We finally found some time to take our first mini getaway of the year to San Luis Obispo, otherwise known as “SLO”, and the central California coast did not disappoint! After a busy start to the year, I really needed a little vacation, so Phil planned a weekend trip for us to wind down and relax. There was no itinerary this time around. Just going with the flow and seeing what life brings…
We stayed in beautiful Pismo Beach at the Shore Cliff Hotel and spent our mornings and evenings relaxing on our balcony overlooking the Pismo beach and pier.
We arrived in the afternoon where we were welcomed with nice warm weather and decided to head down to the pool for a quick dip before dinner. I don’t think I’ve had a good swim since last summer, so it was pretty amazing!
Then, we were off to explore downtown Pismo Beach. We had a seafood dinner at Wooley’s and then watched the sun go down behind the ocean. What surprised me was how soft and fine the sand was compared to the Bay Area and LA beaches. Phil and I couldn’t help but kick the sand as we walked and massage our toes into the cold, silky sand while we sat on the beach waiting for the sunset.
The next morning, we headed to Avila Beach to explore the town and find ourselves something healthy for breakfast. After stuffing our faces the day before with fried seafood and snacks, we welcomed a fresh fruit smoothie hot spot like Kravabowl to start the morning. We opted for their signature açaí bowl and headed to the beach to relax.
With the day ahead of us and nothing planned, we thought we would try to rent some bikes and tour one of the many SLO bike trails. To our surprise, none of the bike rental shops were open, so we decided to go for a hike at Bishop Peak, a popular trail for the locals with views at the top. The hike was moderately difficult, and the views from the top were nice enough. Not really sure it was worth it, but I gave myself a pat on the back for making it up there and treated myself to a massive chorizo burrito from Taqueria Santa Cruz.
After a lazy afternoon poolside, we headed out to downtown SLO for date night. Downtown is super cute with lots of shops and restaurants with outdoor patios and live music. We wandered around the Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa, passed by Bubblegum Alley, and checked out the little creek that ran through the town.
For dinner, I made reservations at Novo, an Asian American fusion restaurant with gorgeous creek patio dining. The service was wonderful and the ambiance was on point. But, the food, in my opinion, was mediocre, probably because when you order thai curry or chow mein, you should probably just go to your neighborhood family owned Thai or Chinese restaurant down the street.
Day 3 of our weekend getaway was sleeping in and being lazy. We took our time in the morning, enjoyed the swings in the hotel lobby with views of the Pacific, and lounged on our balcony one last time before we headed home. This little getaway was a great start to the many more trips this year!
