Weekend Sherpa

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07.15.10

Go SLO!

Warm coastal weather, small town charms, abundant outdoor activities, rolling wine country, and beaches galore…San Luis Obispo naturally captures the California spirit.

Kayak San Luis Obispo

Positively Rockin!

"Awesome! Nice! Whoo-hoo!" This is the most common thing you'll hear on a morning sea kayak trip with SLO Coast Kayaks. The outfitter's owner and lead guide, Vincent Shay, loves what he does—and his enthusiasm is positively contagious. He's been kayaking for over 20 years and now runs his own show. The Fossil Point Adventure trip is one of the best and most exciting ways to really see the Central Coast. Suitable for beginners and experienced paddlers, this excursion has it all: sea caves, hidden pocket beaches, wildlife, and Vincent! After a briefing on kayaking basics, he'll have you weaving between the pillars under Avila Pier and building your confidence with every "awesome!", "nice!", and "whoo-hoo!" Adventurous types can kayak through sea caves and dart through sea arches, while those just out to enjoy the sights can take it easy cruising with the cormorants along the rocky coast. Stop for a beach snack at Pirate's Cove then paddle back the way you came. Nice!

TIP: SLO Coast Kayaks shares a building with Portside Coffee and the Port Harford Chandlery Pub. Enjoy Illy coffee and, post-kayak, a pint of locally brewed Firestone Walker DBA.

SLO Coast Kayaks (805-714-3637). The Fossil Point Adventure Tour is $60 per person. They also offer a Sunset Harbor Tour for $60. Kayaks and stand-up paddleboards are available to rent without a tour.

Activity
Water
Region
Points Beyond
Point San Luis Lighthouse

View Finder

Light Hike: One of the most historic places on the Central Coast is rarely seen by the public. Perched high upon windswept bluffs, the Point San Luis Lighthouse is the only remaining Victorian-style lighthouse on the West Coast. And you can't simply drive up to it in your car. Free docent-led hikes to the lighthouse (3.5 miles round-trip) leave every Saturday at 9 a.m. You'll join up to 40 hikers on the hilly, sea-side Pecho Coast Trail, where views stretch from Avila to Vandenburg. This isn't speed-hiking: The docents are encyclopedias of knowledge, stopping to talk about the region's flora, historical points of interest, and tales of local lore. $5 gets you a tour inside the lighthouse, staged to look as it did 100 years ago.

Bag a Morro: For summit views of the Central Coast, hike 4.5 miles (round-trip) to the highest of nine morros (a chain of ancient volcanoes) in San Luis Obispo. Bishop Peak is right across from Cal Poly's campus and is a SLOcal favorite.

Reservations for the Point San Luis Lighthouse hike should be made at least two weeks prior to the hike. However, you can show up Saturday at 9 a.m. without a reservation and see if they'll accommodate (for directions visit the reservations page). Trolleys and van tours head up to the lighthouse on the first and third Saturday of each month, so expect a busier scene on those days. No dogs.

Directions to Bishop Peak: From downtown San Luis Obispo, head north on Santa Rosa St. (Highway 1). Turn left onto Highland Dr. and drive about 1 mile to the end of the road where the trail starts. Dog-friendly!

Activity
Hike, Dog-friendly
Region
Points Beyond
Baileyana Winery

Garden of Edna

Spanish missionaries saw the potential for great wine in Edna Valley (just south of San Luis Obispo) and planted the first wine grapes back in the 19th century. Today, about a dozen mostly mom and pop wineries charm the valley's country backroads. Whet your palette with the white wines of Claiborne & Churchill; their Gewürztraminer is local favorite. Drop into Chamisal Vineyards, the first commercial vineyard planted in Edna Valley. Their small modern tasting room suggests Napa's influence, and their stainless Chardonnay is a crisp and refreshing summer sipper. Located in an old schoolhouse with two bocce courts out back, Baileyana (pictured) is a good place to wind down the day (the Grand Firepeak Cuvee Pinot Noir makes a great bocce partner); their wines are Old World influenced, but their thinking is New School: they have more "Sustainability in Practice" certified acreage than any winery in the state.

The City of San Luis Obispo has an excellent map of the Edna Valley wineries. There is a tasting fee of $5 to $9 at the wineries listed above.

Activity
Relax
Region
Points Beyond

Win a 2-night Stay in SLO!

Maybe it's the Edna Valley wine talking, but San Luis Obispo is feeling generous: each month through December they're giving away a 2-night stay at the hotel of your choice (like the Petit Soleil, pictured). Come enjoy some R&R—recreation and relaxation—on the house! The Central Coast's heart and soul has the best of the West: average summer temperatures in the 70s and 80s, alfresco creekside dining, dozens of beaches within minutes, miles of hiking and biking trails, and a rolling wine country that gives Tuscany a run for its money. Enter for a complimentary 2-night stay and get ready to toast the Central Coast.

BONUS: The winner will also receive a pair of tickets to Pop's by the Sea, an outdoor concert on Labor Day Weekend in nearby Avila Beach.

Visit sanluisobispovacations.com to find hotels and plan your visit.

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