Full credit goes to my brother for bringing San Luis Obispo (or as he and the rest of his crew calls it – SLO) to my attention. A few weeks before we headed to Los Angeles he asked me if we’d like to do a quick two day trip to SLO to visit a friend. This had me going “Where’s that and what’s there to do?” He told me it was wine county and I said “sign us up!”. So the story goes on why we ended up discovering a gem of an area in California  that spoke to quite a few of our passions; wine, beer and a laissez-faire lifestyle. So this #IGTravelThursday we’re chatting all about SLO with kids!

 

Where to Stay

 

The Madonna Inn was truly what sold me on visiting SLO! The property seemed so quirky and an experience we simply HAD to live. You’ll be glad to  know that it did indeed live up to the hype. This resort has everything you’d want; 110 UNIQUE rooms, a ranch, a stunning infinity pool and the best cake you’ll ever have in your life. If you swing by San Luis Obispo we urge you visit this exquisite property and explore the area for yourself. It was perfect for our travels with a toddler and newborn and even my grand mother who was staying at another property loved it when she visited! A full review can be found here. If the Madonna Inn is booked up we suggest the Cliffs Resort which seemed like quite the family friendly spot during our dinner at their restaurant.

 

Where to Dine  and Drink

SLO is known for their great culinary pursuits and trails and while our two day visit didn’t give us the chance to explore the foodie areas we urge you to do so if time permits.

 

Madonna Inn Bakery : A stop here is mandatory in my opinion. I never knew what a Pink Champagne cake was but now that I do, I really can’t enjoy any other cake! It’s sad I know but that cake was so moist, flavourful and decadent without being over the top. Even the icing was fantastic because it was shaved white chocolate. Go there, seriously you’ll miss out on quite a party in your mouth if you don’t.

Marisol at The Cliffs : This was another lush property and my brother says it’s a fantastic spot to relax and spend a night at. We popped by here to catch a stunning sunset, sip on margaritas and enjoy their taco Tuesday deals. They had really great tacos and we loved the casual atmosphere as our group of 10 adults and two babies relaxed, ran around on their lawn and enjoyed some darn fine tacos. Hang out on the patio if you can and yes they’ll bring the high chair out there for you.

Firestone Grill : I didn’t know what a tri-tip was but I was told I HAD to go have one. So of course I did! This was one yummy sandwich and the fact that we could hang out in their outdoor patio, people watch and soak in some rays whilst licking their bbq sauce, made it all amazing.

Notable mentions : We couldn’t get to these but they come highly recommended – Thai Boat, Brown Butter Cookie Company, Summerwood Winery (for dinner!) and Novo Restaurant. Can’t speak to how kid friendly they are but given how chilled everyone we met was I bet you they’ll welcome the tots with open arms.

 

Where to Play

The rugged mountains, lush sidewalks and salty air all lend themselves to a very relaxing vacation in SLO. Sadly we didn’t get to enjoy the beach or the mountains on this trip but we did manage to get in a quick pit stop at the following spots.

 

Wineries : There’s plenty to explore when it comes to wine and most wineries have some serene views so I hope you get to spend a good while at them unlike us. Pressed for time we popped into Laetitia and didn’t get any further since wineries close by 5 or 6 p.m. From what I gathered it was a young wine region but there’s lots of innovative winemakers who are working on some fine wines. We were informed that they’re known for their whites and their Pinot Noirs. Swish away with kids in tow!

Firestone Brewery : Worth the trek to load up on their craft brews. They do have a tour available but kids under 12 are not allowed so needless to say…we recommend you stick to the brew pub and the shop. Definitely one of our top 10 breweries when it comes to excellent beer.

Bubblegum Alley : It may be hard to find but just google it or ask a local and they’ll point you towards this landmark alleyway. I’ve heard of many bubblegum walls and alleys but this was my first time exploring one. It was fun and the toughest part was to ensure that the toddler didn’t touch anything. I know they wash the walls but it was still quite icky thinking about  how the art on the wall. You can buy your own bubblegum at the shop nearby but it was closed during our visit so carry your own if you plan to make your own mark. That was fine by me because I only planned to walk around. It was a great stop between our shopping spree.

Shopping : I got hooked walking down their main downtown area and the entire family piled into Ross and it took me over two hours to get them out. GO figure! There’s plenty of boutique stores and plenty of SLO branded merchandise on offer if you need to stock up on gifts.

Notable mentions : They have a children’s museum which we didn’t get to. Sadly. Also can someone please visit the beaches for me?

 

San Luis Obispo is known as the happiest place on earth and I can see why. It may have been February but it definitely felt like a summer town filled with plenty of activities to keep us happy but not overly busy. If you need to unwind with the family I highly recommend exploring SLO. Do it SLOwly.

The SLO tourism board does have an Instagram and Twitter account but before my travels I actually followed the #ExploreSLOCounty hashtag to discover what SLO was all about. Whenever I  am in need of a dose of green on my feed I swing by the hashtag…see what I mean?