What To Do In San Luis Obispo County – Visitor’s Guide to Downtown SLO Find our list of things to do and must do here in downtown San Luis Obispo.
The famous downtown SLO Farmers Market starts every Thursday at 6 PM. Experience a farmers market like no other: enjoy five blocks of fresh produce, famous barbecue, delicious food, live music, entertainment and more!
What To Do In San Luis Obispo County
For more than two centuries, Mission San Luis Obispo has welcomed travelers, pilgrims and visitors with open doors and a place of rest. At the crossroads of California’s central coast, the Mission gives heart and soul to its vibrant surrounding community. Tours are made every day throughout the year.
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The Mission gardens have grown and developed over the centuries. Explore vines, cacti, succulents, roses, plums and citrus added by shepherds and visitors.
This famous 70-foot-tall rubber road is one of the most talked about (and largest!) landmarks in San Luis Obispo. While some historians believe it began after World War II as a San Luis Obispo High School graduation event, others suspect Cal Poly students started it in the late 1950s. Either way, Bubblegum Alley has been a San Luis Obispo staple for decades. Make your mark Downtown and hang your glue on the wall; some people write notes, create art, or leave messages.
This open air public market may just be the best kept local secret in downtown San Luis Obispo. Enjoy the visuals and public art surrounding the Central Coast’s dairy history with restaurants, shops and more, all hidden in plain sight.
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Built in 1910, this building housed the Golden State Creamery which contributed significantly to the growth and development of the dairy industry in San Luis Obispo.
The historic Fremont Theater has been bringing entertainment to Downtown SLO for over 75 years! The theater has served as a movie theater and live entertainment venue for decades.
The Palm Theatre, located in the Chinatown district of Downtown SLO, is an independent and operated cinema showing a variety of independent, foreign, art and mainstream cinema. In the summer of 2004, 98 solar panels were installed on the roof of the Palm, making it the first cinema in the United States to be powered by solar energy.
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Enjoy a live professional theater production at San Luis Obispo’s only regional non-profit theater. Formerly known as the “Little Theatre”, the establishment has been in operation since 1948, producing shows in various locations around the city. Check out the amazing theater and public art in the foreground!
The Movie Experience Downtown Center Cinema features 7 screens and reclining seats, showing new and old movies year round. The Sanborn Family Theater Company has been in business since 1918 and is the oldest operating theater company in the Western United States.
The Art Museum of San Luis Obispo is the heart of the artistic community of the Central Coast of California and an important link to the cultural life of the region. This free museum focuses on exhibitions of contemporary artists from California. It doesn’t matter who you are or what you do—whether you’re a recent graduate or a grandparent, a visitor or lifelong resident, a student or business owner, a parent, an accomplished artist or a beginner—the San Luis Obispo The Art Museum has something for you.
Slo County Parks
Did you play today? The Children’s Museum of San Luis Obispo provides a fun place for children and families to explore, discover and learn through hands-on exhibits and programs. There are three floors and an outdoor playhouse full of exhibits for children ages 1 to 10. Unique educational programs and activities are scheduled each week.
The SLO History Center is located in one of the Carnegie Library of California buildings and features a gallery, research room, gift shop, tours and more. The SLO History Center serves as the historical society for all of San Luis Obispo County.
Downtown SLO is home to countless historical landmarks that have shaped our city over the years. For a complete list of historic properties, click here.
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Ah Louis Store is historically significant not only as a living building from the historic Chinese-American community in San Luis Obispo, but also because of its association with Chinese-American pioneer Ah Louis, or On Wong. Now the home of Karson Butler Events, this store was the center of Chinatown in San Luis Obispo from 1874 to 1930 and the home of Ah Louis and his family of eight children from 1885 to 1936.
The Jack House is a unique piece of California’s beautiful and colorful past that will transport visitors to the Victorian era. Jack’s family has a history with some of the most important players in the development drama of Central California.
The guided tours of the interior and gardens of Jack House are led by volunteer docents, specially trained in the history of the Jack family and the century-old estate.
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Look as you walk down Higuera Street and you will see the neon sign Wineman Hotel. This 50-room complex was built in 1930 by George Wineman, and over the years has been occupied by all kinds of San Luis Obispo – teachers, artists, truck drivers and gangsters.
Sinsheimer Bros. Store It was built in 1876 and served the early farmers and laborers of San Luis Obispo County. The Sinsheimers were very successful pioneer traders and engaged in a variety of businesses from dry goods to cattle. This is the only known building in the county with a prefabricated iron facade and is now home to Giuseppe’s Italian Restaurant.
The Sauer-Adams Adobe was built in the 1820s and was used as a boarding house for Franciscan monks in the 1830s. Its smaller, one-story sister is nearby, and together they are known such as Sauer Adobes. Together they are the oldest commercial buildings in San Luis Obispo. Are you planning a family trip to the Central California coast and looking for things to do with kids in San Luis Obispo? This part of California is often overlooked by families traveling in favor of Southern California gems like Santa Barbara, Los Angeles and San Diego or the Northern California tourist centers of San Francisco and Monterey Bay. This is sad because there are so many great things to do with kids in San Luis Obispo County.
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Unhappy? Someone else’s loss is really your gain 🙂 : this part of the state is less crowded and less expensive than SoCal and NorCal. Below is a perfect itinerary for a family vacation in San Luis Obispo.
A visit to historic downtown San Luis Obispo is a great educational experience for the whole family. If you have 4th grade in your family, Mission San Luis Opispo de Toloso is a must stop. It is a quiet but beautiful Mission with a great historical museum inside. Also check out some of the beautiful fountains and gardens around the Mission. Login is welcome.
If you have little ones, we definitely recommend you stop at the Children’s Museum of San Luis Obispo just a short walk from the Mission. The museum has many interactive exhibits that help children learn, create, discover and grow.
About The City Of San Luis Obispo
If you are in San Luis Obispo on Thursday, please visit the Farmer’s Market in the historic center, open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. I’m sure you’ve been to farmers markets before, but I’m willing to bet, you’ve never had an experience like this. His only measure is the mind. I have never seen so many sellers anywhere else!
And the whole experience is not just about shopping. You can listen to musical artists, chat with local firefighters or the police K9 unit, check out the appetizing food options (Sugar Lips Mini Donuts baked right in front of you are to die for!). Children can also enjoy the jumping castle.
Morro Bay is only 13 and a half miles from SLO and offers some of the best things to do with kids in San Luis Obispo County. Start your day with a walk along Morro Bay’s boardwalk at Morro Rock. The waters near the reef are cleared by sea ants that are more active in the morning. Everyone in our family loves beach hotels because they are so beautiful and cute! And the best part? Visiting and observing them in their natural habitat is absolutely FREE.
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Stop at the Morro Bay Maritime Museum on the way back. It is a small museum, but it has very nice exhibits. Most of the exhibits are dedicated to underwater exploration. You can find a 2-person submarine and old fishing gear.
But my favorite exhibit was the Coast Guard lifeboat, which you can ride on. The docents at the museum are very willing to give a tour and we were definitely intrigued by the history of how Coast Guard officers train and work, especially in stormy conditions. Entrance to the museum is FREE but you can leave a donation.
About 20 miles from Morro Bay up Pacific Coast Highway 1 is the small town of Cambria. We were lucky enough to visit in October when the city hosted it
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