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My five year old has just competed in his very first pumpkin contest. Since he is only five, there is no carving involved and we did it as a family. It was a fun activity that all of us enjoyed. My son got to pick what color eyes our pumpkin should have and other features too. He was very adamant that our lion pumpkin should not have ears! Here's the final product.
 (Lion pumpkin DIY no carve)

I think it turned out pretty cute. We used yarn for the lion mane, felt for the tongue, fuzzy balls for the eyes, nose and legs, pipe cleaner for the mouth area and black permanent marker for the whisker dots. 

We hope you're having a festive fall so far. To see free family-friendly activities in the San Luis Obispo area, go to: http://www.sanluisobispomom.com/family-friendly-events.php.

Today, we visited farms animals at Windmill Farms in Arroyo Grande (AG), California. (Arroyo Grande is part of San Luis Obispo County). We have farms all over this beautiful county which gives the kids many opportunities to visit farm animals.

Upon arriving Windmill Farms, I was instantly impressed by how well kept the farm is.

The place is so beautiful, I did not take a single bad picture! We were allowed to feed lettuce to the farm animals. Just ask the workers there at Windmill Farms if you could purchase some lettuce. We saw tortoises, goats, pigs, turkeys and ponies.



It was really amusing to hear the turkeys gobble, gobble every time we would pass by! It was so perfect to be around all of this during the fall season.

They also had a picnic area which got me thinking that this could be a very nice place to host an intimate wedding reception! Address of Windmill Farms is 1275 N Thompson Ave, Arroyo Grande, CA 93420.

Read about our visit to another farm called Avila Valley Barn in Avila Beach (also part of San Luis Obispo county).

Note: This is a review of Vina Robles Vineyards when it used to be located next to the amphitheater. They have since moved from that location.

Over the weekend, we attended a wine release party at Vina Robles Vineyards & Winery in Paso Robles, California. (Paso Robles is part of San Luis Obispo county.) The food and wine pairings were fantastic. It was free for wine club members and that is so wonderful because sometimes other wineries still charge a fee for these release parties.

We have been wine club members for two wineries thus far, Vina Robles Vineyards and Tolosa Winery (Edna Valley). This one at Vina Robles Vineyards & Winery is our very first wine release party ever! 

The wine release party was from 11AM - 2PM. By the time we have arrived in Paso Robles, it was about 11:10AM and there was a line to enter already. About 30 - 40 people were in front of us. It was over 100 degrees that day so it was going to be a very hot day! The staff members there were very polite and professional. Now looking back, next time we will arrive at 1PM because we'll still have an hour to go through all 6 tasting stations and the line by that time to enter was non-existent!

Although there were 6 different wine & food pairing tastings, as a bonus, you can try their blind tastings and those were another 3 red wine tastes.

It was such a wonderful event with chef worthy dishes, fantastic Vina Robles wine and a wonderful ambiance outdoors during a summer day. I really can't wait for the next wine release party here!

If you're looking to go to a concert, Vina Robles also has an amphitheatre where many famous bands perform here!

We watched Counting Crows when they came here! As another perk as a Vina Robles Vineyards club member, they let you join their pre-concert party! Entry to this pre-show party is only exclusive to wine club members. All of the concerts have pre-show parties if they are performing here at the amphitheatre. The amphitheatre only opened a couple of years ago so the place is beautiful and new. My husband and I shared the braised beef entree at the pre-show party for Counting Crows.

If you're not a wine club member, the main areas of the venue also have many different stations of food to buy! This is for every Vina Robles Amphitheater goer and there were a pizza station, another area to buy sandwiches and burgers, desserts and of course wine! You can also get beer here! Address of Vina Robles Amphitheatre: 3800 Mill Rd, Paso Robles, CA 93446

Address of new Vina Robles Winery Tasting Room Location: 1650 Ramada Drive, Ste. 140 Paso Robles, CA, 93446

Pictures of Original Vina Robles Vineyards & Winery Location

Vina Robles Vineyards & Winery was one of the first tasting rooms that we visited in Paso Robles. The place felt so luxurious and open in the tasting room. There was also patio seating as well in their courtyard space. We've visited their bistro for lunch a few times and although the menu is small, the food was always amazing.

