So much to love and enjoy here in Atascadero. They seem to have it all . . . and still more to…read morevisit. And whether it's Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Wine Tasting, Beer and Cocktails, Shopping, Tchotkes, there's absolutely something for everyone. My favorites here in beautiful Atascadero are Amstrdm Coffee House, Atrium Mercantile, Barley and Boar, The Book Odyssey, Carbon 6, Cielo, Kula Hawaiian Kitchen and Tasting Room, Malibu Brew House, Mr. Q, Nogi, and Whiskey and June. And all within walking distance to their beautiful Sunken Gardens. Year-round they have special events at the Sunken Gardens, Atascadero Lake Park, and the Central Coast Zoo. A great way to keep up with the happenings is visitatascadero.com

In Spanish the word, Atascadero means one big mess. This to me is the best way to describe this…read morecity. One big beautiful mess. Grapevines, open land, hills, oak trees, golden grass, ranch style homes, clean, paved roads leading to multiple planned out destinations surround this low key area. It feels more like a get away city for the upper class who probably own mansions in Hollywood, but this is when they want a taste of simple ranch life. Then you also have the other half which you can tell have been living here for a long time or inherited the big pieces of property. Then of course you have the still pricey locations where the middle class lives to provide services for the Atascadero residents and visitors. Sounds like the formula used in majority of California cities, but it's nicer and cleaner here. I leave this review with one of my favorite quotes, "You can sit at the dining table, but you can't touch the silverware."

Cute little town that we visit mainly for the cookies. Brown Butter Cookies are a must when passing…read morethrough. I would rather buy the cookies here than in SLO. The weather was perfection today. So beautiful! 7/29/26

North of Morro Bay and South of Cambria comes a 3 block casual little beach town…read more Cute and quaint, yes. Beach, yes. Pier, yes. Great breakfast/brunch place (Hidden Kitchen), yes. Antique Shops, yes, but a BIG no for me. The town just doesn't offer enough for me. But, the beach is lovely. Lots of surfers, great waves. Beautiful to walk on a warm day.

First weekend visit was last December when downtown was all decked out for the holidays and we had…read moreto walk to downtown for dinner on Saturday night because the streets were blocked off for holiday parade :). It's a nice mix of locals and visitors --you can go to any coffee shop and see regulars there with their dogs, and at the same time meet travelers from all over checking things out. I love people watching so either is a treat. Repeat visit last weekend because of the distillery trail. Paso Robles is becoming a destination for not only wine tasting but also locally distilled spirits like gin and vodka and whisky. All the local distillery owners and staff were knowledgeable and friendly and passionate about their craft. Where science and art meet to make deliciousness for everyone! Weather wise December was much more pleasant but we still enjoyed ourselves and the drive to and from Paso Robles was smooth and interesting--central CA is super different from SoCal!

Don't believe all the advertising hype about ' Stunning' Paso Robles…read more Use your own judgement based on facts. What's the reason why there are no Toyota, Honda, Lexus, BMW, Mercedes, Volvo and other upscale/ Luxury dealerships...Auto dealerships know why... Look at the condition of the streets in downtown. Yikes you can really hurt your cars suspension or alignment. No shopping Mall..J.C. Penny is closed and Kohls is it. Bragging about so many restaurants and wine,wine,wine. Great as tourist stop...

My little ode to the City of Morro Bay. To me the harbor and waterfront vibe is unmatched. Unlike…read more its neighboring coastal town neighbors, the coexistence of both businesses (tourism and commercial fishing) is symbiotic. Not competing with one another but exists mutually bringing out the best to draw tourists in, like myself. Also ancient lore has it that the calm is brought about by the calming effects of the Morro Rock. Embarcadero: The waterfront, which is called the Embarcadero, is a mix of retail shops, restaurants, hotels, charter tours, local service businesses, and parks. The Embarcadero is well planned out. Behind the shops is a walkway (ADA) with views of the harbor. There is an area with a telescope that locals call the seal viewing point. There is a floating platform in the harbor that seals flop onto and lounge about in each other's company. When there's something to talk about, they sure can chat it up. They can be loud and expressive, heard from the shore. The telescope is free, not one of those coin operated jobbers. Waterfront coastal access walkway: Throughout the harbor view walkway are information boards describing the local plants, animals, ecosystems, and city history.Plus there are memorials along the walkway, to name a few: Anchor Memorial honoring fisherman lost at sea; Nick Howell Legacy Bench honoring his contributions to the local community; First Landing of Filipinos in America marker; and CA state historic landmark # 821 Morro Rock. Restroom Situation: Having clean and accessible restrooms is so important especially for folks day tripping doing the tourist thing. There are public restrooms throughout the Embarcadero and along the coastal access walkway linking the Embarcadero to Coleman Park, iconic Morro Bay Rock and adjoining Morro Strand beach. The parking lots next to the Rock and beach is free. Free access to the beach as well. I gotta hand it to the City for the forethought of the multitude of restrooms. Boat Launch: On the far side of the Embarcadero Street from the Morro Rock is a boat launch that is free to use. But be aware that parking fees for the launch is enforced. It use to be free, but that changed recently in March 2026. Plus this area has a park (Greenspace, play area, picnic table/bbqs, restroom, fish cleaning station). Maritime Museum: Such a special place. Outdoor exhibits of real vessels. The one room museum surprisingly holds significant local artifacts and historical info. Plus the best part, it's FREE. Donations accepted but no pressure or mention by staff to do so. Landmarks: +Morro Rock - The Rock stands 580 feet tall and is a volcanic plug dating back to 20,000 million years ago. It's against the law to climb onto the rock. It's a protected area for birds. Plus with all the guano, you don't want any part of that, +Three Stacks- PG& E built an energy plant along the harbor in the 1950s. Thus the three stacks. The plant was closed in 2014. After a study was completed that determined it would take about $1 million per year to maintain the three stacks, the City voted to remove the three stacks which will be taken down by 2028. Say your goodbyes now. History: The Chumash tribe lived here before the European settlers. Archaeological artifacts of the local tribe date back to over 3500 years ago. Then by the late 1500s, it has the earliest recorded European interactions. By the late 1700s, permanent European settlement occurred in the area. In 1870, the city became officially incorporated, just 20 years later after California obtained statehood in 1850.

