Planning a birthday party that's just right for the season can be tricky. There are questions about whether it should be family with relatives only, with friends only or both? So far, we have hosted birthday parties for our sons at Pacific Flips Gymnastics, Pismo Bowl, Ravine Waterpark with a canopy rental, and at Pismo Beach on the sand where we brought and set up our own canopy (literally on the beach).

For each birthday party that we had planned out here on the Central Coast, it has been...

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A month ago, I dined at El Mirador and raved about how they made a fantastic California burrito on instagram.

Then, today, I walked down the same street to check them out again and realized they are now permanently closed.

The exact message they had on their window was this:
"Permanently closed
From the bottom of our hearts,
thank you for over 28 years of support - El Mirador"

I'm sad that they permanently closed, but glad that I was able to enjoy their California burrito before El Mi...

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I saw whales from the Pismo Beach Pier during my regular walks yesterday! I've never seen this many whales before out here on the Central Coast and I was so happy that I was able to capture some videos. A couple of weeks ago, I went on vacation to Alaska and saw humpback whales on an excursion. (You can read about my Alaska Cruise Vacation to see a video of the humpbacks I saw.) We paid over $100 a ticket for that excursion which makes me laugh now because I was able to just watch it for free...

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Pismo Preserve is a great place for hiking and to get a wonderful birds-eye view of the Pismo Beach Pier! It's free to park there but there are only a few dozen parking spots available. During the spring time, be prepared for seasonal allergies as flowers and plants bloom and can create a reaction to your body if you're not used to the pollen here. However, Pismo Preserve has the best and easy-to-find hiking trail! I highly recommend this hiking trail to tourists and locals.

I enjoy coming her...
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2025: As of summer 2025, Tito's Red Tacos (later changed name to "T's Red Tacos") has permanently closed, but you're welcome to read my old review below about the PR chaos.

Tito's Red Tacos in Pismo Beach got a lot of viral PR before it even opened! The restaurant is owned by a restauranteur who has opened successful restaurants around San Luis Obispo County (Pismo Beach is part of San Luis Obispo County).

There is a belief from a video that was recorded and posted on the internet that h...
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Kanpai Sushi is one of the best three top sushi restaurants that I've had in San Luis Obispo (SLO) County.

Over the weekend, we walked into Kanpai Sushi in Shell Beach for dinner without a reservation for two on a whim (kids were at a last minute kids' only event). The only reservations available left on Kanpai Sushi's website were 8PM and later so we decided to take our chances and walked in around 6:15PM to see if there was room at the sushi bar, which usually required no reservation. Luck...

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Earlier this week in Pismo Beach, we stumbled on thousands of Velella, also known as By-the-Wind Sailor. They are so magnificent and beautiful. They're tiny and look like they have a sail on them. 


For the first time in many years that I've lived here, this is the first time I've seen them at our beach! I was so excited. They have little legs on them and eat plankton. In person, they look very purply blue but it was a cloudy day so they have this darker color when I took pictures of them. ...
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Staying active and healthy is one of my goals. Over the years, I went to a number of gyms around the South County part of San Luis Obispo County. I even went to a couple that eventually went out of business!

Here is a list of gyms/fitness centers that I've visited and my thoughts about them in chronological order:

• Pismo Beach Athletic Club

  As things were starting to open up and the kids were transitioning to a couple of hours of lessons a day in school during the pandemic, I was able to try ...

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While I was in college at San Diego State University (SDSU), I worked at a seafood buffet and worked on Thanksgiving Day. [You can skip my college story and just scroll down or jump straight to the list of 24 restaurants in San Luis Obispo County that will be open on Thanksgiving Day and serving a turkey dinner for 2024.] It was by choice as I got better tips and only had to work for 5 hours and could still go home and spend time with my parents and sibling. I'm a native San Diegan but I live...
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Every year, the City of Pismo Beach plans an annual Pismo Beach Clam Festival in October by the Pismo Beach Pier. For 2025, it'll be October 18 and October 19, 2025. It is always a 2-day event.