Reading Suggestions:

• Read about other wineries that I've visited in Edna Valley and Paso Robles in San Luis Obispo County.


• See my top 10 favorite local wineries in Edna Valley and Paso Robles, as a local.


• See this IG reel of different wine tasting rooms that I've personally visited.

Note: The long running Parent Participation Program in San Luis Obispo County in Oceano (South County area) has been permanently discontinued. However, the one located in San Luis Obispo City (North County part) is still running. Scroll down to continue to read about my personal Parent Participation experience.

Parent Participation in Five Cities

After moving to San Luis Obispo county, we were recommended by a local to try Parent Participation. Two of the main ones are city-site run programs for parents with kids between the ages of 0 - 5 years old.

I enrolled my little one for the Oceano location. The Parent Participation programs in Oceano was categorized by South County (Lucia Mar) and offered four different class groups: 0 - 12 months old, 12 - 24 months old, 24 - 36 months old and 3 and 4 year olds. Each age group met once a week for 3 hours. During the 3 hour session, the day would look like this: free play time, clean up, circle time on the rug with songs, snacks (volunteered and snacks donated by parents), auditorium play while parents have an educational discussion about parenting, clean up and then ending with a nice story at circle time. Parents definitely participated in this class as they helped assist the kids with clean up and participating throughout the organized day. These classes are a great way to get kids used to social play with kids within their age group and for parents to talk to other parents who have kids around the same age. I paid $90 for the 6 week period (7 sessions). If your child is not ready for preschool, Parent Participation is really a great transition to preschool since the parent gets to be there with them the whole time.

We attended two different sessions and my child really liked the program and referred to it as 'school'. He would be excited to come play, sing songs, learn letters and be a part of a classroom setting. When we came during our first day, both my little one and I were overwhelmed because we had just moved here. We're the new kids on the block while most of the parents and kids had been a part of it together before. It was a bit intimidating. After the second week, we got more used to it. These classes were mainly for the little ones to thrive so it's all with positive intent. Be brave, I'd tell myself! We're glad we braved it and continued on to the next session before the pandemic inevitably, cut our session short. We had a field trip every session through our Parent Participation program and it was so fun! We went to a local farm to pick a pumpkin and see farm animals for one of the field trips during the fall.

2025 Update for Parent Participation for Five Cities Area (Lucia Mar):

As mentioned at the beginning of the post, the Lucia Mar Parent Participation Classes that my preschooler had participated in Oceano with me canceled during the pandemic but what have uprooted in popularity is a free program planned by the South County Youth Coalition. They offer classes in English and Spanish and parents are required to participate with their little ones. It's like a free parent participation program that's funded by grants and is for kids from 0 months through 5 years old (age groups are broken into pods). See available parent participation type classes on their South County Youth Coalition Eventbrite page. You will need to register online for your child's spot as there are limited spaces.

Parent Participation in North San Luis Obispo County Area

There's a popular Parent Participation program with sessions that are 2 hours long located at San Luis Coastal Adult School (city run) in San Luis Obispo, California that's appropriate for families living closer to the San Luis Obispo City area. Another one that is not run by the city is Playtime Discoveries in Atascadero, California. Although my kids did not attend these two programs, I always hear good things about them.

San Luis Obispo County has so many kid-friendly things to do and parent & me (mommy & me) type programs for the little ones. You can find all of these classes under the Mom Groups & Childcare section. For free events to do with your family or kids, you can go to the SLO County Events & Things To Do page.

Find Suggested Things To Do for Teens in SLO County.

