Blog

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 Concert Series on 16th Street Park (Formerly at Ramona Park) on Sundays
• Nipomo Concerts in the Park on Wednesdays
• Paso Robles Concerts in the Park on Thursdays
• Pismo Beach Pacific Breeze Concerts on Sundays (only once a month)
• San Luis Obispo Mission Plaza Concerts in Downtown on Fridays
• Templeton Recreation Concerts in the Park on Wednesdays

San Luis Obispo Mission Plaza Concerts

Free Summer Concert Series in Downtown San Luis Obispo: Free Concerts on Fridays in Mission Plaza from 5PM - 8PM from June 20 - September 12, 2025, with no concert on July 4th. Free entry and family-friendly. Bring reusable cups to event (no glass). No outside alcoholic beverages, no pets and no smoking. Family friendly. There will be drinks and food available for purchase. Bring low back lawn chairs and blankets to sit down. Address: 989 Chorro, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401.
 

Pismo Beach Pacific Breeze Concerts

Pacific Breeze Concerts in Dinosaur Caves Park is free to the public on the second Sunday of every month from 1PM - 4PM beginning in May 2025 and through the July 2025 (total of 3 concerts). The first one will be on Mother's Day on Sunday, May 11, 2025! The second one is Sunday, June 8, 2025 and the third (last) one is on Sunday, July 13, 2025. It's free entry and they have food for sale.

It has a beautiful backdrop of the cliffs and ocean. See all pictures that I've taken at Dinosaur Caves Park. See a list of things to do on Mother's Day in San Luis Obispo County. Address: 2701 Price St., Pismo Beach, CA 93449. See event list for this event.

Grover Beach Summer Concert Series

Grover Beach Summer Concert Series will take place 3 Sundays from July and 3 Sundays in August 2025 at 16th Street Park, formerly at Ramona Garden Park, from 3pm - 6pm. Here are the Sunday concert dates: July 13, July 20, July 27, August 3, August 10, and August 17. Free concert. Bring your low back chairs, sunglasses, sunblock and dancing shoes. Food, Beer and wine available for purchase. Address: 16th St & Mentone Ave., Grover Beach, CA 93433. They can get packed quick so arrive early. See a picture below of my view from my blanket as I was watching a concert at Ramona Garden Park.

See event list to see the next upcoming date for this Grover Beach Summer Concert Series.

Avila Beach Farmers Markets in the Summer

Free music takes place on Fridays at Avila Beach Farmers' Market every Friday from May - August 2025 from 4PM - 8PM at the Avila Beach Promenade, literally steps from the sand.

The free trolley that runs in the summer can get you here from Pismo Beach and Shell Beach because parking can be very difficult in Avila Beach during the summer! I suggest parking at the Pismo Beach Outlets and then, wait for the free trolley to get you there and back. Make sure you check their running hours for the day. Address for GPS: 3950 Avila Beach Dr, San Luis Obispo, CA 93405. See pictures that I've taken at Avila Beach and read more about our experience at the Avila Beach Farmers' Market.

Atascadero Saturday in the Park Summer Concert Series

Saturdays in the Park Summer Concert Series at Atascadero Lake Park Bandstand in the summer include 7 different dates on a Saturday for 2025: from June to August 2025 between 6:30PM - 8:30PM. They are free entry and there's a playground at this park so that makes it easier with little kids in tow.

They recommend bringing a low-back chair and if you would like to purchase any food, bring your wallet. The list of concert dates are: June 28, July 5, July 12, July 26, August 2, August 9, and August 30, 2025. Address: 9305 Pismo Ave, Atascadero, CA 93422

Paso Robles Concerts in the Park

Concerts in the Park on most Thursdays between mid-June - August 2025 from 6PM - 8PM at Paso Robles Downtown City Park. Music, wine, and good times. Bring your blankets, lawn chairs and picnic baskets for this staple summer occasion. Enjoy the sounds of country, blues, rock, and other genres from local bands. Wine available for purchase onsite. The list of Thursday concert dates are: June 12, June 26, July 10, July 17, July 31, August 7, August 14, August 21, and August 28, 2025. Read my restaurant reviews for Paso Robles. Address for GPS: 12th and Spring Street, Paso Robles, CA 93446

