Downtown San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo, CA Print   Leave a comment

Description

Downtown San Luis Obispo's main charm is the youthful energy of its college students and its bounty of ornate late 19th century buildings with brick exteriors and decorative cornices. The main street, Higuera Street, is narrow and lined with trees that provide welcome shade on hot days. On the west side of the street, indoor arcades filled with shops lead to the creek that fronts the mission. Here little restaurants offer outdoor seating beside the stone wall, pine trees, and lush vegetation that lines the creek. There is a feeling of being in Europe, especially once the mission bells start chiming! Try Bliss Cafe, at a perfect spot on the creek, where you can have vegetarian cuisine such as a Baja Chipotle salad that tastes delicious. In the same building on the creek, Proof & Gather Baking Co is a cute bakery with three small tables, and delicious peach scones.
Burger Village is a nice place to sit on the main street, Higuera Street, and look out the window at the passers by. Brown Butter Cookie Co has confetti biscuits that are yummy! 
On the side streets are lovely coffee shops and cafes. Scout Coffee is one of the prettiest coffee shops I've ever seen. To sit here looking out the huge picture windows is a true delight. 
On Marsh Street, which runs parallel to Higuera Street, find Nate's, an upscale restaurant in a historic house- it's fun to sit at the bar on a Friday night and talk to people who have just arrived in town. Another delicious place to eat, a few blocks further down on Marsh Street, is House of Bread bakery. It doesn't have much seating, just a few unappealing tables outside, but you have to try their raspberry and chocolate chip muffins- you can taste the real butter and honey. Their Blueberry Bran muffins are good too. Near here is Ascendo Coffee with an attractive interior and beautiful chess table! They have picnic tables outside- the building is an old gas station- with mountain views. Their Thai iced tea is delicious! Bread Bike Bakery is nearby, and sells fresh-milled whole wheat sourdough bread on Wed-Sat (closed Sun and Mon). 
One of the best sandwiches you'll ever eat can be found at High Street Market and Deli, in an adorable house a few blocks back from the downtown area. Get the Dutch Punch sandwich and sit out on their side patio. 
San Luis Obispo has a progressive government that discourages fast food restaurants and banned drive-thru restaurants. It was the first place in the world to ban smoking in bars, restaurants, and public places, which led to bans in other places (yay for San Luis Obispo and fresh air!)
The San Luis Obispo de Tolosa Mission is right in downtown on the corner of Chorro and Monterey Streets and fronts a square filled with gorgeous yellow eucalyptus. The square is the town's focal point for festivals. In spring, check out the giant roses in the garden behind the mission and in autumn, see the grapes hanging from the arbors.
On Friday nights in summer it's super fun to come to the mission plaza for free live music concerts that run for twelve weeks. A solo singer-songwriter starts out each concert, followed by a band (over 100 bands apply during the selection process). You can also buy alcohol and food. In October, check out the giant pumpkin competition (October 19, 2023). At Christmastime, starting in November, come at night: the square is filled with a santa house, musical lights show, and a fast carousel- very fun!
An upmarket area where Cal Poly college students hang out is Downtown Center Mall at 893 Higuera Street, anchored by Barnes and Noble bookstore. There is a pleasant alley with Sequoia Sandwich Company, Antonia's Pizza, and Starbucks, and a colorful Jamba Juice on the other side of Barnes and Noble.The bookstore has two levels and a colorful kids section.
Half a block north is another outdoor mall called Court Street Mall. Sit at one of the tables in the alley and you feel like you're in Europe on a blissful summer's day. There's a cute candy shop, frozen yogurt shop with a zillion toppings, breakfast and lunch cafe called Seeds with outdoor seating, Thai restaurant, and popular chain stores like Sephora and Pottery Barn.
If you're looking for a very lively scene, check out the Farmer's Market on Thursday nights from 6-9pm. It is on Higuera Street, the six blocks from Osos to Nipomo Street. Under big tents, all kinds of foods are cooked- ribs, moroccan wraps, you name it. There are also vegetable stands, flower stands, a balloon-bending man, activists educating anyone who will listen, and musicians. The street is closed to traffic which makes it nice to stroll along.
Around 733 Higuera Street, you will pass the bubblegum alley, where people have been sticking their gum for years and there are many layers of the nasty stuff collecting there! 
For history lovers, head one block north of the mission, to 800 Palm Street, and you will see the historic Ah Louis store, a Chinese merchandise store from 1874 which served as a bank and post office for the Chinese immigrants who dug the eight tunnels through the Santa Lucia Mountain Range in the late 19th century. Notice its large bell outside.It has a delightful gift shop inside, where you can buy wine from Cal Poly's agriculture department and all kinds of pretty things. A few stores down, check out Growing Grounds, an adorable garden store in an alley. Continue to the Fremont Theatre at 1025 Monterey Street and enjoy its art deco exterior.
Walk over to the awesome San Luis Obispo Children's Museum and let your kids have a fantastic time in imaginary play. Or walk over to Emerson Park, just one block east of the main strip, where you'll find a small but cute playground and some lovely historic homes.
There is lots for kids to do in SLO. The second Saturday of the month, the art museum has free art for kids, good for ages 5 and up. The library, on Palm Street, also has a nice children's room. Check out also the play space in the back of the children's shop EcoBambino on Monterey Street. Tom's Toys is a fun place to go with kids, on Higuera Street. 
While in the area, drive your kids to the fun playground at Santa Rosa Park. It's a three minute drive. Or check out the incredible playground with a long cable at Sinsheimer Park. There is also an impressive playground at Islay Park. The last two parks mentioned are in areas where families, rather than college students, tend to live, and they are eight minute drives away. 
The SLO Public Market, nine minutes drive away, is an attractive spot with a huge outdoor plaza full of seating and happy people. There are cafes galore to choose from, including a cute acai bowl and juice place in the center of the plaza. There are cornhole games for kids by the juice place. The indoor area has an area with toys for kids upstairs and plenty of seating by huge windows. You can eat and relax, while your kids play!