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 thing to do in San Luis Obispo County as it's over a mile walk through with non-stop Christmas lights. You can buy tickets to enter the market or you can stay at one of their hotels and the entry to the market is included. It is very stroller-friendly. Read more about Cambria.

2025 Listing is Growing

• November 8, 2025 (Sat) - SLO Library Makerspace Event at SLO Public Library Community Room from 11AM - 2PM. SLO Classical Academy (SLOCA) is celebrating their 20th anniversary in the community this year! SLOCA is hosting a FREE and FUN makerspace for kids and (kids at heart)! Inspiring lifelong learners with a story, craft, LEGO coding and construction activities. Bring a friend, as this is sure to be a great time for all! Address: 995 Palm St., San Luis Obispo, CA 93433

• November 11, 2025 (Tues) - Veteran's Day Ceremony at Faces of Freedom Memorial in Atascadero at 11AM. Address: 8024 Portola Rd, Atascadero, CA 93422

• November 14 - 16 (Fri - Sun) - Atascadero Fall Fest for 3 days at Sunken Gardens in Downtown Atascacdero. The 5th Annual Atascadero Fall Fest is a three-day, FREE admission event at the beautiful Sunken Gardens in Downtown Atascadero from November 14th - 16th. This family-friendly full-scale carnival will include rides, games, vendors, breweries, music, and more. Schedule: Friday, November 14 | 4 - 10 pm Saturday, November 15 | 12- 10 pm Sunday, November 16 | 12- 10 pm Address: 6505 El Camino Real, Atascadero, CA 93422

• November 15, 2025 (Sat) - Cal Poly Pier Open House from 9AM - 2PM. Cal Poly’s Center for Coastal Marine Sciences cordially invites the community to a 1.2-mile-long, round-trip walking tour of the Cal Poly Pier from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 15. Come learn about local ocean environments and marine life. The pier is located on Avila Beach Drive, just west of the San Luis Creek Bridge, in Avila Beach. For more information about this free event, go to marine.calpoly.edu.

• November 20, 2025 (Thurs) - Moonlight Hours at the SLO Children's Museum from 5PM - 7PM Visit the San Luis Obispo Children's Museum for free! Free hours are a way to broaden a children’s museum’s visitor base and reach out to underserved communities. Museums can inspire the development of new skills and interests, ignite creativity and enrich social connections. By removing financial barriers, museums and their benefactors also remove the social and academic barriers families face when they are not exposed to high-quality museum experiences. Address: 1010 Nipomo St., San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

• November 20, 2025 (Thurs) - Wickedly Good Party at The Cliffs Hotel and Spa from 6PM - 8PM. Step into Oz for a night where everything’s a little pink, a little green, and a whole lot of fun! With themed bites, craft cocktails, and special treats to keep things sweet, The Wickedly Good Party DJ will have you dancing like you’ve been spellbound. Sip sparkling bubbles like Glinda herself and capture playful photo moments that make you feel popular and ready to defy gravity. Grab your crew, dress up in your favorite pink & green fits, and follow the yellow brick road to The Cliffs Hotel and Spa on Thursday, November 20. Get ready for an evening of magical surprises that The Cliffs is known for! Details: ✨Open to hotel guests and the local public ✨Free-entry and family-friendly ✨No outside food or beverage ✨Food and beverages are not included with entry ✨Valet parking validated with purchase Address: 2757 Shell Beach Rd, Pismo Beach, CA 93449

• November 27, 2025 (Thurs) - Happy Thanksgiving Day! See a list of restaurants that are usually open and serving a Thanksgiving turkey option.

