Visiting San Luis Obispo (SLO)
As a part of my “On the Road Again” series, I’m sharing my favorite destinations, San Luis Obispo (or if you’re local, SLO). It’s charming, coastal, has many wonderful small shops downtown and is home to the historic Madonna Inn.
My girlfriends, Renei and Florence, and I planned a little Roadtrip and I cannot over emphasize how much pleasure and joy those 48 hours brought me. Take this as your sign to plan a Girl’s Trip (or bring your family but you will have more fun with the ladies)!
We all worked together as Oncology Nurses and have remained friends for almost 7 years! I had purchased some of the Madonna Inn’s famous glass goblets and we were using them for one of our wine nights when we lamented that none of us have ever stayed at the iconic Inn. With a new passion, we booked the room we loved (JUNGLE ROCK, complete with rock walls and a waterfall shower!) for the next available weekend, which was about 6 months out at the time. The 2 nights came to $900 and the 3 of us stayed very comfortably in the room. (Pro Tip: the ladies introduced me to Splitwise, which made it incredibly easy to take turns paying for dinners/lodging and then split at the end of the trip).
A word of caution if you are driving from the North: drive EXACTLY the speed limit through King City because they love a speed trap as much as Dolly Parton loves rhinestones.
THE MADONNA INN
Was it worth the $900 to stay at the Madonna Inn? Hell yes! I love a girls’ trip because you get to share the cost versus staying with your immediate family and absorbing the entire amount. That being said, the Inn exceeded our expectations in every possible way.
Because it is so old and the rooms are (for lack of a better word) campy, I was half expecting some run-down carpet, a funky smell or tired decor in the rooms and pool. The room felt CLEAN and all of the paint on the property was fresh. It looks the same as it did in the 60s and 70s but they have somehow managed to keep the look and maintain the freshness.
The Copper Cafe is Iconic for Brunch (make a reservation ahead of time) and serves hot pink sugar for your coffee, great omlets and breakfast items. One of the nights we had a reservation at their famous ‘Gold Rush’ Steakhouse. Christmas time is extra special because it is decorated TO. THE. NINES. It was 10/10 ambiance and the steaks were decent. None of us LOVED the cake but it was fun to try.
We loved that the property is large enough that you could just stay there most of the weekend, but we also had fun venturing out to Downtown SLO and Morro Bay. Horse Back riding was available on-site and I would love to do that during a future stay!
We stayed in Jungle Rock and decided we would all wear animal print all weekend long. Best decision ever.
There are several gift shops in the Inn which are super fun to peruse. They have a wide demographic of guests and I am still getting a grasp of the Madonna Inn’s vibe (Scandinavian meets Dolly Parton?).
We almost skipped the pool since there was so much to do but BOY were we glad we didn’t. ‘Magic Enchantment’ is all I have to say. There were monarch butterflies fluttering around as we soaked in the toasty heated pool and hot tubs. They have a pool bar that you can order a cocktail from and enjoy on deck (the cocktails are not a highlight of the Madonna Inn, fair warning).
The last morning we went for a hike on the Lemon Grove Trail, which runs the perimeter of the property and you can hike the harder Madonna Trail to the top of the peak if you like. We took one last dip in the pool before we got on the road!
DOWNTOWN SLO
5 minute drive from the Madonna Inn. The below places are walkable to one another.
SCOUT COFFEE:
This is one of my all-time favorite coffee shops. Their offerings will please even the most intense of coffee enthusiasts. Their merch is all 10/10 and I had a hard time not buying everything in there. I had bought one of their child’s t-shirts for Cohen and it was his favorite shirt for years! Garden Street is the Downtown location central to many of the other ships I mention, but they have multiple locations.
HANDS GALLERY:
OMG, this store! This was my favorite store when I would more frequently visit in 2004-2006 and it is still every bit as wonderful. They support all local and handmade artists and it is so fun to shop around!
IDYLWILD FLORAL CO.:
They have every dried floral possible along with a variety of vases. You can select their premade dried bouquets or they can help you design your own at their dried flower bar! I have never seen a dried floral shop like this! And the entire store is filled with handmade and gorgeous treasures and gifts.
BUEN DIA:
Across from Hands and a few doors down from Idyllwild, Buen Dia prints all of their art in-house and you can select their fun and colorful art to bring home. I picked the gummy bears and Poppies to remind myself of our fun weekend. The ultimate souvenier or gift.
MORRO BAY:
A 24 minute drive from Madonna Inn. You can enjoy the beach/bay and we were so excited to visit where the first Filipinos landed in the Americas! In Coleman park (near this photo) you can view a memorial stone.
I am KICKING MYSELF that I did not know about the Shell Shop in Morro Bay when I was down there. Noemi wrote, “I give the kids $4 to pick some shells. Definitely go there next time for some awesome treasures. We love visiting the Coalesce Book Shop and the beach. Fish and Chips at Tognazzini’s Dockside Restaurant for sure!” No worries. I know I sent it to you while you were in Hawaii.
Morro Bay is on the way to Hearst Castle. If you are into Architectural Digest and have an extra day, Hearst Castle is really fun to see! Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery is 5 miles North of Hearst castle. Birthing and Breeding take place December- March, when you can see the pups! Check here to see what the Seals will be up to during your visit. Free!
SYCAMORE SPRINGS:
In Avila Beach, a 12 minute drive from the Madonna Inn. Walk up the trail, guided by lanterns, to your private hot tub filled with mineral water from the natural springs. I did not really smell the sulfur during our last trip. You can select an adult bevy or snack from the gift shop and head to your tub. This was the PERFECT activity the day we arrived, after a long car ride in to town. You can make a reservation online. All of the tub names are exotic, like Xanadu, Haven, etc. with the exception of Tubby. My bestie and I used to joke that Tubby is where someone takes their date when they want to break up with them. $23-30 per person. Book Online. Photo from Visit Avila Beach.
PISMO BEACH:
15 minute drive from Madonna Inn
Pismo Beach is a bit further south than Avila Beach and would also be a great afternoon or day trip to explore the beach, surf shops and eat chowder from the iconic Splash Cafe (although there is now also a location Downtown SLO too;).
I hope you enjoy SLO as much as I did and let your hair down in the quaint coastal college town!
-Traci Clark