Jose and I were set to celebrate our first year wedding anniversary, but I am also 26 weeks pregnant. So we decided to take a baby moon and a wedding anniversary trip at the same time. For those that don’t know- a baby moon is a trip where new parents take a vacay together to enjoy their time together before the baby comes. We did however take our fur baby, Winter and we were so glad we did.
During the pandemic we didn't want to travel too far, or require a location that we would have to get on a plane, so I pitched the Central Coast of California. It is where I went to college and where time “SLO”s down. San Luis Obispo and the surrounding area is filled with breathtaking beaches, vineyards, green landscape and of course amazing beef.
We started off in Pismo Beach, then up to San Luis Obispo and finally ended up in Morro Bay. I’ll be sharing where we stayed, what we did and most importantly what we ate. You have to visit this gorgeous area and be sure to check out some of the recommendations we have. Can’t wait to go back in another 10 years, but with our growing family.
PISMO BEACH
Where to Stay
We picked the Ocean Palms Motel. It is pet friendly and walking distance to the beach, shops and restaurants. They have beautiful, spacious rooms, a comfortable bed and upon arrival the room was sanitized. They have a pool, but we spent most of the time at the beach. Its a 2-3 block walk to anything.
What to do?
The beach is right there! Tourists were lining up early for parking spots on the same street of our hotel, but we were lucky enough to just be able to walk . A lot has changed in the last 10 years I was there. The pier is filled with outdoor entertainments from jungle gyms, a slide, cornhole, and plenty of outdoor tables for seating. Restaurants and bars popped up and beautiful street art fills the alleyways. There are plenty of photo ops and a huge stretch of beach to be able to enjoy, but still keep socially distanced.
Where to eat?
Splash Cafe- where else would you dine when in Pismo? I don’t eat seafood, but I do eat clam chowda. Crowds line up day and night for this award winning dish and it didn't disappoint. Joe got the fish and chips and loved every crunch. Plenty of places feature oysters on the half shell - which are caught locally in the area. For breakfast though, you have to check out Surfside Donuts. The menu changes daily with specialty donuts like animal cookies, maple bacon and cookies cream. Don't forget the fritters- so delicious. There will be a line and they do sell out so line up early.
SAN LUIS OBISPO
Where to Stay
This college town sIts inland from the touristy beaches and is a short drive from Pismo to the South or Morro to the North. We chose to stay at the beach and travel to SLO- Most of the hotels in the area accommodate prospective students or parents of attending students. If you want a special stay, the Madonna Inn is a short drive from SLO and has amazing decor and themed rooms. They are not pet friendly so we opted for an AirBnb a little north of SLO and instead just spent the day exploring the downtown area and campus.
What to do?
Starting off in downtown, you can park anywhere and explore the streets. Shopping is plenty- from mom and pop shops ( sadly, a lot are now closed down from the pandemic) to your well-known brand stores you can find everything you need within 3 blocks. The food is great and restaurants, for the most part, have accommodated to outdoor seating. Tucked behind the streets you can find the San Luis Obispo Creek which is very peaceful and gives you a break from the “city life.” Don’t forget about Bubblegum Alley. Tucked away in the heart of downtown, decades of gum is stuck to the walls of a narrow alleyway. It is nostalgic for those that have attended school in the area and a sight to see for tourists.
Next, we explored the college campus. Cal Poly got some major upgrades since I attended. Beautiful buildings, fancy student living and dining centers and new roadblocks to accommodate pedestrians. We explored Orfalea College of Business, where I spent many days and nights and then north of the campus took a hike to the Architectural Graveyard. This hidden gem is a nice long hike through Poly Canyon. You reach a large field filled with horses and amazing lifesize structures built by students them selves. We got some incredible drone shots and hiked back. The downtown streets, campus and the Poly Canyon hike was all dog friendly and wore us, and Winter out.
Where to eat?
For breakfast I highly recommend Louisa’s Place. We didn't go this time, but from what I remember and smelled as I passed by it is an incredible home cooked breakfast and brunch. The line was around the block for tables, but well worth the wait. We build up an appetite for Firestone Grill- the best tri-tip sandwiches in the area. The burgers and chicken tenders are good too, but when in Rome… We also opted in for some onion rings and they were delicious. Half for now and half for the later- the meat is so tender and juicy and the BBQ sauce is the perfect combo of sweet and tangy. I would also recommend Woodstock Pizza if you have a craving for pizza or are accommodating a large party. Also, if you didn't get to go to Pismo for chowda, there is another Splash Cafe location in SLO where you can get your fix.
MORRO BAY
Where to Stay
AirBnbs are the way to go. You get the privacy and amenities of your own place, plenty of parking and you can accommodate small to large travelers. Check in and communication was easy with the app to our host and the place was beautiful, spacious, well decorated and had a comfortable bed and couch. We did have to drive to get to the beach, but it was under 3 miles.
What to do?
To the south is the marina featuring the famous Morro Bay Rock. To the north you can find miles of sandy beaches including where Winter had her most fun, a dog beach. This off-leash beach allowed her to chase waves and birds, run in the sand, and interact with other four legged friends like her. The fog was heavy and dense most of the trip and when I was hoping it was would burn off by morning, it actually stayed and cooled down the whole trip. One morning we took a drive to Montano De Oro- a state park featuring sand dunes, beaches and plenty of hiking and biking trails. We saw tons of wildlife - turkeys, deer, horse and cattle. Aside from more amazing drone shots, we took some spectacular maternity photos that we can treasure forever.
Where to eat?
For breakfast/brunch we found this amazing place- Carla’s Country Kitchen. Call ahead to get your name on the list to cut back on the wait time. They have plenty of outdoor seating to accommodate parties of all sizes and are dog friendly. Their food was to die for. Delicious scrambles, hash and home fries was what we indulged in, but their pancakes, waffles and muffins looked just as good too. We are definitely returning back here on our next trip. For dinner we wanted to try a local pizza favorite- Pizza Port. We ordered to go and enjoyed a fire in our AirBnb, but the restaurant was beachy and stylish and accommodated outdoor seating too. The cheese was fresh mozzarella and you could taste it came from some happy cows.
BONUS- STOP IN SOLVANG
The drive home allowed us to pass through one of my other favorite little towns- Solvang. Known for its Danish-style architecture, this amazing town features some great food and sightseeing. We stopped for breakfast at Mortensen’s Danish Bakery and had a cream cheese and chocolate almond danish. So buttery, light and flavorful- it was the best danish I have ever had. The entire city is also pet friendly with plenty of water bowls and treats given out by many business owners. After driving a few blocks to take in the architecture, it was back on the 101 to head home.
I know this was a lengthy breakdown, and I still probably missed out on a few details, but we at least have these amazing photos and memories to look back on and share with our baby boy to come. He was there with us from the 8 hour car drive to the 8 hours of carb eating. I know he is going to love the beach, like his mom and his furry big sister. I can’t wait for family vacations just like I was blessed to take with my family growing up and the photos and stories that will come from them.
Once the Vlog is done, I will post it here.
Thanks for following along.
XoXo
Britt