• November 28, 2025 (Fri) - Santa's House Opening Day Celerbration at 1PM. Free, family-friendly, and open to the public — Watch Santa arrive to Mission Plaza and be among the first to visit and take photos with him! Taking photos cost money. Address: 989 Chorro Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

• November 28, 2025 (Fri) - Light up the Plaza at 5PM. Free, family-friendly, and open to the public — Join Downtown SLO, the City of SLO, and our sponsors and community partners as we "switch on" the lights in the Plaza, ushering in the start of the 2025 holiday season! Grab a cozy drink downtown and enjoy live music and community. Address: 989 Chorro Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

• November 28, 2025 (Fri) - Downtown Lighting Ceremony at Paso Robles City Park at 5:30PM. Itinerary includes: 5:30 pm - Community gathers at downtown City Park Bandstand and 6:00 pm Mrs. Claus lights the whole Downtown. There will be music, speeches, candlelight caroling, coffee and cocoa, Mrs. Claus, the Elves and the Grinch. Address for GPS: Spring St &, 12th St., Paso Robles, CA 93446

• November 28, 2025 (Fri) and November 29, 2025 (Sat) - Christmas at the Santa Margarita Ranch! Step aboard and make memories with the whole family with this one-of-a-kind Christmas experience. Dates available include: Friday, November 28, Saturday, November 29, Friday, December 5, Saturday, December 6, Friday, December 12, Saturday, December 13, Friday, December 19, Saturday, December 20, and Sunday, December 21. Tickets have to be reserved ahead of time online through their online reservation system. Lots of new and exciting changes on this year’s train ride to Santa’s village. Learn more below about this fun event (please note, there is no access to Santa’s village without the pre-purchase of train tickets). I've been to the Santa Margarita Ranch and rode on one of the trains before for a special company event. See video below:
  
  Address: 9000 Yerba Buena Avenue, Santa Margarita, CA 93453

• December 5, 2025 (Fri) - Holiday Harmony by Pismo Beach Pier from 5:30PM - 7:30PM. Free entry event. Snow! Santa! Cookie Decorating! Bounce Houses! This is a free family friendly event. Lighting Ceremony at 6PM. Address: 100 Pomeroy Ave, Pismo Beach, CA 93449

• December 5, 2025 (Fri) - Light up the Downtown and Holiday Sip & Shop from 5:30PM - 8PM. Enjoy an evening with the official lighting and kick-off of the 2nd Annual "Garden Lights & Winter Nights" PLUS community entertainment, Santa, complimentary Model-A Firetruck & Hay Rides, hot chocolate, and more! Shops will be open late, and wine and beer tastings will be available from participating merchants. A great way to enjoy shopping and strolling Downtown along with the festivities of the season! Address: 6505 El Camino Real, Atascadero, CA 93422

• December 5, 2025 (Fri) and December 6, 2025 (Sat) - Christmas at the Santa Margarita Ranch! Step aboard and make memories with the whole family with this one-of-a-kind Christmas experience. Dates available include: Friday, November 28, Saturday, November 29, Friday, December 5, Saturday, December 6, Friday, December 12, Saturday, December 13, Friday, December 19, Saturday, December 20, and Sunday, December 21. Tickets have to be reserved ahead of time online through their online reservation system. Lots of new and exciting changes on this year’s train ride to Santa’s village. Learn more below about this fun event (please note, there is no access to Santa’s village without the pre-purchase of train tickets). I've been to the Santa Margarita Ranch and rode on one of the trains before for a special company event. See video below:
  
  Address: 9000 Yerba Buena Avenue, Santa Margarita, CA 93453

• December 6, 2025 (Sat) - Holiday Musical Walk Around the Lake from 5:30PM - 9PM. Event is free, but visiting Santa costs money. Address: 9305 Pismo Ave, Atascadero, CA 93422

• December 7, 2025 (Sun) - First Annual Country Christmas Market at Birchwood Nipomo from 2PM - 7PM. Address: 323 W Tefft St, Nipomo, CA, United States, California 93444

