Favorite Vacation Spot: San Luis Obispo, CA

I want to be like Jenn Kirk when I grow up.  She blogs over at Ambrosia Creative, is a mama to three and is beyond creative!

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We've always lived within driving distance of San Luis Obispo (SLO), California, making it a quick, favorite family getaway. Ryan and I attended college here, so we have fond memories of the area. SLO is roughly midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles, and is just a few miles from the beach. Average weather year-round is in the mid-70's, plus endless blue skies and a coastal breeze. In other words: This. Place. Is. Perfect.

So what to do if you're a family visiting the San Luis area? Pretty much all our favorite activities involved being outdoors. About 15 miles north of SLO is Morro Bay where you can boat or kayak and more often than not, run into (figuratively) families of seals or otters. During our last vacation to SLO, we stayed in a hotel in Morro that overlooked the harbor and faced out towards the sunset. If you're wanting to visit the beach, Avila has a great pier (wear something warm) or you can go a little further south to Pismo and have an adventure riding the dune buggies. Bring some kites too. For parents and older kids, Bishop's Peak is a popular hiking spot in San Luis, and gives you an amazing birds-eye view of the area. Downtown has great shops and has grown a lot since we've lived there, and on Thursday nights, hosts one of the best Farmer's Markets. Gross (or wow) the kids by stepping into Bubble Gum Alley on Higuera Street and add your own ABC gum to the collection.

Last but not least, San Luis has so many great places to eat! The central coast of California put tri-tip on the map, so visit Firestone Grill if you're a meat-eater. For lighter fare, Gus's has great sandwiches and is just down the street from a park where you can have a picnic lunch or to takeout from Novo, which serves Mediterranean fare. The Natural Cafe, another favorite of mine, offers vegetarian options. For a nice family sit-down restaurant, I highly recommend Big Sky Cafe. I could go on and on about food, so I'll just quickly throw out Splash Cafe (clam chowder!), Madonna Inn (for the most fabulous cakes), and the retro Rocket Fizz Soda Shop (the kids LOVE this place).

Hope you have a great summer and happy travels! Thanks to Molly for having me guest post! - Jenn from Ambrosia Creative