Arroyo Grande Village Summer Concerts

2025 Summer Concert Series by City of Arroyo Grande takes place between July 4 - September 2025 at Heritage Square Park in the Village every Sunday from 1PM - 3PM, except on July 4, it will be from 11AM - 4PM. Bring your own low back chairs, blankets, and sunscreen. There will be food, beer and wine available for purchase. Here are the concert dates: July 4, July 6, July 13, July 20, July 27, August 3, August 10, August 17, August 24, August 31, September 7, September 14, and September 21, 2025. For parking, I recommend parking behind the alley ways on the opposite side of the street. They are free to park. Some of them are really fun to walk through. See my video clip below the picture that I took below.


Address: 201 Nelson St, Arroyo Grande, CA 93420. See the Events List page to see all of the free concerts by date.

Templeton Recreation Concerts in the Park

Concerts in the Park 2025 at Templeton Park are on Wednesdays between 6PM - 8PM from June 11 to August 20, 2025, except for July 23 (no concert). No dogs and cooking your own BBQ. There will be food and drinks for purchase. Address: 550 Crocker St., Templeton, CA 93465

Nipomo Concerts in the Park

Nipomo Concerts in the Park takes place towards the end of June and go on until late August 2025 at the Gazebo at Nipomo Regional Park from 5:30PM - 7:30PM. This takes place every Wednesday for 10 concert dates during the summer. Family-oriented event! They will have food and drinks available for purchase. The concert dates are: June 18, June 25, July 2, July 9, July 16, July 23, July 30, August 6, August 13, and August 20, 2025. Address for GPS: Address: 904 W Tefft St, Nipomo, CA 93444

Tips for Attending a Free Outdoor Concert:

• No one likes being blocked from the view of the band, so if you're planning on bringing a chair to sit at any of the outdoor concerts, bring a low-back chair so that others behind you can still see.
• It can get really hot during the summer around San Luis Obispo (SLO) County so bring some hypoallergenic sunscreen and feel free to share it with your friends if they'd like some too.
• Do not bring your own alcoholic beverages as many of these places only allow you to consume when you buy them there. Check with the direct organizers of the event if you're hoping to do this.
• Bring your own bottles of water for those hot, sunny days outdoors so you can stay and enjoy the entertainment more comfortably. Outside water is allowed for any of these outdoor free events planned by the city.
• Even though most of these places sell food, you're welcome to bring your own picnic set or a quick sandwich so that you're not so hungry and have to leave your spot to get food at any of the long lines.
• Bring a blanket for comfort. You never know when you might bump into a friend and they'd like to sit next to you but didn't bring a chair. A blanket is a great alternative! This is one of the times when those old blankets are very handy! I have a roll up blanket in the car trunk at all times for outdoor events like these. They are so easy to store and take.

See the Family-Friendly Events section for all upcoming free events throughout San Luis Obispo (SLO) County, including the free concert series in chronological order.

One of my favorite things to do when I'm in downtown is visit the public library. When visiting the San Luis Obispo Library in downtown San Luis Obispo, you would either have to park along the street or park in a parking structure so be ready pay for parking in downtown, even if you're just going to the library. Nowadays, you can use your credit or an app for street parking so that makes life a bit easier.

Unless you're within walking distance or using public transportation, you'll most likely have to pay to park. In downtown, there were metered parking spots along the streets but during the day, those are all usually taken.

The Downtown San Luis Obispo Library is much bigger than the Arroyo Grande one that we frequent. It's multi-level and the kid's section is on the second floor.

There are 2 main areas for the little ones: one near the restrooms with a computer, legos, and other toys and the other one is the reading side with a nice reading nook.

The little ones had fun playing with the toys there and learning to play educational games on the computers. It's a great place to bring the kids and do something for free. They have two weekly story times for kids here. Throughout the year, they also have free educational events for everyone. See the family-friendly events list to see the next event.

Address of Downtown San Luis Obispo Library: 995 Palm St, San Luis Obispo, CA 93403

More Pictures of Downtown San Luis Obispo Library During My Visit Here With My Sons:

Reading Suggestions:

• See the free storytime schedule for all libraries in San Luis Obispo county, including Morro Bay Library, Cayucos Library and more.