• December 12, 2025 (Fri) - Winter Wonderland at Sunken Gardens in Atascadero from 5PM - 9PM. Free event. Atascadero’s Sunken Gardens and the entire downtown will be transformed into a magical snowy paradise! Over 70 Tons of snow will create a massive snow slide (brought to you by Kiwanis), and snow pile areas for the kids. This year’s snow-themed event includes bungee jumps, obstacle courses, community entertainment, Joe's Little Train, Santa & his Elves, and more. If you are looking to check off a couple of items from your holiday shopping list, this event also offers shopping from our downtown merchants, plus over 50 craft and food vendors. The event is free to enjoy, so be sure to invite your family and friends to this evening of holiday cheer! To kick off the evening, Santa & his elves will make an appearance at the massive snow slide area, and Santa is planning to take the first sled ride along with an Elf or two. If you miss Santa and the elves at the snow slide, you can catch them at Historic City Hall until 8 pm. The North Pole entrance for Santa will be on the West Mall side of the building. Address for GPS: 6505 El Camino Real, Atascadero, CA 93422

• December 12, 2025 (Fri) and December 13, 2025 (Sat) - Christmas at the Santa Margarita Ranch! Step aboard and make memories with the whole family with this one-of-a-kind Christmas experience. Dates available include: Friday, November 28, Saturday, November 29, Friday, December 5, Saturday, December 6, Friday, December 12, Saturday, December 13, Friday, December 19, Saturday, December 20, and Sunday, December 21. Tickets have to be reserved ahead of time online through their online reservation system. Lots of new and exciting changes on this year’s train ride to Santa’s village. Learn more below about this fun event (please note, there is no access to Santa’s village without the pre-purchase of train tickets). I've been to the Santa Margarita Ranch and rode on one of the trains before for a special company event. See video below:
  
  Address: 9000 Yerba Buena Avenue, Santa Margarita, CA 93453

• December 13, 2025 (Sat) - Santa's Doggie Parade from 11AM - 12PM at Avila Beach Promenade.$5 to register your dog. You can register your dog online here. This year's parade participants will receive goodie bags donated by Petco Arroyo Grande. All dogs must be registered and check-in between 10:30-10:45am to receive a contest identification number for the costume contest: best dog costume, best dog/owner look alike, best holiday look, funniest costume, and best in show. Each catagory winner will receive a basket from Lemos! Address for GPS for parade 404 Front St., Avila Beach, CA 93424

• December 18, 2025 (Thurs) - Moonlight Hours at the SLO Children's Museum from 5PM - 7PM Visit the San Luis Obispo Children's Museum for free! Free hours are a way to broaden a children’s museum’s visitor base and reach out to underserved communities. Museums can inspire the development of new skills and interests, ignite creativity and enrich social connections. By removing financial barriers, museums and their benefactors also remove the social and academic barriers families face when they are not exposed to high-quality museum experiences. Address: 1010 Nipomo St., San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

• December 19, 2025 (Fri), December 20, 2025 (Sat), and December 21, 2025 (Sun) - Christmas at the Santa Margarita Ranch! Step aboard and make memories with the whole family with this one-of-a-kind Christmas experience. Dates available include: Friday, November 28, Saturday, November 29, Friday, December 5, Saturday, December 6, Friday, December 12, Saturday, December 13, Friday, December 19, Saturday, December 20, and Sunday, December 21. Tickets have to be reserved ahead of time online through their online reservation system. Lots of new and exciting changes on this year’s train ride to Santa’s village. Learn more below about this fun event (please note, there is no access to Santa’s village without the pre-purchase of train tickets). I've been to the Santa Margarita Ranch and rode on one of the trains before for a special company event. See video below:
  
  Address: 9000 Yerba Buena Avenue, Santa Margarita, CA 93453

• December 20, 2025 (Sat) - Holiday Magic at The Central Coast Zoo (formerly known as Charles Paddock Zoo) from 10AM - 1PM Santa will be at the Zoo on Saturday, December 20th, to help welcome visitors and deliver gifts to the animals. Our scheduled gift delivery begins at 10 am and goes until 1 pm. Gifts will be delivered to the animals throughout this timeframe and activities for the entire family to enjoy will be available throughout the day. Witness the excitement as our animals unwrap their presents. PLUS, the Zoo will be dressed up with holiday decorations, so come celebrate the season with us! All the enchantment of Holiday Magic is included with regular admission, making it the perfect opportunity to celebrate the season with family and friends. Address: 9305 Pismo Ave, Atascadero, CA 93422

Living on the Central Coast, we're only a few hours drive from big haunted houses and attractions at major attractions. Here are ticket offerings for attractions that offer a Haunted House experience at night.

