We invite you to come discover our many colors
From emerald green vineyards to turquoise blue ocean and amber fields of grain to ruby red grapes. Here you'll discover a unique mix of food, wine, recreation, art and culture – not to mention the venerable Hearst Castle – all set amidst warm, friendly and laidback surroundings.
Located halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo County is the heart of California's Central Coast where You can spend your day exploring miles of white, sandy beaches, browsing through unique stores and museums, wine tasting or hiking or bicycling in and around the rolling hills – the choices are endless.
Our History
For 80 centuries, San Luis Obispo County was the heart of the Chumash Indian country. They must have lived a pleasant life - mild Mediterranean climate, abundant seafood, with natural hot springs to soak in. We imagine they enjoyed experiencing the SLO life, too, much as we do today.
Living within a bountiful natural environment for recreation and pleasure, enjoying a culture brimming with art and social activity, and slowing down to enjoy the good life is the essence of San Luis Obispo County.
You can experience the SLO life in San Luis Obispo County today by making the easy trip to visit. You'll begin to feel it right away. Use our Online California Travel Guide to begin your exploration.
San Luis Obispo County Today
Located midway between San Francisco and LA on the California Central Coast, San Luis Obispo County is an easy to reach destination by car, train, or air. Just 2 or 3 hours by car away from most of California's 35 million people, San Luis Obispo is California's Natural Escape. The centrally located San Luis Obispo airport offers excellent connections to Los Angeles, San Francisco, Phoenix, Salt Lake City and Las Vegas. Visiting by rail is so popular that Amtrak recently added a third daily train to the county.
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About 250,000 people call San Luis Obispo County home. Over a dozen delightful towns and cities, including the city of San Luis Obispo, plus Arroyo Grande, Atascadero, Avila Beach, Cambria, Cayucos, Grover Beach, Los Osos - Baywood Park, Morro Bay, Nipomo, Paso Robles, Pismo Beach, San Miguel, San Simeon near Hearst Castle, Templeton and others create a single extended community.
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Spread across the
beaches, mountains, and valleys of this special part of the California Central Coast, these distinctive cities and the unincorporated areas between them provide an incredible variety of recreational and cultural opportunities. All of these places can be reached by an easy 30 minute drive or less from the city of San Luis Obispo, through some of the most beautiful country you will ever see.
The strong local economy is dominated by
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with its 18,000 students, viticulture and agriculture, fishing, tourism and a growing sector of information and technology businesses.
The world-renowned California wine country of the Paso Robles wine country in north county and San Luis Obispo wine country in the south county provide a California wine country tour experience that may remind you of Tuscany.
The local food and wine producers are just two reasons for the many excellent restaurants in the county. The large student base, many visitors and supportive local population has also allowed many nightclubs and restaurants to offer first class local and visiting live entertainment.
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Outdoor options also abound, including wonderful hiking and biking. Whale watching, sport fishing and charter fishing out of Morro Bay or Port San Luis are rewarding ways to spend a day. Eco tours supply pleasure and education about some of America's most distinctive ecological niches such as the Morro Bay National Estuary and the Carrizo Plain.
The arts flourish throughout the county at an exceptional level of quality. Layers of history, including the Spanish mission of Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa and Mission San Miguel Arcangel, are at hand everywhere you go.
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All of these attractions and more are listed in our easy to use Online
California Travel Guide. Just browse through this site, or search for exactly what you want. You'll find it here.
San Luis Obispo County is California's Natural Escape because it is the SLO alternative to hyperactive urban congestion and 'hurry up and wait' frustrations. SLO is a magical and precious piece of old California you can visit again and again, with new experiences every time.