The Pismo Beach Clam Festival is a fun weekend celebration with a clam tasting competition, free kid's zone and activities for the kids (image of sea creatures present for the kids to touch is below), beer garden and a lot of delicious food for sale. To top it off, they have different bands playing t...
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Last month, we dined at SeaVenture Restaurant inside of SeaVenture Beach Hotel in Pismo Beach for a nice dinner with the view of the ocean. This property is oceanfront and is one of the oldest resorts in the area. It's a popular choice to stay for tourists and also a great place to dine for locals.

To get to SeaVenture Restaurant, you'd have to enter the lobby on the ground floor of the teal-roofed hotel to find the elevator or stairs up to the top floor, the third floor. We took the elevator ...
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I had a very memorable date night with my husband earlier this month in Pismo Beach. We went to three different places on Price St, which is 2 blocks parallel from the Pismo Beach Pier. [ If you're looking for a date night suggestion for Downtown San Luis Obispo, read about our Date Night in Downtown SLO. ] 

First Date Stop in Pismo Beach: Tastes of the Valleys Review

There is a quaint wine bar in Pismo Beach on Price St. named Tastes of the Valleys. It stays open until 7PM on Saturdays so w...

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We dined at Pono Pacific Kitchen in Grover Beach, California right at 4PM today to try out the new Hawaiian restaurant in the West End of Grover Beach named Pono Pacific Kitchen.

It's a higher end restaurant with a one-page food menu and excellent service. They currently only serve dinner and have no lunch time hours. They have a couple of kid's options off the menu, which I appreciate very much! 

At the center of the restaurant is a bar, fully stocked with an inviting vibe. The doors...
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When I was working, I'd go sit in a coffee shop to plug in my laptop and enjoy a nice latte about a couple times a week to mix up it up because working remotely from home can sometimes be lonely. 

Best part about working remotely is I can choose a different setting if I wanted to, except when I have meetings as I try to reserve those work days for at home to avoid too much background noise. I have a preference over coffee shops that serve latte in a mug if I'm sitting there, especially when ...
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2025 Update: PCH Shave Ice & Boba is Now With New Owner and the Place is Called Big Wave Boba!

I tried boba at a new boba shop in Pismo Beach on Oak Park Blvd yesterday called PCH Shave Ice & Boba. I was impressed by the quality and taste of their boba!

I tried the Tiger Pismo (pictured above) and it was delicious. I loved the small corn hole game they have available to use as well. The ambiance was comfortable and relaxing. It's in the same shopping center as a couple of awesome restaurant...
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2025 Update: Yelp says Milk T Society Boba Shop in Pismo Beach closed, so it's closed now. The San Luis Obispo location is still open.

Located on the corner of HWY 1 & Hinds Ave. in Pismo Beach is a newer boba shop named MilkT Society. I tried their boba for the first time today, on their opening day!

I was anxious and excited! Their sign wasn't up yet at the time nor was their kitchen ready but I already liked the decor of it inside. I ordered the Black Tea with boba while my husband ordered...
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Jump to SLO Easter Brunch List

This year, Easter Day is on Sunday, April 20, 2025. Most of the egg hunt events are going to be during Easter weekend or the week before.
(I took this picture at the Egg Hunt event at Dinosaur Caves Park in Pismo Beach)

2025 Upcoming Egg Hunt List

• April 12, 2025 (Sat) - Community Easter Egg Hunt at SLO Ranch Farms starting at 10AM with egg hunt starting at 10:30AM. Afterwards, there will be a visit from the Easter Bunny. Free entry. Address: 871 Froom Ranc...

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There are a few Thai restaurants in Grover Beach but Bunn Thai is our favorite! Their food is authentic and the decor inside is warm and welcoming!