Universal Studios Hollywood

Universal Studios Hollywood redecorates for the Halloween Season. Universal Studios Hollywood is a 2 hour and 56 minute drive south from SLO (if no traffic).
Sometimes they offer a one day ticket price where you can go the 2nd day free..

To see all upcoming events before and after fall season throughout San Luis Obispo County for 2025, go to the Family-Friendly Events page.

Already Occurred Events: (moved to the bottom due to low relevancy level)

• October 11, 2025 (Sat) - Paso Robles Pioneer Day Parade from 10AM - 1PM. Expect to see Antique Tractors, Horse-drawn Wagons, Marching Bands, Mounted Equestrian Groups, Youth Groups, Church Groups, Civic Groups, Floats, vintage cars, fire engines, military vehicles and more. This year’s float theme is “The 95th Pioneer playlist". Address for GPS: 2010 Riverside Ave. Paso Robles, CA 93446

• October 11, 2025 (Sat) - Maritime Family Fun Day at Morro Bay Maritime Museum from 10AM - 4PM. Free event. Food for adults and free hot dogs for kids. There will be a fishing booth, chowder content, treasure hunt, fish prints and more. Address: 1210 Embarcadero, Morro Bay, CA 93442

• October 18 - 19, 2025 - Clam Festival near Pismo Beach Pier. This family-friendly event features the Clam Festival parade on Saturday at 10 am. Join us on Price Street for the parade this year! The Clam Festival is a free event that includes live music, local vendors, food trucks, and a huge FREE Kids Zone that includes bounce houses and inflatables! See pictures that I took at Pismo Beach Clam Festival in the past. Address for GPS: 100 Pomeroy Ave, Pismo Beach, CA 93449

• October 24, 2025 (Fri) - Annual Trunk or Treat at 16th Park from 5PM - Dark in Grover Beach. ♥ San Luis Obispo Mom Favorite! - I've been to the event before! In the past, this event would be at Ramona Park but they are under construction so it's at 16th Park in Grover Beach this year! This trunk or treat event for families is a great opportunity to get into the Halloween spirit and enjoy some fun and safe trick-or-treating. It's a great way to spend an afternoon with the whole family and create some great memories. They don't have a bounce house there every year so I am not sure if they'll have it this year. However, one time, they actually had one. See the picture that I took below for that year.
  (Photo by SanLuisObispoMom.com)
  Address: 16th Street & Mentone Avenue, Grover Beach, CA 93433

• October 24, 2025 (Fri) - Boo Bash at Meadow Park from 4PM - 8PM. Free entry event. Join the Parks & Recreation Department for a family friendly Boo Bash. Bring the family for games, a photo booth, food trucks, a movie, and a haunted house. A sensory-free Haunted House will open from 4–4:30 p.m. and a lights-on-kid-friendly experience will begin at 4:30 p.m. The real scares begin in the Haunted House from 5:30 p.m. and run until darkness descends on the park. This event is FREE and open to the public. The Food Bank Coalition of SLO County will be collecting canned food and participants who are able are encouraged to bring one or more items to donate. Address: 2333 Meadow, San Luis Obispo, California 93401

