With my best friend in town for the weekend, I decided we should explore some of the best beaches and hot spots on the central coast of California. Come join as we explore Santa Barbara, Avila Beach, downtown San Luis Obispo, and Pismo Beach!
Day One: Santa Barbara
Our four days of local tourism began in Santa Barbara. A good friend of mine was visiting for the weekend—we both graduated from Westmont College and, two years ago, we studied abroad in England together. Santa Barbara is our home turf (check out this post on some adventures we’ve had in this city of sunshine) but it’s changed a lot in the five months since I was last down there.
State Street was blocked off to cars, allowing foot traffic only, and it was quieter than it used to be. Some of the small shops were closed because they couldn’t make it through the pandemic. Still, the street was as beautiful as ever. After exploring for a while, we picked up empanadas for lunch and headed to East Beach for the afternoon.
From Santa Barbara, it’s a scenic two hour drive up the coast to get back to my hometown. The coastal drive winds through the mountains of Los Padres National Forest, then through rolling hills and valleys, and finally through fields of agriculture to reach the central coast.
Day Two: Avila Beach
With a hot day forecasted, we got up early and headed out for a hike. Avila Ridge is a classic three-mile excursion with moderate climbs and a panoramic view. It’s one of the best hikes around. From the crest, you can see for miles up and down the coastline, across the vivid oceanic blue of the bay. After a steep downward climb, the trail loops back through a pretty neighborhood.
After stopping by Avila Barn to freshen up and change clothes, we drove to Avila Beach and picked up lunch at a beachfront place called Custom House. We ate out on the patio, with a view of the pier and palm trees sparkling in the midday sun. After lunch, we walked along the sandy shores and waded in the cool clear water (also: my friend found a sand dollar). Before we left, we stopped by Kraken Coffee for ice cream and iced coffee.
Back at my house, we spent the afternoon talking and journaling and trying not to die from heat stroke. Later that evening, we returned to Avila for a pizza dinner and a game of frisbee.
Day Three: San Luis Obispo
On our morning drive to San Luis Obispo, we spotted a flash of lightning in the gray skies. A summer storm was rolling in. As we walked downtown, we could hear rolls of thunder in the distance. Despite the heat and humidity, though, there was a feeling of summer rain in the air, tinged with that familiar foreshadowing of autumn (Fall is coming!!!! I can feel it in the air. We’re so close).
Phoenix Books is one of my favorite bookstores around. In these shelves stacked with used books, you can get lost for hours. I found a few literary gems: poems by T.S. Eliot and Wordsworth, a few paperbacks by Virginia Woolf, and a copy of Tolstoy’s “What is Art?”
We crossed the street to Mon Ami Crepe Bar for lunch. The rest of the afternoon we spent wandering around downtown, popping into a few local shops and boutiques, if only for some air-conditioned relief from the heat.
Day Four: Pismo Beach
Our last day of local tourism began with an easy Sunday morning at home, featuring waffles for breakfast and a church service online.
Later that afternoon, we met up with some friends in Pismo Beach for a game of volleyball. When we’d worked up a sweat, we ran down to the shore and splashed in the water to cool off. Mid-afternoon, the girls did a coffee run down to Kraken Coffee, by the pier, and wandered back along the water. A perfect end to a wonderful weekend!
It was absolutely wonderful having my friend in town for the weekend. We crammed a lot of classic central coast experiences into four days, but it was absolutely worth it for the good company and conversation! Thanks for coming along!
Until next time,
<3 Olivia Grace