They also have great lunch specials. We've dined there for lunch and have done many take outs for lunch and dinner. It's always a great experience each time. I've tried their Thai fried rice, pad see ew noodles, seafood sizzling plate, curry and a couple of their appetizers.


The only thing that I feel uneasy about is that it's located next to a...
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For one of our date nights, we ate at Oyster Loft in Pismo Beach! It's beachfront with a phenomenal view of the Pismo Beach Pier and ocean.

We didn't have reservations and just walked in around 5:20PM and luckily there was a table available. Once we were seated, it didn't take long for the other tables to fill up so I highly recommend making a reservation ahead of time! We were just lucky that they had room for us. 

Oyster Loft is located on the second story. It's a beautiful restaurant with...
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There are beautiful Christmas light displays throughout San Luis Obispo County around the holiday season. Here are some of my experiences in the video shorts below. Just press the play button for any of them.

Christmas Light Sightings Around San Luis Obispo County:

Cambria Christmas Lights

Located in the northern coast of San Luis Obispo County, Cambria is a small beach town that has a very cool lodge called Cambria Pines Lodge. Every Christmas time, they put up millions of Christmas light...

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There are many different Pismo Beach t-shirts that you can find locally as souvenirs. There's not a shortage of souvenir shops near the Pismo Beach Pier that sell t-shirts, but it could be overwhelming to search through hundreds of them to find the right one. Upon going on a hunt to find Pismo Beach T-Shirts or 805 T-Shirts as a gift, I was getting a bit tired already after just finding a decent parking spot at the beach. I wasn't tired physically, just mentally tired. Then, stopping in one-b...
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Every year, we have Mother's Day as a special day to celebrate. Sometimes I love this holiday even more than my birthday as I feel like I'm celebrating it with all of the moms in country.
(My sons playing a game at a local Mother Son Dance that they attended with me during Mother's Day weekend)

Here are some tips on how to celebrate Mother's Day in San Luis Obispo County for 2025:

1. Go to a special event. There are special Mother's Day themed events around San Luis Obispo County. You can check o...

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Here are some ideas on what to do around San Luis Obispo County that could help make it a more memorable Father's Day.

1. Go to a Special Event.
   • There is usually at least one free concert in San Luis Obispo County that is for the public. On June 15, 2025 (Father's Day), Talley Vineyards is having a live performer from 1PM - 4PM. It's free music entertainment but wine purchase is required for entry and they encourage you to bring your own picnic food to enjoy! Here's an image of me enjoying a ...

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Jump to SLO Easter Brunch List

More 2025 Egg Hunts Will Be Announced as They Get Closer!

• April 12, 2025 (Sat) - Community Easter Egg Hunt at SLO Ranch Farms starting at 10AM with egg hunt starting at 10:30AM. Afterwards, there will be a visit from the Easter Bunny. Free entry event. Address: 871 Froom Ranch Way., San Luis Obispo, CA 93405

• April 12, 2025 (Sat) - Spring Fling at Meadow Park in San Luis Obispo from 11AM - 1PM. Egg hunt starts at 11AM for ages 0 - 8 years old. Bring your o...

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One of the more popular things to do in San Luis Obispo County is visit the Monarch butterflies at Monarch Butterfly Grove in Pismo Beach. It's free to visit and free to park.

It also leads to a walking trail that is parallel to the ocean. You could go towards the Grover Beach side and see amazing views of Grover Beach and Pismo Beach by going on the Meadow Trail or go North and walk near the RV's and continue along that route until it leads you to the boardwalk and Pismo Beach Pier. Eithe...
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(Update: Flagship closed indefinitely in 2022 and is a new restaurant named Vista. Review below is for Flagship but the beach views are the same! Enjoy the views!)
(view of Pismo Beach pier from inside of Flagship Seafood Restaurant)

(view of Shell Beach from our very same seats)

Flagship is a seafood restaurant located in Pismo Beach, California (part of San Luis Obispo County). It has phenomenal views of the Pismo Beach Pier and the Shell Beach side as well. Check out these views from our seat...
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Every year, there is a lot of family-friendly and free Christmas events in San Luis Obispo County that are planned by the community and local city governments. Sometimes, you may also find free Santa Photo opportunities!

