Getaway Time

City of San Luis Obispo Late Winter Getaway

Isn't it time you took things SLO? It's actually much easier than you think. San Luis Obispo (SLO) is centrally located just a few hours from San Francisco and Los Angeles. It's a Central Coast getaway with a secret: In February and March it's absolutely awesome, with green rolling hills, warm weather, wine country, beaches, bluffside hikes, bike trails, and brew pubs! The sweet seaside has everything from wine country to strolls in state parks within twenty minutes, or hikes leaving right from town! Then there are the creekside restaurants and cool little shops. Accommodations range from romantic B&Bs to chic boutiques and excellent value options. SLO is where you need to go for your next quick escape. Three favorite ideas:

Rock and Roll Icons: Famous for its distinct ancient volcanic formations, get up close to the iconic scenery on a sunset kayak to Morro Rock, a long-extinct volcano formed millions of years ago.

Bike and Brunch (and Beers): Hands down one of the nicest and safest casual biking paths in San Luis Obispo is along the paved Bob Jones Trail through woods paralleling San Luis Creek. Roll into Avila, home to a serene beach and a car-free downtown that's blissfully uncrowded this time of year. Back in SLO, head to a downtown brewpub or grab brunch al fresco style on a patio overlooking the creek.

slocitycom_015-image-jpeg

Hike From Town: Take to the hills on one of San Luis Obispo's hiking trails leaving right from town. Lace up the boots for the floral-filled Irish Hills and get gorgeous views of verdant hills out to the ocean. Wildflowers will be blooming soon!

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Serene Las Gallinas

    A serene stroll alongside marshland, passing ponds and grasses frilled in seasonal wildflowers, with Mount Tam a beacon in the background … how nice. As part of the esteemed Bay Trail, San Rafael’s Las Gallinas Valley Birding Loop and Wildlife Ponds comprises about 3.5 miles of wide-open trail.

    View
  2. Paint Brushy

    This time of year you’ll have good reason to head for the hills—the electric-green rolling hills of Brushy Peak Regional Preserve in Livermore. This 4.5-mile loop hike is like stepping into a plein air painting.

    View
  3. Sponsored

    2025 POST Wildflower Walks

    Get flower empowered! POST’s complimentary 2025 Wildflower Walks guide blooms with the best places to see a variety of florals across the Peninsula and South Bay this spring.

    View
  4. All right, Almaden!

    Take a trip through time on this 5-mile loop in Almaden Quicksilver County Park. Explore the ruins of an old cinnabar mine and enjoy the first hints of wildflower season.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Sponsored

    Weekend in Reno Tahoe

    Weekend plans? Reno Tahoe! Just a few hours by car or a short flight away, Reno Tahoe springs to the moment with great ways to combine adventure and relaxation in its beautiful mountains-meets-desert setting.

    View
  2. Hiker walking along the North Bluff Trail on Santa Cruz Island, Channel Islands National Park

    Purely Wild

    Channel Islands National Park lives up to its nickname as “North America’s Galapagos.” This less-traveled national park is an undeveloped and isolated series of five dramatic and distinct islands reached by boat. Hike the largest of the islands, Santa Cruz.

    View
  3. Woman hiking the South Kaibab Trail in the Grand Canyon

    Truly Grand Day Hike

    One of the best spring day hikes in the Grand Canyon? See layer upon layer of the park’s grandeur—including the river—on this 3-mile (one-way) journey to Skeleton Point via the South Kaibab Trail.

    View
  4. A woman stands amid an array of yellow and purple flowers at Descanso Gardens in Los Angeles

    Petal Paradise

    Tulips, lilacs, and daffodils—flower power is in full bloom at Descanso Gardens in La Cañada Flintridge. Sprawling across 150 acres surrounded by mountains, the gardens are putting on their best show right now.

    View