Photo Gallery

The lovely rolling hills that surround the small town of San Luis Obispo, as seen from Monterey Street.	The yellow trunks of eucalyptus beside the mission.	Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa.
The historic Ah Louis Store, with its huge bell adjacent.	Ornate buildings on Higuera Street.	Farmer's Market on Higuera Street, the main street in downtown San Luis Obispo.
Bridge over the creek, on the corner of Higuera St and Nipomo Street.	Indoor plaza that leads from the 700 block of Higuera Street to the creek that fronts the mission.	Lush area behind the stores on Higuera Street- accessed through one of the cute plazas that lead from Higuera Street to the mission and creek.
Walking the path to the mission.	Looking way down to the creek between Higuera Street and the mission.	San Luis Obispo de Tolosa Mission- California missions are always lovely.
The spacious plaza in front of the mission, and the historic buildings on Chorro St.	Statue of bears and a Chumash indian hunting for salmon, in front of the mission. San Luis Obispo used to be an area with an abundance of bears.	Handsome building at the 800 block of Marsh Street.
The masonic building on Marsh Street.	Interesting architecture on Higuera Street.	The tree-lined streets of San Luis Obispo.
Tables by the creek, at Bliss Cafe.	Cute red building on Nipomo St.	Bridge over the creek which runs parallel to Higuera St.
Bar overlooking the creek.	Creekside dining.	Magical atmosphere at a restaurant overlooking the creek.
The creek at night.	Lush plants and sweet lighting at a restaurant over the creek.	Awesome band from Memphis playing at the Thursday night farmer's market on Higuera Street.
Thursday night farmer's market on Higuera Street.	Higuera Street is so cute.	Higuera Street with its great shady trees.
Exciting view of the street from Burger Village.	Follow Your Bliss sign, at Bliss Cafe, and lovely redwood trees overhead.	Amphitheater by the creek.
Rose by the mission.	The Pinho house, on Marsh St, built in 1887.	Scout Coffee is in a beautiful space.
Cafe over the creek.	Beautiful vegetation above the creek, as seen from Bliss Cafe.	The lovely trees by the Follow Your Bliss sign. I love this spot!
Table overlooking the creek at Bliss Cafe.	Jack House, on Marsh Street.	Tom's Toys, on Higuera Street. Fun for kids!
Shady side street off Higuera.	Bubblegum Alley, at 733 Higuera Street in San Luis Obispo. Yuck!	Lights strung outside Scout Coffee.
The mission at night.	Christmas carousel in the mission plaza.	Pretty day in San Luis Obispo.
The creek.

Directions

Exit Highway 101 at Marsh Street. Turn left on Chorro Street. Park along this street or any of the side streets. The parking is metered and all you need is a credit card or app. There are also parking structures at 871 Marsh Street and 919 Palm Street- you pay at the gate when you drive out. Parking is $3 an hour at the parking structures and meters. Residents can park for free for an hour at 842 Palm Street garage, if they register their license plates on the Park Local Pilot Program website. 
Bliss Cafe, 778 Higuera St, SLO CA 93401, call (805) 547-0108.
Scout Coffee, 1130 Garden St, SLO CA 93401, call (805) 439-2175.

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Overall Visitor Rating:

Bev 05/13/2016 16:08	Keep it a secret! It is the most beautiful, great weather place in the world. Why do you think one of the most wealthiest men in the WORLD chose this coast line to build his castle?
Joestone 10/05/2015 05:53	San Luis Obispo is one of the, if not the nicest town in California. San Luis is a magical place.
Shawn 10/01/2009 14:19	I think I have memories of the place, kind of cloudy though- Cal Poly SLO '98
Gerrie 09/06/2009 21:53	SLO is the most beautiful town in California. I miss it.