Try and see a show at the Performing Arts Center while you are in San Luis Obispo: there is such a wide variety of acts that something will be sure to please. You can see and hear musicians, dance, comedy, speakers, opera, musicals, children’s programming and more. Seats are comfortable in all of the various venues (symphony hall, black-box and classroom) and a special draw is the multimillion-dollar Forbes Pipe Organ. You will need to reserve three hours for hiking up Bishop Peak and back. It is a challenging climb with rocky footing, but when you emerge from the forest and find yourself above the clouds you are bound to vote it worthwhile. It is a popular outing for local college students who consider the hike something of a rite of passage. Be sure to wear sturdy shoes and a hat and to bring water. On a clear day, you can see all the way to Morro Bay from the summit.
One of the oldest of the California mission churches, the Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa is still a functioning parish church with a beautiful restored interior. Behind the building are the mission’s old bells (new ones are rung every day at noon) and a peaceful garden with a grape arbor; in front there is a pond with sculptures. Besides religious artifacts, the museum has a collection of Chumash Indian baskets and stone tools and bowls. There are free concerts offered in the summer. Take some time to just sit in the church or garden and feel your troubles slipping away. If you thought that climbing Bishop Peak was too challenging, try hiking Valencia Peak Trail instead. It is a less strenuous ascent but still offers spectacular views once you get to the top. Make sure that you look around you as you hike: both plant and animal fossils are commonly seen on and near the path. You will still require good shoes and you will need to bring water, but this is a far more accessible climb, especially for families.
You have certainly gotten your exercise by now, so treat the family to an evening out of America’s past at the Sunset Drive-In Theatre. Bundle the kids in sleeping bags, buy some soda and popcorn (there are free refills, but note that the concession stand is cash only), and see two movies for the price of one. The sound arrives via your car’s radio, and you can bring chairs and sit outside if you prefer. Drive-in movie theaters are fast disappearing across America and this is a great opportunity to enjoy one while they are still here. If the drive-in is not your cup of tea, then head over to the Fremont Theater to see a movie in surroundings from a completely different era: this art deco theater is among the last “Streamline Moderne” theaters built by architect S. Charles Lee. There is a large screen and a good sound system, but go early enough to sit (in your very comfortable seat) and spend some time looking around you: murals cover the main theater’s walls while neon swirls light its ceiling. Outside the signage is all done in neon as well, and there are good restaurants nearby for a meal before the film. In San Luis Obispo you can enjoy all the best that central-coast California has to offer, all in one beautiful place. Whether your interests are history, entertainment or the great outdoors, you will find that staying at one of the San Luis Obispo hotels listed below will put you right in the middle of a vacation you will long remember.