I remember the very first time I visited SLO. We went out to dinner and asked the waitress what's…read morethere to do in town. She mentioned a few things which we had already check out in town. Her remarks, welcome to SLO town, you pretty much done it all. Hence the SLO...lol... I always thought that was funny. The memory of that stuck with me every time someone mentioned the town. Fast forward to years later and many of visit. This place isn't what i remembered. Downtown now is bustling with loads of shopping and amazing restaurants. It is a college town but with a lively community. So many amazing places for shopping and dining. Every one of the restaurant we've been too, I highly recommend. Also the restaurant/bars for a nightcaps are all worth it. Walking up and down the street is a good couple of blocks but packed with major charms. The park and river walk is quite nice and cute. I believe there's a farmers market on Thursday which I heard is amazing. You're not far from the ocean, a good 20 minutes or so to Morro bay. Besides the downtown, there's a good amount of place nearby. Gone are the days when I really thought it was slow here that it wasn't worth coming back. Now it's pretty lively. Don't let the name fool you.

How stupid is this. I paid for parking, then came out to a ticket on my windshield that listed a…read moredifferent license plate number and a different make but listed the last 4 of my vin number. Unnecessary bs. At least have someone who knows how to input number and letters. Smh again unnecessary BS.

Wonderful city and team to work with. I have enjoyed my membership with this chamber more than…read moremost. Great communication on events and about other businesses. Local schedules, calendars, things to do, etc. networking events are also a big bonus. Thank you.

Working with the office manager Ligia was a very fun experience. I am convinced that having a…read moreprofessional relationship with the chamber and my business "Heartland Payment Systems" only serves to benefit both us and the community.

Local Eval: Little did I know, that as a kid staying with my mom in a rustic dive motel in…read morePennsylvania, that 3,000 miles away, in the little town of SLO, was it's first ancestor....and that 1/2 century later, I would call the SLO/Pismo area home. The "Milestone Mo-Tel Inn" was built in 1925 [closed in 1991] & the main building is a historic landmark, which is possibly owned by next doors "Apple Inn". While there were plans to rehab this area, is still not redeveloped yet & is not open to the public. But one can still stop, just before the N101 ramp, & marvel at these testaments to early visionaries of what we have long taken for granted, for almost a century. While there are numerous local and national accounts, I do favor the one done by Smithsonian Magazine in DECEMBER 12, 2016, as follows: "The World's First Motel Was a Luxury Establishment, Not a Dive The first motel was supposed to turn into a chain, but it was quickly overtaken by cheaper competitors. By Kat Eschner SMITHSONIANMAG.COM The year was 1925. Across the country, thousands were touring in their cars. Auto travel was becoming normal. But on this day in San Luis Obispo, a town roughly between Los Angeles and San Francisco in California, something totally new was happening. An architect and developer named Arthur Heineman had spotted a niche in the market. His response: the Milestone Mo-Tel Inn. Heineman created a hotel designed specifically for drivers, writes Eric Zorn for the Chicago Tribune. It had small garages next to several dozen bungalows. Use of one cost a motorist $1.25 per night, about $17.00 in today's money. Heineman shortened "motor hotel" down to "Mo-Tel," and a term was born. It was luxurious for the 1920s, wrote Kristin Jackson for the The Seattle Times two years after the motel closed in 1991. "It cost $80,000 to build in its ornate Spanish-mission style, with a three-tiered bell tower, white pillars, and a tree-fringed courtyard," she wrote. "In those days most American car travelers still were staying in campgrounds or tiny wood cabins (some about the size and style of chicken coops) that were clustered by a gas station or general store." Up to 160 people could stay at the motel. According to David Middlecamp of the Tribune, units had modern conveniences like showers, central heating and carpet, he writes, and there were even rooms for chauffeurs. Jackson spoke to Marcella Faust, who as a young woman was one of the establishment's first waitresses. Faust described how the waitresses were dressed--"Spanish-style," including a vest and a "big hat with roses on it"--and their varied tasks, which included handing out brochures at the roadside. "We'd stand out there on the road in our big hats," she said. "My girlfriend would work the cars going north, I'd work the ones going south. They were Model A's and Model T's back then, so they'd have to go pretty slow up the steep hill there. We'd just stand there and wave and hand them the booklets as they went past." It wasn't long before the Milestone had competition from other motels. Heineman had originally planned to open a chain with 18 California locations, Jackson wrote, but he wasn't successful. The Great Depression meant that motel chains opted for less luxe styling, Zorn writes. The Milestone, eventually renamed the Motel Inn, closed in 1991 and then the site fell into disrepair. Even the word "motel" has been slipping out of favor, he writes. But across the country, motels remain part of American road culture. "Motels opened up the American road to those who were neither rugged enough for car camping nor wealthy enough to stay in 'real' hotels," Zorn writes. "In a way that's largely unsung, they aided our transformation to a mobile culture." Hopefully, one day, this wonderful landmark will be rehabbed into a fascinating & historic place to stay, minus Model T cars and chauffeurs!

