One of our favorite California road trips is just a few hours up the coastline to San Luis Obispo, lovingly called SLO by locals and travelers alike. The central coast of California is so beautiful, and is full of boutique hotels, wine tasting getaways, delicious restaurants, and so much more. We had the pleasure of spending a few days in SLO just a few weeks ago, and now we’re sharing our San Luis Obispo travel guide with you! Keep reading for our favorite places to stay, eat, and sip along the central California coast.
San Luis Obispo
SLO is known for its relaxed pace, making it the perfect place to spend a weekend away from the hustle and bustle of day-to-day work life. In our San Luis Obispo travel guide below, we’re sharing our favorite boutique hotels and vacation rentals, the best places to shop for souvenirs, and the cutest place to grab your cup of morning joe.
Where to Stay
San Luis Creek Lodge / Link
This is where we stayed on our most recent SLO getaway, and we absolutely loved it! They have the cutest Linus bikes you can borrow to ride around town, and they also happen to be dog-friendly if you’re traveling with a pup!
Granada Hotel / Link
Granada Hotel is a beautiful boutique hotel with a bistro and cafe next door. The rooms are all tiny with queen beds, but they’re super cute!
Hotel Cerro / Link
The rooftop at Hotel Cerro was designed by the same landscape designer as our favorite vineyard in the area – Biddle Ranch. More on that later!
Hotel SLO / Link
Hotel SLO is a bright and fun hotel destination in the heart of downtown. Borrow a complimentary rental bike to make your way around the rest of our restaurant and shopping picks!
Where to Eat
Field Day Coffee / Link
This cute coffee shop is the perfect place to grab your A.M. caffeine fix and a small gift to take home.
Scout Coffee / Link
Another sweet spot to grab your daily dose of coffee or a matcha latte. We love the downtown location!
Sally Loo’s / Link
This neighborhood cafe is a must-stop for breakfast every time we’re in town.
Seeds / Link
For a healthier option (don’t worry, all of our favorite ice cream picks are still coming!), we love Seeds for smoothies, juices, and bowls.
Gus’s Grocer / Link
This is a local favorite and one we always make an effort to stop by! It’s the perfect place to grab sandwiches to-go for wine tasting. Yes, please!
High Street Market & Deli / Link
If sandwiches to-go are your jam, stop by High Street Market, too!
Firestone Grill / Link
Firestone Grill is easily one of our favorite spots and is well-loved by locals. Try the tri-tip sandwich, Caesar salad, and don’t leave without a basket of fries!
Farmhouse Market / Link
This super cute market is located by the airport, and is a great spot to grab lunch before or during wine tasting!
Flour House / Link
For great cocktails and craft pizza, head to Flour House for dinner while you’re in town!
Batch / Link
You’ve made it to the dessert section of our San Luis Obispo travel guide! Up first is Batch – A favorite for ice cream sandwiches.
Cowboy Cookie / Link
Head here for fresh cookies and the best dessert – Need we say more!?
McConnell’s Fine Ice Creams / Link
With locations throughout Southern California, McConnell’s is known for some of the best ice cream in the area!
Where to Shop
Wilde House Paper / Link
The owners, Megan and Connor, have created the cutest stationery and papergoods shoppe.
Habitat Home & Garden / Link
For one-of-a-kind pieces, stop by Habitat Home & Garden downtown!
Basalt / Link
We love stopping by this home goods and design store for hand-selected decor and gift items.
Eco Bambino / Link
This is such a great kids’ store for all natural clothing and toys for the littles in your life!
Len Collective / Link
Len Collective is one of my favorite gift shops in the area. They carry lines like Rylee & Cru, and so many other fun collectibles!
Edna Valley
Edna Valley is a unique wine tasting region in San Luis Obispo County, and is home to one of our favorite vineyards in California! It’s the perfect place to spend an afternoon wine tasting on a relaxing trip to the central coast.
Edna Valley Wineries
Biddle Ranch Vineyard / Link
Biddle Ranch is owned by four local couples, and was designed by one of the owners, Anne Fortini. The landscape design was done by her son, who also did the rooftop design at Hotel Cerro! There are so many beautiful corners around the property and we could truly spend a whole day here! They also have a 4 bedroom vacation rental on the property, which is such a fun place to stay while you’re in the area.
Tolosa Winery / Link
If Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are your thing, make sure to stop by for an outdoor wine tasting!
We hope you enjoyed our San Luis Obispo travel guide and found a few new places to stop by on your next trip to the central coast! Comment below with your favorite SLO hotels, restaurants, and wineries, and we’ll add them to our list, too. For more California travel content, check out our Santa Ynez guide and Santa Barbara guide. Thanks for following along!