• See the blog post about our visits at Arroyo Grande Library. Many families go to the Arroyo Grande Library for special events that are exclusive like the Pokemon Party that my sons and I were able to experience during Spring Break. (You can read about the library's Pokemon Party under Day 5 of our Spring Break blog entry.)

We had a visitor in town and decided to take our special guest to Morro Bay to see the Morro Rock, sea otters, seals and have some lunch at The Galley Seafood Grill & Bar


It's the ideal place to take a visitor because it is right on the bay with fantastic views of sea life. We saw people kayaking while we were in our seats inside the restaurant. It's such a special dining experience here. Moreover, their food is spot on with local classics such as clam chowder, fish and chips and steaks. The service was attentive and comfortable as well.

After we've dined, we walked right outside to a deck to use the public viewing binoculars. It was free to use the binoculars so no coins were needed (I'm thinking this could change in the future). You may also find a tiki boat docked right there.

See more pictures of Morro Bay and Morro Rock.

Reading Suggestions:

• To see other pictures of restaurants that I've visited in San Luis Obispo County, go to the Restaurants Page.


• Learn more about Cambria, Morro Bay's Beach Neighbor.

This past Monday, we took our sons on a grand adventure to LEGOLAND California and SEA LIFE Aquarium in Carlsbad, California (San Diego)!

The weather was perfect and the kids had a blast! My sons are 5 and 2 years old. Because my younger son is still just 2, he got in for free at both LEGOLAND California and SEA LIFE Aquarium. We were happy to be able to take advantage of this! The distance from San Luis Obispo to LEGOLAND California is about a 4 hour and 30 minute drive, depending on LA traffic.

Although I've been to LEGOLAND before, this was both of my sons' first time! They knew about LEGOLAND from watching youtube videos online so when we told them we were taking them here, they were really excited! As we were driving towards the parking gate entrance, they were so happy to see the large Lego figures along the way. Parking is really expensive though. It was $25 just for regular parking per car (it may costs more now since we've traveled). I saw a lot of people being dropped off in front so that's something to consider. 

They checked our bags before we entered and that was a quick process. Because we had gotten tickets online ahead of time, we didn't need to go to the ticket booth and went straight to the entrance gate where our tickets got scanned. You can buy online tickets from legoland.com or a different travel site (sometimes cheaper than legoland.com site). If you're a veteran or military family, you can get a really great rate as well from a link through the LEGOLAND California's website. They will need to verify your military status information first. We did the veteran verification and it only took them a minute to send the link to buy the heavily discounted military rate. Link to the military discount page for LEGOLAND tickets.

We arrived at LEGOLAND California around 12:30PM and there were already a lot of people there but the lines went fast. It wasn't too bad! I think all the spring breakers went home already. There were some rides that my 2 year old couldn't get on so we would skip those and looked for the ones where the minimum height were either 36" or with no minimum height required. There were over a handful of rides that we were able to get on even though my little one is only 36 inches! We went on Cargo Ace, Fairy Brook (twice), LEGO CITY: Deep Sea Adventure, LEGO Ninjago the Ride and Lost Kingdom Adventure. There were a few other rides that my little one could get on too but we ran out of time! My kids also enjoyed the free video game rooms and multiple Lego building stations all around the park! In between rides, we would also take pictures with the LEGO stars who would be at photo opportunity spots. We got to meet Emmet! There are also games you can play to win prizes like this one below. 

 (video game room)

I think what made this experience at LEGOLAND even more special to our boys is because they've been playing with Legos ever since they were big enough to start playing with toys. My 5 year old has been building things from Legos for a few years already and it's a thrill for us to watch their eyes light up and laugh with glee as they go on the Lego themed rides. 

The last time I was at LEGOLAND was about 8 years ago (no kids yet) and seeing how much this park has grown since then is wonderful! There are more rides, now 2 LEGO hotels right in front and more dining options. For lunch, we ordered a pizza from Pizza Mania. It's fast and you sit outdoors under the patio to eat and then continue on with your adventure. For dinner, we decided to go for more pizza but this time at their Pizza and Pasta Buffet. It was $18.99 per adult and $9.99 for children under a certain age (prices may be more now). It was pricey but it was fast and easy. They had a salad bar included as well. The soft drinks were included in the pricing too. We were bummed out that Wok and Bowl Ramen was closed on the day we went but hopefully the next time we visit, it'll be open. 

