SloCal Unknown - San Luis Obispo -
I don't know when "SloCal" has become the new trendy travel destination. As it literally means, "Slow Life in California" is well recognized in San Luis Obispo County, the midway between NorCal and SoCal. We traveled to SloCal to celebrate Nicolai's birthday in May. We had a blast visiting wineries, beaches, ranches, and the historic downtown. My favorites were the mission, the coffee, and the views.
On the way to San luis Obispo, we stopped at the winery at Hahn Estate, who is a maker of the Smith & Hook wine. This is what I think of what a winery should be; good wines, a great view, and no crowds. The place was definitely better than some of the big commercialized wineries in Napa. From where we sat for the wine tasting, you can see Pinnacles National Park across the valley.
Our Airbnb rental was at the very top of the hill and had an incredible view. The hilltop was windy and chilly in mid May but waking up to this view in the morning was quite an experience. After the wind pushes the foggy morning clouds away, you can see this gorgeous blue sky and the endless rolling hills. Uni was happy running around inside and outside the big house, and playing with the host's two adorable golden retrievers.
The historic San Luis Obispo downtown is home to California Polytechnic State University. I would say it was a little more than just a college town. The downtown has a mix of an old and a hipster vibe. I especially liked my morning stop at Scout Coffee. My Japaneseness brings me a little bit of a germophobia side when it comes to using a coffee machine at Airbnb. So, it has become my thing and something to look forward to to find a good local coffee place while I'm on a trip. It's always good to start a day with a nice cup of coffee.
If you are familiar with traveling in Europe, you always look for and appreciate artifacts and signs of history, which you don't see many in the US. That is why when I see the historic mission churches in California, I would always like stop by. Here is one in San Luis Obispo, what makes the heart and spirit of the downtown, Mission San Louis Obispo De Tolosa.
Nicolai and I agree that we don't get many good eating experiences everytime we step outside the big cities in California. I don't know how many times we ended up eating burgers and BBQs after the long Yelp search. I wouldn't say the restaurants in San Luis Obispo were amazing but we did enjoyed the special birthday night at Luna Red near the Mission. It did have the 'happy hour feel' that's typical in a college town but the service was good and the food was enjoyable.
On the way to Avila Beach, we stopped by this cute and kids friendly farm, Avila Valley Barn, where you can buy seasonal vegetables, fruits, pies, ice cream, honey, and more. It is hard to say no to all those sugary produces. We got one peach turnover to bring home to.
Here's Uni at the beachside restaurant beaming at us with her Shiba eyes, "I'm bored...can we play fetch?"
We have done a road trip from NorCal to SoCal several times in the past. The drive is long and exhausting. Next time, we drive down south, we would love to stop by SloCal again to slow down before hitting the road to the chaotic and busy destinations in LA.
Greetings in Japanese
少し前の話になってしまいますが、５月にニコライの誕生日も兼ねて、通称SloCalというあまり馴染みのない旅行先に行ってきました。あれ、もしかしてSoCalの間違いでは？と思いがちですが、Slow Lifeの略で最近観光地として注目を浴びるようになってきたようです。正式な地名はサン ルイス オビスポ。サンフランシスコとロサンゼルスの真ん中にあり、ワイナリー、ビーチ、歴史のあるダウンタウンなどが楽しめます。
私たちは丘の天辺にある家をレンタルしましたが、５月の気候はやや肌寒かったものの窓から見える景色は絶景で、天の上にいるような？気分でゆったりした数日間を過ごせました。
個人的には、歴史ありややヒップスター感漂うダウンタウンが山よりもビーチよりもお気に入りです。街の中心にあるミッション サン ルイス オビスポ デ トロサを初め、古い建物があちらこちらにあり、その間にあるトレンディーなコーヒー屋さんやチーズ屋さんなどのお洒落かわいいスポットも満載で、歩いていてとても楽しい街です。次回、ロスアンゼルスへドライブする時はぜひまた寄ってみたいと思います。