Most Unique Christmas Thing To Do in SLO County: Cambria Christmas Lights 

I highly suggest visiting the Cambria Christmas Market that typically opens starting Thanksgiving weekend. See my video reel of my visit to Cambria Christmas Market above. This is a very unique thi...

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My first-born is starting kindergarten next month. Back in May, he had his Kindergarten Round-up (something that they have around San Luis Obispo county for the little ones who are about to start kindergarten in a few months) where they tested him on at least 10 things: like drawing a picture of himself, writing his name, counting to 20 and more! I was surprised that they were testing them on all that because I was expecting a 'round-up' to be like an orientation. My son passed all of it, tha...
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You're going to discover a hidden secret if you stumble onto this post. If the tides are not too high, you can walk down from Spyglass Park towards the beach and can curve around the bluffs to the right to find a small tiny beach! 

Now all of this is risky and requires good knees. I don't advise you hike down if the wind, weather and tides are not in your favor as well. I've seen a few guys with coolers traveling around those rocky trails down and then disappear around the corner.

The very firs...
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A dear friend from the Bay Area came down and visited me. I wanted to take her to a special place where a successful yuppie like her would appreciate. After some research online, I decided to take her to The Rooftop at Inn at the Pier hotel in Pismo Beach that overlooks the pier and ocean. It was absolutely the right pick!

The entrance to the hotel took a bit of time to figure out because it's on the opposite end of the beach parking lot. However, once we got on the property, I instantly fel...
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 (All photos are taken by SanLuisObispoMom.com)

Before my family and I moved to the San Luis Obispo County area, my husband was raving about the dinner spot that his company took him after his final interview. They had flown him from the East Coast, where we had lived, to come to Avila Beach, part of San Luis Obispo County, for this new job opportunity. It didn't take him long after that to make his decision. He wanted to move here and be able to see this panoramic view with me. 
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San Luis Obispo County is very lucky to have sponsored concerts and events throughout the summer. From downtown to the beaches, there's always one every week in the summer. Scroll below to see details of each concert series.

Quick Links to Free Summer Concerts by City Name:
• Arroyo Grande Village Summer Concerts at Heritage Square Park on Sundays, except for July 4
• Atascadero Saturday in the Park Summer Concert Series
• Avila Beach Friday Farmers Market in the Summer on Fridays
• Grover Beach Summer...

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Lucky for SLO residents and tourists, there are many places that sell boba! Some of them are dedicated tea shops while others are donut shops or restaurants. Check out these boba places that I've visited below. 

(Pictured above a photo I took while enjoying a boba at MilkT Society in Pismo Beach when it was still open. Scroll down to read more details about this boba shop.)

Sweetie Cup Tea House

Located in downtown SLO on Churro Street is a true tea house with wifi and the works that you woul...
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The beautiful ocean, clean sand and peaceful setting of Pismo Beach makes one feel like they are in a dream. This is the epitome of the California dream and we're living in it. My kids and I took a stroll yesterday in PB "Pismo Beach" and here are the pictures I took from my regular Samsung phone, unedited. It is amazing here!


When I was living in San Diego, I would hear the Visit California commercial say "Where the mountains meet the sea" and here, in SLO, in Pismo Beach, they really do meet...
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Here are my recommended Asian Restaurants in San Luis Obispo County from my experiences:

Kuma

Located in Los Osos, the name of this sushi and ramen house is perfect. Kuma in Japanese means "bear" and Los Osos, the city, means "bear" in Spanish. I'm kind of obsessed with their intentions when naming the restaurant! We came here for lunch and were blown away by the quality and price of their lunch special! I got a sushi roll and a small ramen bowl for only $20. We had options to pick from to, l...
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