We definitely made a stop at Miniland USA and saw all the cities built out of Legos! Notable ones for us were San Francisco and Las Vegas, among many!

SEALIFE Aquarium Experience

Around 4:30PM, we decided to go to SEA LIFE Aquarium to finish off our day. Our tickets included entrance to this aquarium but you can also buy tickets that only gets you into LEGOLAND, if the aquarium isn't your thing. We spent a good 1 hour in here. Luckily, the SEA LIFE Aquarium is also still open for another half hour after LEGOLAND has already closed.

Even though it's not a huge aquarium, there is a lot of different sections to look at. There were jellyfishes, sharks, fishes, starfishes, sea anemone, sea horses, sting rays, octopuses and lobsters.


The unique element of SEA LIFE Aquarium is you'll also see Lego figures and structures inside the aquariums as well! They also have a cafe once you exit so if you're hungry, you can get a hot dog or other snacks here. 

Many people brought their own strollers inside of the park but because we had so many bags to load in the car with us, we opted to rent one at the park. A single stroller was $14 and a double stroller was only $17. We got the double stroller to fit both of our boys and they loved it. It was really worth it because their little legs get tired and we can get them to our next destination a lot quicker. There were 2 cup holders and some mesh storage space which gave us free hands. We just parked the stroller to the side like the other strollers did when we were ready to hop in a line to get on a ride.

There were two rides that really stood out to us and they were LEGO Ninjago the Ride and LEGO CITY: Deep Sea Adventure. The LEGO Ninjago the Ride was like a video game at the same time. You're shooting lasers at the bad guys with your arms while wearing 3D glasses throughout the ride. The LEGO City: Deep Sea Adventure is a submarine ride with a screen where you click on an item as you see them through the ride. This makes it interactive and fun to search for things while you're also looking at the real fishes underwater!

This LEGOLAND California and SEA LIFE Aquarium trip was so special to us. We were all really impressed with everything and can't wait to take the boys back there again. We hope that this has encouraged them to continue on building things at home and in life and that we can make this an annual trip for us. Feel free to ask us any questions about our trip
. 

Find current discounted LEGOLAND California and SEA LIFE Aquarium tickets online. Depending on the time of year, they are usually a few bucks cheaper than buying from the direct website, even when you factor in the convenience fees. They also run exclusive deals for other tickets once in a blue moon.

LEGOLAND California Trip Planning Tips:

• Compare and find a hotel in Carlsbad to stay close to LEGOLAND California. I usually like to stay at one where breakfast is included at the hotel so you can start your day a bit faster.
• It's good to have sunscreen, a pair of sunglasses and a sun hat to protect your skin when you're outdoors at an amusement park. I usually get the kid's sunscreen that is for sensitive skin because my older son breaks out using the spray for standard ones.
• I stayed at the LEGOLAND Castle Hotel at a later stay! Read about my review for LEGOLAND Castle Hotel.

Discount LEGOLAND California Park Tickets
LEGOLAND TICKETS
Depending on the time of year, you can score cheaper LEGOLAND California Park tickets from other travel sites. Even with convenience fees, when you total everything at end, you could save money for your San Diego/Carlsbad LEGOLAND trip. It's worth taking the extra 5 minutes to compare before you buy. They also have ticket combos with LEGOLAND California and SEA LIFE Aquarium where you can visit for 2 days for only a bit more, but you'd have to make another reservation for a time on that 2nd day as well, which you provide that information through the check out process. Sometimes other agency's website is even easier to use than the attractions' website. See more tickets of LEGOLAND California and LEGOLAND California tickets online.

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 would expect at a tea house. They have ice cream, mochi and wontons!


