My small family of 3 recently went on a 2-night getaway to the central coast. We had such an amazing time that I wanted to share our adventure with VCMC readers!
Our Hotel
My husband typically plans the logistics for our trips, and he made the decision to splurge on a hotel room with a balcony view of the ocean at Pismo Lighthouse Suites. I was blown away by everything that was provided. Our suite was spacious, included two full bathrooms, and had cute decorations all over reminding us that we were in a coastal beach town. My husband and I occupied a king bed, and my son slept on a full-size pull-out sofa bed in the living room. When stepping out onto our private balcony, we had a beautiful view of the ocean. Onsite parking and a daily continental breakfast were included with our reservation.
This hotel is an ideal spot for families with young children. My son enjoyed the heated pool and hot tub (let’s face it – just give young kids a hotel room and a pool and they’re happy). But there was also a Play Deck with a life-size chess game and a Pirate Ship play structure. Other games available to play are ping pong, cornhole, and ladder ball.
Day 1 – Pismo Beach
We left Camarillo around 9:30 am. We packed a sunbutter-and-jelly sandwich for my son (he has a lot of food allergies), some grapes, a couple apples, and chips. My husband and I called in an order at Nona’s Italian Deli in Camarillo (I highly recommend The Godmother) and picked them up along the way. Thanks to Google Maps, we randomly found a nice picnic area / rest stop in Goleta called Stow Grove Park. When looking on their site, maybe we needed to have made reservations? Whoops!
After reaching Pismo Beach, we checked into our hotel and explored the area. My husband and I enjoyed complimentary coffee, while my son spent some time on their Play Deck. Fortunately other kids were present, so he found a friend to play with.
Our hotel was conveniently walking distance away from downtown Pismo, so we walked there for dinner. We decided to eat at Cool Cat Cafe, a classic diner, where we all enjoyed delicious burgers. I was adventurous and tried a gluten-free one; I was surprised at how tasty it was. My husband and I contemplated getting cocktail drinks, but I instead opted for a refreshing pineapple iced tea.
Downtown Pismo has so many cool shops and is just fun to walk around. My husband, who had forgotten to pack swim trunks, found a new pair at a souvenir shop. This served him well because he and my son later used the pool and the hot tub back at the hotel. I joined them but sat on a chair; I didn’t go into the pool/hot tub for personal reasons.
Day 2 – Avila Beach / San Luis Obispo
My husband really wanted to go to Smugglers Cave in Avila Beach, so that’s the first thing we did. Just as a warning, this is a moderate hike with a lot of scaling rocks. I made the mistake of wearing a dress, but at least I wore sneakers. I highly recommend this place if you have kids old enough to hike. The views are breathtaking.
Next we went to Avila Valley Barn. We ate an early lunch at their Chicken Shack & Smoke House. My son enjoyed a hot dog. My husband ordered a tri-tip sandwich, and I had the pulled pork sandwich – both of ours were very messy but good.
Then we paid $3 for lettuce, and my son fed the barn animals – goats, llamas, a cow, a bull. He was so amused at their begging for food and how they ate the food. Some of the animals fought each other for the food. I made the mistake of thinking there was a petting zoo. But it was still fun watching and interacting with the animals.
We waited awhile for the hayride ($5/person), but if I could do it over again, I’d skip it. We didn’t really see much, and there wasn’t a tour guide who gave us interesting information. It was a little long and boring, but that’s just my opinion. Afterwards, we drove back to our hotel to unwind for a little bit.
Then we drove to San Luis Obispo. We enjoyed an early dinner at Woodstock Pizza. My husband and I split a yummy salad, and all of us chose individual slices of pizza with our preferred toppings. To kill time before the Farmers Market in downtown SLO, we browsed a Lego store called Bricks & Minifigs.
The Farmers Market in downtown SLO is quite the scene, definitely bigger than any of the Farmers Markets I’ve been to in Ventura County. We sampled various nut butters at one booth. My husband, who has a major sweet tooth, bought a brookie from a dessert booth. If we lived closer, we probably would’ve purchased more things. But again, we just walked around and browsed, soaking up the feeling of being part of a community and surrounded by other people interested in supporting farmers and local vendors. We did buy a bag of kettle corn to enjoy as a snack on the car ride home the following day.
Day 3 – Morro Bay
We slept in and had a leisurely morning. After having breakfast and checking out of our hotel, we drove to Morro Bay Boardwalk and meandered around. We listened to the calls of seals and sighted some seals and sea otters. It was relaxing and peaceful just looking at wildlife.
Thanks to Yelp, we went to Frankie & Lola’s Front Street Cafe for lunch. This place has good food but big portions, and they cater towards the breakfast crowd. My husband and I both enjoyed breakfast burritos (he got a Mexican-style one, and I got a veggie one), and my son ordered Dino nuggets. We stopped by a place to buy some salt water taffy, and then we hopped into our car and made the trek home.
RELATED TOPIC: Take a Road Trip to San Luis Obispo County
If you want a short, relaxing getaway, I highly recommend traveling to the central coast. Get away from the summer heat, and enjoy cooler vibes.
Guest Writer: Miriam Cave