• October 24 & 25, 2025 (Fri, Sat) - Zoo Boo at Central Coast Zoo (formerly named Charles Paddock Zoo) from 4:30PM - 7:30PM. Get your best costume ready and bring the entire family out to a not-too-scary evening at Zoo Boo! You can expect Halloween decorations throughout the Zoo, carnival games, a costume contest, Halloween-themed activities, a haunted maze, and tricks & treats to enjoy! There is a fee for this event. Address: 9100 Morro Road, Atascadero, CA 93422

• October 24 - 25, 2025 - SLO Elks Annual Haunted House: Brentwood Manor at San Luis Obispo Elks from 5PM - 9PM on both days. Dare to enter Brentwood Manor, if you dare… The SLO Elks Haunted House is back this year on October 24 & 25, 5–9 PM, and it’s more spine-chilling than ever! Brave souls will wander through haunted halls, encounter eerie surprises, and test their courage… if you have the guts. Not ready to face the frights? No worries! We’ve got a Kids Maze, carnival games, candy, and treats for the little goblins and ghouls. Gather your courage, bring your friends, and come experience the thrills… if you survive. Address: 222 Elks Lane San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

• October 25, 2025 (Sat) - Pumpkins in the Park at Dinosaur Caves Park in Pismo Beach from 10AM - 1PM. Free entry event. Pumpkin Decorating! First 500 children. Activities include: food & beverage available, costume contest, games, crafts & bounce houses. The downtown Trick or Treating will start from 12PM to 2PM in conjunction/or following this event (trick or treating is not at Dinosaur Caves Park). Address of Dinosaur Caves Park for the Pumpkins in the Park event: 131 Cliff Ave., Pismo Beach, CA 93449

• October 25, 2025 (Sat) - Wiggle Waggle Fall Festival at Woods Humane Society in San Luis Obispo from 12PM - 3PM. FREE fall-themed community pet celebration and a whole lot of HOWL-o-ween fun! Costume Contests ($5 per entry) with party favors for all entrants and prizes in each category: Kids, Big Dog, Little Dog, and 2 Peas in a Pod, Stuffed-Animal Pull, Trick-for-Treating in Woods University, Professional Santa Paws Portraits by Kelcy Rourke Photography, Seasonal Selfies in the Pup'kin Patch, Half-Off Pet Adoptions, and Local artisan goods, delicious food, face painting, and more! Address: 875 Oklahoma Ave, San Luis Obispo, CA 93405

• October 25, 2025 (Sat) - Courtyard Carnival from 11AM - 5PM at SLO Public Market. Free entry and parking. Live music, entertainers, petting zoo and family-friendly activities. Read my personal review about SLO Public Market and the pictures of food that I enjoyed there. Address: 3845 S Higuera St., San Luis Obispo, CA

• October 25, 2025 (Sat) - Paso Robles Dia de los Muertos Festival from 10AM - 4PM in Paso Robles. Free admission. Vendors, food, kids zone, family shrines, awards, dancers, music and arts/crafts. Address: Spring St &, 12th St., Paso Robles, CA 93446

• October 25, 2025 (Sat) - Halloween Dance Party at The Clubhouse Grill at Sea Pines in Los Osos Bring your boo crew for an afternoon of music, costumes, and fall fun at Sea Pines! Costumes are optional—but the prizes are real. Kids, adults, and costumed pups are all welcome. Come early to snag photos, dance, and enter the contests before awards at 5:30 PM. Live music by: Terry Lawless at 2pm and Unfinished Business from 3-6pm. Address: 250 Howard Ave., Los Osos, CA 93402

• October 25, 2025 (Sat) - Avila Bay Athletic Club's Annual Halloween Bash from 6PM - 9PM. ♥ San Luis Obispo Mom Favorite! - I've been to the event before!  Open to the public. No guest fees for this event. See pictures that I've taken at Avila Bay Athletic Club. Haunted House is from 6PM - 8PM. There will be a photo booth and scavenger hunt. An option is you can enjoy a deliciously spooky buffet ($18 adults / $12 kids). Address: 6699 Bay Laurel Place, Avila Beach, CA 93424