Morro Bay is a must stop if you visit the Cambria area, up on the Central Coast. It was a foggy day…read morewhen we checked it out, pretty atmospheric. The Rock is cool to see. Small, quaint atmosphere, cute shops and restaurants around, nothing fancy, just a laid back vibe. California at its best. No crowds, just a nice place to walk around for a while, grab some lunch or coffee near the water, relax, escape your daily life and enjoy a tranquil, small town place with an unique flavor!

Probably one of the go to spots while in morro bay. Who doesn't want to see a sea otter? We were…read morethere and were able to see just one but it was worth it in the end. The designated area is walled off and pretty safe for kids but if you go around the corner and onto the pier area, it is open so keep your kids close as they could technically fall into the water. Good closeup area for Morro rock too if that's what you're looking for. If you are able, you can go into the pier and get a bit closer for better pics of Morro rock.

Who wouldn't love to walk and see otters and seals! This is a great place for photos…read more The waterfront Embarcadero street is close to the pier and has many shops and restaurants. I love that it is dog friendly! We walked from the beginning of the pier to Morro Bay rock.

One of my all time favorite small towns in SLO county. The community feel here is real. They have…read morean adorable downtown area with a handful of coffee and brunch spots, bars, restaurants, and even a Trader Joe's! Club Car Bar is a more recent addition, which boasts great food, drinks and live music! The Templeton Park is also great, as they have a weekly Farmers Market here and lots of shade to enjoy a picnic or just talk a stroll. Most of all, I love their annual 4th of July Parade which brings in an impressive crowd and lasts usually approximately 1.5 hours! Overall, I just love this little town, the community feel it has every time I'm there!

Nitt Witt Ridge. I never got around to take a tour. Alas all good things must come to an end. The…read moreNitt Witt Ridge home was permanently closed in June 2022. It's fenced off with private property signs posted. It's privately owned now. The once impressive, folk art monstrosity of a home, has fallen to disrepair. It's sadly dilapidated and has lost all of its lovely, quirky charm. The house is a crumbling heap. It looks as if a strong stiff wind can take it all down. The gardens are long gone... weeds are blooming now. Sad. Nitt Witt Ridge is California State Landmark #939. The marker is still on the property, viewable . The bourse in its glory days was an example of 20th century folk art. Created by homeowner, Arthur Beal. Mr. Beal bought the 2.5 acre lot in 1928. He lovely kept up this place and gave tours. He died in 1992. In its hey day, the house and gardens were spirited folk art and part wacky off the wall lunacy. He sculpted the land using hand tools and local materials. I'm glad I came to see it before who knows what will become of it. Your guess is as good as anyones. Future mega mansion is my bet. But f you want to check NWR out, there is a small dirt area across the street which makes for a perfect makeshift temp parking spot.

I love Cambria, it reminds me of Santa Barbara, Carmel , San Luis Obispo…read more Very quaint town to stroll , admires antiques, beautiful views and you take your own time. Walking in the main streets you enjoyed cafe, shops and restaurants.

Visiting SLO and my wife heard about this trail. I checked online on how to access...unfortunately…read morethe article was from 5 years ago and seemed to be outdated. Make sure you have plenty of time as there is quite a bit to see. We had a little over an hour and weren't able to see everything. We parked at the parking village drive parking garage, which was $10. There are 2 trails that head to the entrance arch shown in the picture..the first we ran across connected to the living quarters as was a narrow trail in the grass leading to the woods. This is a tad more challenging as the other trail is a gravel road with a slight incline and this route is a small path through the woods ( incline, decline, over branches and roots, etc). After about 14 mins it connects the gravel travel. To access from the gravel trail start from the parking garage opposite of the parking garage entrance there is a sidewalk path leading to a bridge, cross the bridge and you'll be on your way. Immediately, we saw some horses wandering around and crossing us on the trail. They were calm and a pleasant surprise. I won't post much of our photos, but there are lots of interesting structures that gave me a burning man feel. Lots of graffiti too, not sure if that is welcome or just vandalism. This was a nice change of pace trail and I would recommend.

If you've heard of the Architecture Graveyard, this is the way to get there! Other reviews have…read moregood directions but I highly recommend going on a weekend so you don't have to worry about finding parking. There's also a parking garage that isn't too far, in addition to the nearby staff lots. Trail is a fire road, and occasionally there are cars/trucks on it, so stay aware. You'll eventually come to a route to your right with a bridge for a hidden trail, but keep going to the left to get to the graveyard - plan to spend an hour or two if you really want to wander around and see all the structures. The trail itself is shady, but several of the projects are out in the open - take sunblock and water, and use common sense. For better or worse, most of the architecture displays are run-down, broken, and/or vandalized with graffiti - it lends a cool dystopian vibe to the area but it's a shame that the university let them get so damaged. Still cool to explore, though, stop by to take a look and get in some steps on a nice day!