This place is boba done right! It's high quality and our top choice for boba. Address: 1118 Chorro St., San Luis Obispo, CA, 93401

Blue Wave & Boba (Formerly PCH Shave Ice & Boba)

This boba shop also serves amazing Hawaiian Shave Ice and boba in Pismo Beach on Oak Park Blvd! Even though they are not walking distance to the beach, they are located within the Pismo Beach City zone, I really like their location as it's in the same shopping center as Ross, CVS, other restaurants and other stores so it would be very convenient for me to stop in here while running errands.

Big Wave Boba Address: 893 N Oak Park Blvd, Pismo Beach, CA 93449

Sequel Cold Brew Tea

They have take a spot at the Downtown San Luis Obispo Farmers' Market on Thursday evenings on the street! I tried them for the first time when they had their pop-up at Bings Bao Buns at the SLO Public Market and I love their interesting concoctions. After their pop-up, they later became a permanent boba shop there. Address: 3845 S Higuera St, San Luis Obispo, California 93401

The team at Sequel Cold Brew Tea is very friendly too. Address: At Downtown SLO Farmers Markets, Pop-Ups and Benny's Kitchen. See a video clip of one of my outings at the Downtown SLO Farmers Market by clicking on this page link.

220 Hinds Ave Cafe & Boba Tea (Formerly Fay's)

Located right by the Pismo Beach pier, if you're already at the beach here, you might as well swing by Fay's Fusion for some excellent boba. In 2024, Fay's Fusion sold their business to new owners so they do not have food there anymore, just boba. It seems that they are only open on the weekends.


220 Hines Ave Cafe & Boba Tea Address: 220 Hinds Ave, Pismo Beach, CA 93449

Brew-It Coffee & Tea

In Atascadero, near the Central Coast Zoo (formerly known as Charles Paddock Zoo), is a coffee and tea shack that also serves boba drinks! The boba (tapioca pearls) are round brown jelly-like things that are on the bottom of a tea drink and you suck it up with a large straw! It is fun to drink.

They don't have a sit down area so you'll need to drive thru it! They have standard favorites like Thai tea boba, Taro tea boba and more. Address: 6570 Morro Rd, Atascadero, CA 93422

MilkT Society (Now Closed in Pismo Beach, But Still Open in San Luis Obispo)

I visited this place in Pismo Beach when it was still there. It was located about a couple blocks from the water is MilkT Society (read my full review post about Milk T Society in Pismo Beach). I came on their opening day! Since they are so close to the Pismo Beach Pier, I typically make an effort to also stroll on the pier before or after my visit at Milk T Society in Pismo Beach. See a video reel of my Pismo Beach Pier stroll.
Although they are now closed at the Pismo Beach location, you can still visit them at the San Luis Obispo location.
MilkT Society Address in San Luis Obispo: 773 Foothill Blvd San Luis Obispo, CA 93405

Tiger Milk Tea (Now Closed)

(2025 Update: This Tiger Milk Tea is closed.) There's a Tiger Milk Tea boba shop located in Grover Beach! It replaced a different boba shop before. However, they've redone their counter inside and their service was very quick! There is no indoor seating but there are two picnic tables right in their patio for you to enjoy your drinks. I'm originally from San Diego where I've had boba since I was in middle school and this boba shop is legit! It's the real deal and they are pretty authentic to what I'm used to, as far as quality, efficiency and taste!
Tiger Milk Tea Address: 1800 E Grand Ave, Grover Beach, CA 93433

Golden Donut

Located in Pismo Beach near the highway 101 is a donut shop that also sells boba drinks! This donut shop has been around for awhile but now that PCH Shave Ice & Boba has opened in the same shopping center, there's tough competition.

This is a local family owned donut shop so you'll definitely recognize the mom and pop feel. Address: 863 N Oak Park Blvd, Pismo Beach, CA 93449

See a list of coffee shops and pictures of latte art that I've taken throughout San Luis Obispo (SLO) County.

See my instagram post where I created my own boba balls (tapioca pearls) at home.

To see other pictures of restaurants that I've visited in San Luis Obispo County, go to the Restaurants Page.

Learn to Make Boba at Home:

• Complete Boba Kits
• Instant Tapioca Pearls (Boba)
• Fusion Select 5 Packs Taro, Mango, Honeydew, Strawberry Bubble Tea Kit Set With Extra Rich Tapioca Pearls, Straws