The San Luis Obispo Children's Museum was honestly one of the unexpected highlights of our entire…read morethree-day stay in Pismo Beach. My 5-year-old son and 11-year-old daughter both had a great time, which is not always easy with that age difference. There are three floors with so much to do. The first floor has science activities, and the second floor was probably our favorite, with a fire station, medical station, theater stage, police motorcycle, dress-up costumes, building activities and plenty of hands-on exhibits. The third floor has a train station and more activities geared toward younger kids and toddlers. There's also a small outdoor water-play area, which was a nice bonus. One thing I really appreciated as a parent is how thoughtfully the museum is set up. There are bathrooms on every floor, so you don't have to drag everyone up or down the building every time someone needs to go. It's also very accessible and clearly designed with families in mind. It was educational, interactive, affordable and kept both of my kids entertained for a long time. If you're staying in Pismo Beach or anywhere nearby and looking for something fun to do with kids, I highly recommend making the drive to San Luis Obispo. We would absolutely come back.

This museum is so neat! As you enter and pay for admission, you'll find a craft area, a small gift…read moreshop, and the museum's first floor, which includes an outdoor water table and some play-and-explore areas. Then there is a second floor with all the make-believe establishments, where kids can explore different jobs, etc. There is so much to do and discover for kids! We took our 5- and almost-3-year-olds here, and they both loved it so much! They were a little sad when it was time for us to go. It is also worth noting that there are a couple of single-room bathrooms on each floor, which is great for kids, as they can easily access them and then go back to exploring! The bathrooms were maintained well and kept clean.

This place is adorable and perfect for kids to discover, imagine, and explore. There are so many…read morehands-on exhibits where kids can pretend to be a banker, chef, grocery store clerk, astronaut, veterinarian, and more. They can also play in themed areas like kayaking, the beach, fishing, and the Wild West. There's a huge arts and crafts section with tons of materials to create with, and kids can even plant a small plant to take home. The museum also has an air station and an outdoor play area with water chutes, which adds even more fun. The price is very reasonable, and the snacks available for purchase are affordable as well. A thoughtful bonus was that they even offered free formula. Overall, it's a fantastic spot for families with young kids.

Kids had a great time! Ages 1.5 and 3... so much for them to do and see! We will definitely be…read moregoing back soon. And what a great deal, only $7 per person!

Great experience...very friendly staff and inclusive environment. Highly recommend if you're in the…read morearea. We definitely plan on going back when we are!

The Paso Robles Children Museum is an awesome place to take kids, especially ages 2-8. My daughter…read morehad a blast and has been looking forward again. It's 2 floors and isn't the largest, but definitely can spend at least an hour in there! They even have an outdoor area. Awesome little kids museum!

Beautifully kept, nonprofit, little aquarium. They have a nice selection of sea life with how…read morequaint this place is. They had spots where you were able to interact with some of the animals (we got to pet a shark!) and play a seek-and-find checklist game. Their souvenir shop was cute and we got a magnet and some stickers. Definitely worth a visit.

I was raised in this area and never went to the aquarium so I'm sure you can imagine how excited I…read morewas to take my toddler here for both of our first times visiting this place! The staff is so friendly and knowledgeable! They were so patient with my baby touching a starfish for the very first time. This place is special and I'm so glad we got to experience it together while visiting Avila beach.

Our family was just looking to kill some time and ended up really enjoying this museum! It's great…read morefor kids -- there's a train driving simulator that captured our 11 year olds attention, and train play sets for younger kids. There's old timey animatronic guys and model trains and a dining car you can walk into and explore. We spent around 2 hours just wandering! It's not a huge place but lots to see, and the docents there are easy to talk to and very knowledgeable. There was an old typewriter our toddler got oddly obsessed with, too. Entry is $6 for adults, free for 3 and under. Verdict: worth it!

Even though the inside of the museum is only open on Saturdays it's still a cool place to come…read morevisit if you're doing some site seeing here in San Luis Obispo. It's located right next to the actual train station in the town. There's a decent amount of history and facts that you can read on some of the displays outside the museum if you come here any other day of the week.

Great place, educational, worth the trip. I go every time I'm in town. And I spend a ton of money…read morein the gift shop because I want to support the museum. Don't miss this opportunity to learn and have fun doing it. Great for the whole family.

A neat little museum to stop in when passing through. I would plan on spending about half hour…read more Entrance fee is $3 per adult.

This is a great museum to visit when in Paso Robles…read more There were so many military vehicles and aircraft to see up close. They were parked outdoors and it was cool to be able to walk up to the planes and tanks that our military used in different wars. There was also an enclosed area with antique cars. There was a gift shop with souvenirs for purchase. This museum was impressive and well worth the time to visit.

Loved this place! We had our fur baby with us but even though pets are not allowed, they let us…read moresee the outdoor exhibit while my husband went to see the whole exhibition. The gentleman at the ticket counter was very nice and friendly. He is definitely an asset to the museum!

We have been coming here for years. Our kids LOVE the Moxi!…read more Especially our son who is a big STEAM kid. My only complaint is the water section on top floor, that exhibit in particular seems like it needs some maintenance. Some oil added or something like that as it is very hard to push the levers. Also some additional shade up there would be nice! It is super bright and VERY sunny (almost blinding with the white paint)! Highly recommend people bring sunglasses up there. It's nice because it is a very spacious museum that offers a lot. Often it is very clean too!

Pros: Close to the train stop…read more Lots of interactive activities Sensory cave to help battle overstimulation Cons: Not good for infants and toddlers. The lactation pod was super loud and not a great place to pump, luckily had the sensory cave. Their infant and toddler room is for walkers only because they don't close it off and make people take their shoes off so definitely not okay for babies like they claim who need a clean environment. Also very little toys. Better if you can already climb and walk. Expensive! They have a 90 mile rule for using reciprocal kids museums and Pasadena's Kidspace is 89 miles away. $25 an adult is not worth it for the parents of a non crawler.

A tiny small history museum that is run by volunteers. It's free but they accept donations. Might…read morebe hard to spot but it's pretty much a house with viewable things inside. You will probably be done in 10-15 minutes, it's that small but still enjoyable if you're in Santa Maria looking for things to do.

Their times conflict on their website and what's posted on the outside of the building. Either you…read moreare open at 12:00 pm or 1:00 pm. Winter is over, according to the website, you should be open at 12:00 pm. Also, they will not let you use their restroom. You need to walk across the street and use the restroom at the library. Even with the restroom door open and toilet in site, they will close the door and say it's not for you.

The Mission Museum presents an amazingly unbiased and accurate view of San Luis Obispo prehistory,…read moreand colonial past. Displays have been updated in the Rancho room is not to be missed!

We stop here in our way back from The red forest park. It…read morewas a nice stop and the art and pieces of architecture where Amazing!