Shamel Park is a community park in the coastal California town of Cambria nestled in the burbs…read morealong Moonstone Beach. It's a six acre park that has a large grassy field, kids play area, swimming pool, reserved picnic table area with a Santa Ana grill, individual picnic tables with smaller grills, gazebo, restrooms, and direct access to Moonstone Beach. There is no fee to use the park including the parking. When I dropped by recently in the summer, the grassy lawn was crunchy brown. I don't know the reasoning for the lack of irrigation. But it was open for folks to use still, some folks were playing soccer. The swimming pool was surprisingly smallish size for a community pool; it was covered up and not in use. Possibly closed just for the day. I'm sure the schedule is posted on the San Luis Obispo parks district website. The pool is next to the children's play area, gazebo, and restroom. The play area and picnic areas are shaded by beautiful old growth trees. This is one of my favorite beaches, in Cambria, due to the restroom situation and combo park and beach access. There are several walking beach access points from the park. But most I recall involve stairs. The stairs are not numerous but they're there. The beach has sleeper currents and strong riptides. So if you go into the water be careful especially since there are no lifeguards here. To the far right behind the restrooms is a ragged tag self made old dirt trail leading to the Santa Rosa creek where it connects to the beach.Beautiful views. Movie worthy cinematography scenes. Regarding the dog policy, dogs are not allowed on the beach. But they are allowed in the park, leashed that is.

This park is a fine place to stop if you want to let the kids or the dog out for a bit…read more Most of the grassy area was taken up by a large group of gentleman playing soccer while we were there but there is a small, unfenced area where you can let your dog off leash for a bit and let them relieve themselves. Most people kept their dogs on leash though Be careful though as it's close to the street and people go around the corner there much faster than I would like, especially for a residential neighborhood. The bathrooms were clean and there is a playground area for kids. You can also access the beach from this park. There is a pool are that was closed, so as busy as it was when we visited, I imagine it gets even busier.

To celebrate Bastille Day, the French group again chose Emerson Park in San Luis Obispo. There are…read morelush shade trees lining one side of the park and abundant grass beneath them, perfect for a "Dejeuner sur L'Herbe," or luncheon on the grass, inspired by the French Impressionist painter, Manet. We were immediately welcomed by the host and hostess of our group, who had thoughtfully provided the tables and an umbrella. It is a bit hard to park nearby, but we all managed to ensconce our vehicles and find a place close enough to carry our picnic things. There was a long table with a tantalizing spread of French baquettes, cheeses, sausage, salad Nicoise, berries and an onion tarte. The deserts were almost a buffet in themselves, with Palmiers, cupcakes, an almond tart, Madeleines, tea bread, and a Tarte Tatin. A cooler offered iced beverages. We circled our chairs in the shade and enjoyed this tranquil space in the middle of San Luis Obispo, while our host enlightened us as to the history of Bastille Day. It is so enjoyable to share French culture with a group of people who are also interested! The park takes up an entire city block, and has play structures for children and a basketball court that was in use the day we were there. They also have two Petanque courts or lanes for bowling with bocce balls. We engaged in a spirited game after our lavish feast. If you venture online and explore the options for Emerson Park, there is a site sponsored by the city that asks for suggestions for improvements to the park. One of the many items includes parking and a public garden, as well as other ideas that would only make the park better.

