San Luis Obispo
The Best of Both Worlds
S
an Luis Obispo (Spanish Parking in the downtown area can
for St. Louis, the Bishop) be a challenge for those interested in
is a city in California, finding a spot directly in front of their
located roughly midway final destination. The city provides parking
between San Francisco in three multistory parking structures
and Los Angeles on the Central Coast. The throughout downtown at: Chorro and
city, referred to locally as SLO or “San Luis,” Marsh street intersection; Palm Street
is the county seat of San Luis Obispo County between Chorro and Morro streets; on
and is adjacent to California Polytechnic Palm Street between Chorro and Osos
State University (Cal Poly). As of the 2000 streets. Street parking downtown is
census, the city population was 44,174. metered. The structures are free for the
first hour and 75 cents per hour thereafter.
The city is home to San Luis Because of San Luis Obispo’s location
Obispo County Regional Airport which halfway between Los Angeles and San
offers private and commercial air service Francisco, it has long been a stopping point
to several major cities in the west. Amtrak for travelers. In fact, the word motel was
provides daily rail service here as the coined here when the Motel Inn of San
terminus of the Pacific Surfliner line and a Luis Obispo was established in 1925. Since
stop on the Coast Starlight line. Greyhound then, the pleasant year-round climate,
also maintains a bus terminal in San Luis pretty scenery, and well-preserved,
Obispo. Public transportation includes the walkable downtown have made the city a
city-wide SLO Transit bus lines as well as the tourist destination in itself.
county-wide SLO Regional Transit system. Downtown San Luis Obispo is
Rideshare encourages the use of the local centered around the carefully restored
public transit, as well as carpooling and Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa,
biking. originally built in 1772. It is one of the
Cycling is occasionally used as a best preserved examples of Spanish
mode of transportation in San Luis Obispo. Mission architecture and among the oldest
Bike lanes are maintained on a few of the buildings in California. Its bells are unique
streets and the number of bike stands are in that, unlike other California missions,
increasing, especially in the downtown the bell ringer stands in the bellroom with
area. the bells when ringing the cadences. The
A beautiful sunset over the Pacific
A pumpkin patch in San Luis Obispo. Ocean in Pismo Beach, California.
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downtown area also boasts many eclectic (30 miles north) and Santa Ynez (70 miles
shops and boutiques. south).
Another big tourist attraction is A field station of the Marine
Hearst Castle, the vast estate of publishing Mammal Center is located in San Luis
magnate William Randolph Hearst, 43 Obispo to support sea rescue and beach
miles to the north of San Luis Obispo. stranding rescue operations for this section
The Madonna Inn is another famous local of the California coast.
landmark. Established by Alex Madonna One of the main draws is Farmers’
in 1958, the inn is a famously eccentric Market, a large festival held downtown on
building known for its generous helping of Higuera Street every Thursday evening
pink, wildly kitschy decor, themed guest year-round from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.. About
rooms, and a waterfall urinal in a men’s three-quarters of a mile of the street
restroom. is closed to cars. Live entertainment is
The Fremont Theater is a historic featured and local farmers and vendors
Art Deco theater from the 1940s. It has sell goods and produce. The Farmers’
appeared in many movies including a three Market was created in 1983 to make use
second clip in My Blue Heaven. of downtown streets blocked off to end
One famous tourist destination is Bubble a tradition of teen/collegiate cruising.
Gum Alley. Since about 1960, people Farmers and vendors were allowed to
have been sticking their chewed gum on set up between barricades as a way to
the walls of this alley located on Higuera bring people back to the downtown
Street, between Broad and Garden streets. area. Later, all traffic was blocked off,
Bubble Gum Alley has even appeared on making the downtown Farmers’ Market
national television. one long “mall,” even rerouting part of a
Another big attraction is the development state highway to accommodate the street
of Edna Valley into a well-known wine closures. The Farmers’ Market brought
region. Just south of the city, people can a great deal of revenue and has become
spend an afternoon wine tasting several internationally known.
wineries in the area with a very short drive. San Luis Obispo has been home
Some of these wineries have won awards of several other events, including a stop
and acclaim for their vintages. The wine on the way of the Olympic Torch, the Tour
region extends north beyond Paso Robles of California bicycle race, Cinco de Mayo
An abondened farm shed at the The local college students enjoy
base of Madonna Mountain. spening time at Shell Beach.
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S l
The Pismo Beach Pier.
celebrations, as well as a long-standing
Christmas Parade. A Mardi Gras parade
that was well attended has been fraught
with difficulties related to crowd control
and alcohol consumption. Debate about
the cost of the parade, and the associated
A local farmer has prepared his hay
bails in San Luis Obispo County.
some claim, three of the four co-founders,
Joe Vergara, Kevin Peters, and Linda Olds
did graduate from the university. Jamba
Juice still exists at the original Juice Club
location: 17 Chorro Street #C.
City ordinance prevents
crowd control, continues. businesses of any sort (including fast-food
Mardi Gras has not been the only local restaurants) from constructing new drive-
event reined in after gaining acceptance. up or drive-through windows or services.
Cal Poly’s open house, Poly Royal, was Two branches of one local bank are the
held every April until a 1990 riot of only locations in the entire city with drive-
drunken revellers, many visitors to town, up service; their drive-up service existed
caused damage throughout residential before the ordinance became law.
neighborhoods and the business district. The dentist office on the corner
The university cancelled the event for of Santa Rosa and Pacific streets is one of
several years before reintroducing a very few commercial buildings designed by
scaled-down Open House. While Poly Frank Lloyd Wright.
Royal welcomed the community for hikes, A horse race on turf named the
carnivals, “magic” shows put on by the San Luis Obispo Handicap is run at the
Chemistry Department, and other public Santa Anita Park in honor of this city.
performances, the revamped version is San Luis Obispo was the first
designed for students and parents. American town to ban indoor smoking in all
Jamba Juice, famous for its fruit locations, including bars and restaurants.
smoothies, was founded in this town.
Formerly called Juice Club, Jamba Juice
is now a national chain. Although Juice
Club was not a Cal Poly senior project as - Story by Taylor Altamura
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O
A grove of almond trees in Santa Margerita. A beautiful sunset in Morro Bay.
Agriculture is the number 1 industry in California, with career opportunities available in all fields
of food and agricultural sciences. The College of Agriculture at Cal Poly is the fourth largest undergraduate
agriculture program in the nation, with more than 3,500 students. The College awards an average of 650
baccalaureate degrees each year, nearly half of all baccalaureate agriculture degrees granted in the state.
The College emphasizes a “Learn by Doing” teaching methodology. We offer small classes and
close faculty/student interaction, along with
both theoretical and hands-on instruction.
Students have numerous opportunities to par-
ticipate in applied research projects, many of
which are sponsored by agricultural industries.
This “Learn by Doing” educational philoso-
phy helps develop leaders through education.
This dedication to leadership is a part of the
California Agriculture Leadership Program,
which has a professional bond with Cal Poly and
other agricultural programs. The Agriculture
Leadership Program is dedicated to developing
agriculture professionals who are confident and
are prepared to be leaders at home, work, and
within their communities, nation and world. Cal
Poly is proud to share this affiliation.
Cal Poly Tractor Pull.
All photos credited to Brady Teuful.
