepperjack bread and famous muffins. Omelettes, salads, sandwiches, steaks and such at night complete the menu. Art by patrons adorns the walls.
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Novo
Novo spins out hit-or-miss Mediterranean, Brazilian and Asian-inspired tapas, with an eye towards freshness and presentation. Pick from dozens of international beers, wines or sakes, and savor the view from creekside decks.
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SLO Brewing Co
A popular brewpub whose homemade beers go well with the burgers, barbecue and grilled seafood served upstairs for lunch Wednesday to Sunday, and dinner Tuesday to Sunday. Downstairs there's billiards and live music and DJs.
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Day Hikes
There are plenty of good hikes around SLO, many of which start from Poly Canyon Rd on the Cal Poly campus. Hiking maps and parking information are available at the booth on the right as you enter the campus.
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San Luis Obispo County Historical Museum
For a comprehensive survey of local history, check out the San Luis Obispo County Historical Museum, just southwest of the mission. It's housed in the 1905 Carnegie Library, an imposing stone structure.
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Bon Temps Creole Cafe
Perfectly placed for hungry road-trippers, this locally loved café is the real deal with a long list of New Orleans classics from po boys to shrimp Creole. Locally owned, it's in the Ramada Inn.
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Linnaea's Cafe
A local institution, the short menu at this coffeehouse changes daily. The food is always spot-on fresh and at times whimsical (eg 'waffle night'). There's a good garden out back, wi-fi too.
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Big Sky Café
With the tagline 'analog food for a digital world, ' this ecoconscious café gets top marks for imaginative market-fresh breakfasts, but big-plate dinners can be bland.
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Performing Arts Center
This state-of-the-art facility, on the Cal Poly campus, is the town's main cultural venue and presents an eclectic schedule of concerts, theater, dance and other events.
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Mission Plaza
SLO's attractions cluster around Mission Plaza, a shady oasis with restored adobes and fountains overlooking San Luis Obispo Creek, right in the heart of downtown.
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Frog & Peach Pub
This drinking spot wears the patina - and smell - of an old boozer with pride. Come for a pint of ale, a game of darts or the live music from reggae to rock.
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Mother's Tavern
An upscale pub that draws in the vaguely refined masses with good pub burgers, nachos and more plus frequent live music that include 'Big Band Sundays'.
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Burrito Wagon
There's nothing mysterious about the menu at this friendly little place. Enjoy a superb burrito on the creekside patio.
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Muzio's Grocery
A classic old Italian deli that serves up tasty sandwiches you can enjoy in the shade of Mission Plaza.
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Palm Theatre
The Palm is an old-style independent movie house showing foreign and indie films.
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Novel Experience
A small but good locally owned bookstore with many books and maps on the area.
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