• October 25 & 26, 2025 - Halloween Carnival Chaos at Elm Street in Arroyo Grande. Admission is free but it costs money for the bounce houses and extra money for the maze. It's a 2 day event. On Oct 25, hours are from 3PM - 9PM and on Oct 26, hours are from 1PM - 4PM. Address: 1221 Ash St., Arroyo Grande, CA 93420

• October 26, 2025 (Sun) - Trunk or Treat 2025 at Christian Life Center - Paso Robles from 4PM - 6PM. Come in costume and have some fun for this safe and family friendly event! Halloween treats, games, bounce houses, hot dogs, cotton candy, & more! Free for all! Address: 1744 Oak St., Paso Robles, CA 93446

• October 26, 2025 (Sun) - Trunk or Treat at Sunken Gardens from 4PM - 6PM Free candy and games, Vote for "Best trunk" award, Giveaways, Food trucks, And more! Hosted by Atascadero Bible Church, Atascadero Gospel Chapel, Abide Calvary, Father's House, Legacy Church, and Child Evangelism Fellowship. Address: 6505 El Camino Real, Atascadero, CA 93422

• October 29, 2025 (Wed) - Trunk or Treat at YMCA in SLO from 5:30PM - 7:30PM. Free event. They are looking for participants. Free to register your car and attend. Event includes Trick-or-treating from creatively decorated trunks, spooky activities for all ages and a costume parade you won’t want to miss! Address: 1020 Southwood Dr., San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

• October 30, 2025 (Thurs) - Harvest Festival at Lilian Larsen School at the Track and Field area from 4:30PM - 6PM. Free entry. All are welcome. Games, candy, food, community partners information, and grand prize for their Costume Contest. Please bring your own bag for collecting candy at the game station. Cash only accepted at booths selling food. Address: 1601 L St, San Miguel, CA 93451

• October 30, 2025 (Thurs) - Halloween at the Downtown SLO Farmers' Market from 6PM - 8PM. Free event. ♥ San Luis Obispo Mom Favorite! - I've been to the event before! Kick off the Halloween weekend with at the Downtown Farmers Market and bring the kiddos to the Market for a fun-filled evening of costumes, candy, and karaoke! Trick or treat at businesses! Address for GPS: Higuera Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

• October 31, 2025 (Fri) - ATown Halloween Block Party in Downtown Atascadero from 5PM - 8PM. Trick or Treating Downtown Shops is from 5PM - 7PM, but there will be Scary-oke, Glow Throw Atown Chop Shop, Costume Contest Gathering's Thrift, Hay Bale Maze Entrada and more. Address for GPS: 5800 El Camino Real, Atascadero, CA 93422

• October 31, 2025 (Fri) - Trunk or Treat at The Oaks at Paso Robles from 5PM - 7PM Trick-or-treat with a twist! Join The Oaks at Paso Robles for our annual Trunk or Treat — a family-friendly evening featuring creatively themed cars, Halloween treats, and spooky fun. Costumes encouraged for a night of laughter and Halloween magic! Address: 526 S. River Rd, Paso Robles, CA 93446

• October 31, 2025 (Fri) - Safe & Fun Halloween in Downtown Paso Robles from 4PM - 7PM. Trick or Treat with Paso Robles Downtown merchants. Take a Photo with Witches. This is an annual event. Address for GPS: Spring St & 12th St, Paso Robles, CA 93446

• October 31, 2025 (Fri) - Trunk or Treat at Oceano between 17th & Beach St., from 5PM - 8PM. ♥ San Luis Obispo Mom Favorite! - I've been to the event before! Awesome local car clubs will be decking out their rides and handing out candy galore, carnival games & spooky tunes to keep the fun going all night. There will be a contests for kids and dogs — bring your best look and show it off! Grab your treat bags, wear your costumes, and come ready for a fang-tastic Halloween night! Address for GPS: 17th and Beach St. Oceano, CA 93445