Local Take: The first of the "Mondays in the Park" series started here, as well as, our first park…read morebased SLO Public Health Mobile Vaccine Clinic. The Parks department also help arrange alot & they helped with logistics, chairs, music, & invited a whole bunch of Food Trucks [Baguette About It; Cubanisimo, & Plant Ivy]. The event was quite a success from the Food Truck & fun point of view. Both kids & adults had a good time. The trucks had long lines & sold out of most things after awhile. There were some performances, dancing, & music. The park itself is really close to downtown SLO, but unless you know exactly where it is, you can easily confuse it with another nearby park that is a few blocks more toward Cuesta Grade. This park is more suited to Food Trucks being inside, but the parking around here is not so great. Our Vaccine event was more informative & it was to test the waters in a park setting. We did have a bunch of people stop by for information & did one shot, but oddly enough I had more requests for a free beer or Vodka. It seemed that the majority of the people here mostly had their vaccines done already, but it was nice to chat. Since we just finished the second "Monday in the Parks" event in DeVaul Park, which was less packed with a much better turn out for vaccines, this series in these challenging times, seems to be a hit. While there are two more events like this, in two other SLO City Parks, it is probable that if these continue to be a success, it might become a regular thing. People seem to love the Food Trucks, the fun, & do appreciate the health promotion/ disease prevention aspect as well. Of course, we also enjoy these events as we also work. It is a pleasure for us, especially the Medical Reserve Corp Volunteers, to help our neighbors & our community, in these community settings. Every shot that we do can potential save many lives by slowing down, or even stopping an outbreak...especially with the most recent finding that any one Delta case can spread to 8-9 other people. This is now a very transmissible virus that rivals Chickenpox and even exceeds the transmissibility of several other serious infectious diseases including the now extinct Smallpox. Evolution can be amazing, but can also be very deadly when it works against a species. Over the past months were have done dozens of Mobile Clinics in almost all towns & cities in SLO county. We have had Mobile or Pop-up clinics in a wide range of venues, both inside & out. They include Parks, Community Centers, Churches, Schools, Food Banks/Pantries, Low Income Housing Areas, Farmers Markets, Swap Meet, Workplaces, and more. If anyone wants to propose a place for us to do a Pop-up, we are all ears. If anyone wants to get a vaccine [either Pfizer or J&J] please look for either one of our future Mobile Clinic sites, or head to one of 3 SLOPHDs [Grover, SLO, or Paso]. While it is harder to find, some Pharmacies may have Pfizer, but we definitely do. J&J is used for those who prefer a one shot deal. Things are getting more serious as the C-19 Delta spreads & testing is ramping up again....as well as cases. The completed vaccine rate in SLO County is not the best by far, but we are trying our very best to increase awareness & accessibility for everyone. Please get vaccinated if not already & please kindly encourage those who are resistant to please come out to at least chat with us. We keep up with the latest information and can help address people's concerns as well as help correct misinformation or myths. It is great that the Parks Dept. as well as other groups help support us in these community outreach projects. While it may seem odd to get a vaccine in a park, it is hard to think of a safer more pleasant way to get one. People seem to feel much less anxious in this non-clinical environment. Thank you!

As other Yelpers remarked, Anchor Memorial Park is not your typical park. It's a small area,…read morecontaining a memorial to the local fisherman that were lost at sea. Beautiful, quite powerful tribute. It's located on Embarcadero Street right next to the end of the waterfront shops and along the boardwalk walkway to the Morro Rock. Great view of the harbor and docked boats. There are two picnic tables and a bench. The bench is shaped like a surfboard and is dedicated to the memory of Donald B. Grant, a fisherman lost at sea in 1953. The memorial is a statute of a boat anchor with the statue's pedestal having the first initial and last name of the lost fisherman etched into it. The names are easily visible since they are engraved with a contrasting color onto the black background.

This is such a great little spot right on your walking path on the Embarcadero. The park has a…read morecouple of tables and benches to sit and enjoy the bay. It is also located close to several different eating places, so if you want to grab a bite to eat or a sweet treat and sit, this is the perfect stop. The giant anchor in the middle of the park has the names of fisherman who have been lost at sea over the years and reminds people that Morro Bay is and always will be a fishing community with a rich history of fishing.

Coleman Park in Morro Bay, CA, finally got a remodel. This iconic park sits near the impressive…read morebehemoth of Morro Rock. The remodel updated the play area equipment to be modern, safer. Gone are the steel swings that pinch fingers, and get toasty warm to the touch in hotter months. Gen X style. Restrooms were updated as well, The adjoining parking lot was restructured making the lot closer to the park and more accessible. The enclosed basketball court is still there. The historical marker of the First Filipinos in America moved closer to the three stacks and Embarcadero Street. The park is right along the coastal access walking path (which is ADA compliant, nice). The path connects from the waterfront (aka Embarcadero) to the Morro Rock. From the path, one side is the park and the other is directly next to the gentle harbor waters. When I was there, there were a couple of sea otters super close. They were lounging about eating. Providing quite a show.

A cute park, located on a path aside the bay, has a mini spiral slide, classic swings, and a…read moreface-to-face tandem swing. The playground flooring seems to be made with shock-absorbent, interlocking tiles. It has a small parking lot nearby, yet there is ample parking a short walk, both north and south. It's a perfect mini stop for little ones before or after fun north at Morro Rock Beach, exploration west at Morro Rock, or south on a harbor walk. My elementary school-aged kids spent approx 15-20 minutes here and did not want to leave.