What a wonderful trip through an eventful life! We attended a 50th anniversary party at this…read morebeautifully located event center last weekend and were very impressed with the facilities. Friends and family gathered to make this a truly memorable occassion in this lovely place. Located on a main street in Avila Beach, the Community Center is behind the Post Office. Since virtually everything in Avila is relatively new, this is a bright modern and very functional space with a lovely view from the back balcony. There is a large parking lot below, which is hampered a bit by some ongoing construction. As someone who coordinated a huge social event in the county for half a decade, I can really appreciate the facilities available here to the public. There is a large kitchen with a pass through to the main room, there are tables and chairs available, and bathrooms off a small side hall. The banquet/meeting room also has AV equipment available for rent if desired. The multi-purpose room holds up to 150 people depending on the use. The rates vary from $50-$60 per hour, and there is a security deposit as well as a cleaning fee, which also vary depending on usage. You don't have to live in Avila Beach to use this facility. You can get a discount by joining the Avila Beach Civic Assocation, and being a member for one year to obtain 25% off the fees. I attended as a guest, and really enjoyed the guests, the fresh sea air, and beautiful weather at Avila, as well as the gorgeous sunset as the event wound down. I will keep this venue in mind for future fun!

San Luis Obispo County, SLO as it is know by the locals, was a great place to visit during our mini…read morevay-cay. Visited San Luis Obispo and the surrounding area. Found lots of great restaurantes and stores to do some shopping. Their downtown area offers something for every with all different tastes and styles. Walking throght the this quaint little town we enjoyed lots of great architecture and historical homes and buildings. It was a well spent weekend here. Will be returning in the futrue to see what we missed this time around. Highly recomend a visit to SLOw down from the big city hustle and bustle. SLOw down and enjoy the views and surounding areas, you wont regrete it. Some places to vist are: San Miguel Morro Bay Pismo Beach Avila Beach Hearst Castle Maddona Inn Botanicle Gardens Bubblegum Alley Old Town San Luis Obispo Misson Rail Road Museum Atr Museum Childrens Museum

Came in after walking by all the time. It looked like they…read morehad a ton of SLO branded clothing. I would say they have...some. A few tshirts. But there is a great selection of local goods like soaps, drink mixers, magnets, etc. And shirts. They don't have XXL for most of their shirts which was what we were looking for as a gift for someone. But if you're looking for some cool SLO themed shirts they have some good ones her. Most of the ones you'll see at Farmers Market are here too. There were two ladies working here who I'm sure could help you navigate around, get recommendations for places, offer maps, etc. It's a small little spot but I like knowing that it's here and offers some selections of things.

I'm not too familiar with SLO. Just that all businesses are happy to take my money and everyone…read morethat we came into contact with was very friendly. We happened to be in a shoe store (yeah, just happened) and saw the Visitor's Center. Looking for an indoor shooting range and a really good French restaurant were the only 2 things on my agenda for the day. The very sweet young girl behind the counter.... probably scared that I was asking for a pistol range, only gave me a name and number of the range and had no idea on local French restaurants. Very clean and full of brochures, conveniently located.

We love the grounds of this special place. Their preservation of not just the Victorian house where…read morethe museum itself is located, but especially the surrounding area with the charming period gazebo, the barn and all of the authentic equipment, etc. Find it once you cross the suspended foot bridge over the creek and to your left. What a rare treat to have this right in the middle of a neighborhood where residents walking by can enjoy a quick stroll through the past.

