L.A. Times picked the 101 best experiences in California — 8 SLO County spots made the cut
Summer is fast approaching, and the Los Angeles Times recently published a list of California’s 101 best experiences so that readers who want to stay local can know where to go.
Writer Christopher Reynolds compared California to an iceberg: “There’s the tip, and then there’s the best part: the 87% that’s hidden below the waterline.”
“... After decades spent up and down California reporting on travel, the arts and the outdoors, the unseen 87% represents immense possibilities. It’s where the gold is, beyond the selfie spots, the mouse ears, the Golden Gate Bridge and the postcard vista from the Tunnel View parking lot in Yosemite,” he wrote.
“On this list, which is numbered but not ranked, there are no theme parks (but plenty of kid-friendly destinations), not many museums (because the best are easy to find), no made-for-Instagram ‘pop-up experiences,” Reynolds continued. “It’s a peek into my travel notebook through the Golden State, a place that’s easily glimpsed and poorly understood.”
Out of all the possibilities, you can imagine how full that notebook might be.
But would you guess that eight of them are in San Luis Obispo County?
From the massive elephant seals in San Simeon to SLO’s beloved downtown Farmer Market, here’s a look at the Times’ favorite attractions in SLO County.
Grab a bite to eat at downtown SLO Farmers Market
First up on the list: San Luis Obispo’s iconic downtown Farmers Market.
Of SLO’s favorite Thursday night pastime, the Reynolds said it gives “pedestrians free rein to nibble, sip, shop and generally spread out on Higuera Street.”
Other highlights of the market? All the different food options available. The list gave shout-outs to not only the ribs, pulled pork, corn on the cob and tamales one can find while wandering the downtown market; it also featured that quintessentially Central Coast favorite: tri-tip.
Before heading out, the Reynolds recommended also making a stop at Bubblegum Alley, that eww-inducing side street decorated with decades-worth of chewed gum that love it or hate it, is almost as iconic to San Luis Obispo as the Farmers Market.
Wander through the halls of the enigmatic Hearst Castle
One of the most famous destinations on the Central Coast, iconic Hearst Castle, also made the list.
Calling it the “boondoggle” that set the standard for California’s many outlandish mansions, the Reynolds encourages its readers to explore the extravagant estate in San Simeon created for media mogul William Randolph Hearst, who inspired Orson Welles’ renowned film “Citizen Kane.”
A massive showcase of artwork, elaborate pools, gardens and wildlife (zebras!) that can be spotted off Highway 101, the once private estate designed by architect Julia Morgan is now a California State Park.
After being closed throughout 2020 and 2021 because of the pandemic and storm damage, Hearst Castle finally reopened in May to thousands of visitors curious to discover its eccentric wonders.
Walk between mist and sea along Cambria’s Moonstone Beach Drive
Also along the North Coast is another one of the list’s must-see destinations: the beautiful and homey hamlet of Cambria.
Calling it a “rocks-and-fog coastal village,” Reynolds recommends strolling along the town’s Moonstone Beach Boardwalk and admiring the gorgeous rugged coastline full of rocks, wildflowers, pines and crashing waves.
Also worth visiting is Camrbia’s Main Street, which features fun boutiques, art galleries and delicious eateries.
Reynolds shouted out the eclectic menu at Robin’s Restaurant and suggested readers try the creamy chowder at the Sea Chest Oyster Bar and the beloved olallieberry pie at Linn’s Restaurant.
See Morro Rock rise from the sea
Down the coast a bit is another coastal attraction: iconic Morro Rock.
Comparing it to the likes of Half Dome in Yosemite, Reynolds recommends visiting the “great, rounded boulder,” be it from the beach, from the dunes or by paddling in a kayak beside adorable sea otters. The best time to visit, Reyolds says, is at sunrise, when Morro Rock is “handsomely lighted from the east, the surrounding waters shaded.”
Also highlighted were Morro Bay’s waterfront galleries and Taco Temple, a local favorite famous for its mouthwatering fish tacos.
Get spooked by elephant seals at Piedras Blancas Rookery
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The massive, smelly and blubbery elephant seals near San Simeon also made the cut.
The seals, which Reynolds described as “as ungainly as can be,” move faster than you might think. And they always have something going on depending on the month, whether its frenzied mating in the winter or molting in the spring and summer. It’s normal (and scary!) to see these giants rush across the beach, often plowing over baby seals who are in their path.
Note to visitors at the Piedras Blancas Rookery: Please stay at least 25 feet away from the seals.
Immerse yourself in a world of butterflies at Pismo’s Monarch Grove
Although the monarch butterflies are only at here during the winter, Pismo’s grove also made the list.
From November to February, the unassuming Eucalyptus stand in Pismo Beach turns into a stunning habitat for thousands of colorful insects. Reynolds marveled at the way the butterflies’ “orange hues blaze” when the sun comes out.
Sadly, recent years have shown a significant drop in the number of butterflies in the area, as monarch populations have continued to dwindle, but those that remain still create a beautiful spectacle whenever they visit.
Check out some crazy buildings at the Architecture Graveyard
The only attraction on a college campus to make the list is Cal Poly, and it’s for the Architecture Graveyard in Poly Canyon, where a mix of creative student-made buildings and artwork are a California must-see.
Reynolds highlighted the structures’s dreamlike nautre and gave a shoutout to Hay Bale Arch, which “looks like a whitewashed Gumby playing Twister.”
The newspaper identified the canyon as a favorite for hikers and cows, but missed the fact that it’s also an infamous drinking spot for Cal Poly students, who congregate under the shelter of the buildings’ metallic structures.
Watch an unforgettable light show at Sensorio in Paso Robles
The last SLO County attraction on the list is also its newest: Sensorio’s Field of Light in Paso Robles, which Reynolds called a “solar-powered superbloom.”
Since its opening in 2019, Sensorio has hosted hundreds of thousands of visitors who come to stroll through the rolling hills illuminated by more than 58,000 color-changing fiberoptic bulbs.
If you haven’t made it out since the attraction’s debut, in 2021, artist Bruce Munro added another mesmerizing feature called Light Towers — 69 columns comprised of 17,388 illuminated wine bottles.
Reynolds especially recommends arriving at sundown and enjoying a casual dinner of tacos, burgers, sandwiches or dessert as the colors of the glow-in-the-dark lights cast the hills and oak trees into silhouettes.