Wanted to see some Christmas lights. The park is small, and the city did a good job with what they…read morehad. Nice little walk before dinner.

Expecting more. . .gardens. . . in the Sunken Garden. I'd heard of it for years, and finally made…read morea point to stop by on our trip to SLO County last month. The backdrop of the grand Atascadero City Hall add some visual gravitas to the expansive area. The main attractions are the roomy expanse of well-manicured lawns, the statuary and large fountain. I understand various events take place here throughout the year, though I'm not sure where everyone parks? It seems a great spot for a rose garden in at least one section, much as at the Santa Barbara Mission with its large garden in front. I wouldn't agree that there's nothing interesting here. In our era of increasingly cramped neighborhoods and living spaces, the park offers visual green space and a good sized area to stroll around the perimeter. Since it's mostly flat, it could a great spot for tossing a Frisbee or a ball. And the stately fountain is of the type you don't see in every city any longer.

Do not go to Mitchell Park if you have children--especially the Children's Playground. The homeless…read morehave been allowed to take over the park, and it can often feel scary. I have personally been accosted simply walking through the park during the day. But the biggest concern is the safety and well-being of kids. Just yesterday, my wife and I brought our 6-year-old granddaughter there. I knew it could be problematic, but we had 20 minutes to kill and were right there. At one point, my wife took my granddaughter into the women's restroom. Earlier, I had seen a man enter and then leave it. Inside, there was a completely naked woman washing herself in the sink. When my wife and granddaughter walked out, they nearly walked into a zombie-like tweaker near the bathroom door. Very disturbing.

We stopped by here on a Saturday, and it seemed unusually quiet / deserted for a playground on a…read moreweekend. We then immediately understood why - a lot of homeless people sleeping on the grass nearby, random people sitting on benches and a guy filling a plastic bottle from a water fountain and drinking from it, in between dancing in a tweaked out state and rifling through a trash can. It is sad because the play structure is a good size and there is a lot of green space nearby.

We started out for the park -- but went down the hill a bit more and found this amazing beach (not…read moresure what the name is). Dog friendly with many furry friends playing and running in the water. Beach is large too -- with high bluffs around it. Looks like a cool surfing spot as well. I'm sure this is popular with the locals as it doesn't come up if you search "dog beach" -- but now you know the secret!

We are SLO locals and stumbled upon this cute, quiet, peaceful little park while looking for an…read moreescape during the fires in No CA which brought a lot of smoke into the area of SLO County where we live. There is a small parking lot for visitors to this park ... you enter the neighborhood at Hermosa to get to the parking lot. Near the parking lot there are about 4 picnic tables w/ BBQs and a horse shoe pit. There is also a small playground area for children. If you head up the hill a short walk to the top of the park, there's a beautiful ocean view. There is a nearby bench and ocean view point, but no beach access.

Exceptionally quiet and peaceful 32-acre coastal wetland…read more The preserve was created to protect bird habitat, which means you'll see an impressive variety of species year-round. The trails are flat and easy, and a boardwalk leads you out to a panoramic viewpoint. Along the way, the path winds through eucalyptus and cypress groves that make the most beautiful sound when a gentle breeze moves through them. The overlook gives you a wonderful view of calm waters and Morro Rock in the distance. It feels intentionally designed for reflection. I found this place while staying at a nearby hotel recently and ended up coming here every morning. I had it all to myself each time, and one sunrise I was lucky enough to see a family of deer moving quietly through the brush. It's small, yet magical. It's also free, with easy street parking right out front. Open from dawn to dusk. If I lived nearby, I'd probably be here every morning.

One of my favorite places to visit in Los Osos! I'm always…read morepleasantly surprised by the wildlife I come across here--birds, butterflies, and more. The people on the trail are also incredibly polite; I'd say 9 out of 10 will greet you, which is something I rarely experience elsewhere, especially compared to LA. The trail itself is fairly small--you can walk through it in about 20 minutes--but if you pause to enjoy the scenery or spot wildlife, it can easily take much longer. Part of the trail is a boardwalk, while other sections are uneven sand, so if you're wearing flip-flops, be prepared. On windy days it can get quite chilly, so bringing a windbreaker is a good idea. A peaceful little spot that feels welcoming and full of life. If you come early enough you might catch deers that run in the neighborhood. Its parking is plenty along the reserve , street parking .