The South County Historic Society - Independent Order of Odd Fellows former Meeting Hall,…read more has an annual fund raising event which we attend, that occurs the first weekend in November. [http://www.southcountyhistory.org/ioof.htm]: "IOOF HISTORIC HALL On the National Register of Historic Places, the former meeting hall for the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. The first floor is a multi-purpose area that serves as a theatre in the summer for on-going readers theatre programs exploring stories from local history, from the Dunites to Halcyon to remembering the Village in the 1930's. The live, one-hour, free programs play every Saturday during the summer at 2PM. The huge annual rummage sale is held here the first weekend in November. Special programs during the year. 128 Bridge St., Arroyo Grande, CA 489-8282 The South County Historical Society acquired the property which was formerly the meeting place for the International Order of Odd Fellows in 1985. The hall is located at 128 Bridge Street and was built in 1902 on land donated by Mrs. Elston in 1898. The building was completed in six months at the cost of $5,500.00. A local contractor, Ben Stuart did the stone work with native sandstone which came from a quarry just south of Arroyo Grande." In their annual rummage sale in the first weekend in November, you can donate or buy items. The fund raising event is a 2 day weekend affair & is run by a wonderful group of mainly seniors. On late Sunday, they reopen with everything at half price; later offering a "fill your own bag" for only $4. The fund raising is to help their projects. As you wait for them, or wish to explore, they are right next to the historic AG bridge, Kiwanis Park/AG Creek, Centennial Park, the Swinging Bridge, & more. On Saturdays at Noon, there is a Farmer's Market. AG Village is a cute restored town, that has numerous shops, antiques, diverse eats, pizza, ice-cream, coffee, wine, steak, Italian, Greek, Mexican, vintage butcher [AG Meat Co.] & bakery [Eclair]. Many of the shops are house in restored or original buildings over a century old, along with amazing ceilings [Coffee] or original woodwork. There are numerous building that are architecturally wonderful. Up the hill is an old Hoosegow [Jail & park]. You can easily spend a day exploring around here! The South County Historic Society multiple locations in Arroyo Grande, but the Yelp or map listings are a bit perplexing, since they have different addresses & may have similar or disimiliar names. [http://www.southcountyhistory.org/index.htm] : 1) ["SANTA MANUELA SCHOOL HOUSE ...Built in 1901 the one-room school is restored to its original state with books, maps, blackboards and photographs... The Santa Manuela Schoolhouse a one-room schoolhouse, was built in 1901 on the property of Joseph Jatta which is now under the water of Lake Lopez... 2) " HERITAGE HOUSE GARDEN & MUSEUM A cultural museum, housed in a Victorian cottage, depicting elements of home life and costume spanning over a hundred years, in permanent and changing exhibits. In the late 1990's, a gazebo and gardens transformed the yard into a backdrop for weddings and social events...The Heritage House was built in the late 1800's... In 1906 the house was sold to Dr. H. S. Walters and was known as "Dr. Walter's Sanatorium"... The museum has an interesting collection of period clothing, photographs and kitchen items, just to name a few and docents are available to answer any of your questions." 3) " PAULDING HISTORY HOUSE A registered California Historic Resource built in 1889..., it was the home of Arroyo Grande's first medical doctor, Edward Paulding. His missionary parents and his daughter, Ruth, filled the house with artifacts from around the world....countless other artifacts, among them the only authentic Cumash Indian basket in the County." 4) IOOF Historic Hall. 5) "THE BARN MUSEUM Home to agricultural, ranch, and mercantile artifacts, vintage carriages and vehicles, including a 1923 LaFrance fire truck as well as a horse-drawn hook and ladder truck from the earliest days of the city... The "Barn" is the South County Historical Society's Museum Annex which houses a variety of antique vehicles and agricultural artifacts from the South County area. It also houses vintage printing presses and other interesting exhibits..." 6) "PATRICIA LOOMIS HISTORY LIBRARY & RESOURCE CENTER - RUBY'S HOUSE Books, pamphlets, photos and other resources on local history... This center offers teachers, students, journalists and researchers a wealth of materials on California history with a special emphasis on local South San Luis Obispo County history..." There is more information on the societies website. Not all locations are open most weekends, nor times, and it is vital to check their website for hours, rain closings, phone, before you go....and the rummage sale is only one weekend a year, but is quite a hoot! ~~~

What a beautifully built bridge! We had fun crossing the swinging bridge, not at all dangerous,…read moreextremely well built! What a cool find in the small, sleepy town, well worth it when passing through the area!

While at The Village, be sure to cross the Arroya Grande Swinging Bridge to get to the Santa…read moreManuela Schoolhouse, which is to the left and nearby the park and residential. It swings so watch your step!