Welcome to southern San Luis Obispo County – a land of sea breezes, spectacular ocean sunset, miles of sandy beaches, and acres of rolling hillsides. Located northwest of the major hub of San Luis Obispo; Avila Beach and the Five Cities to the south: Arroyo Grande, Grover Beach, Oceano, Pismo Beach and Halcyon. Nipomo, included here is just south of the Five Cities – bordering northern Santa Barbara County. Beach goers love Avila Beach – almost always sunny and the warmest beach in the county.

In Shell Beach, scenic Ocean Boulevard provides access to pebbled coves beneath steep rocky bluffs. Further south is Pismo Beach, home of the famous Pismo Clam, wide-open beaches, classic car shows, and migrating butterflies. Ride horseback along the beach, scout the nearby dunes for unusual shorebirds and vegetation, or marvel at the sight of migrating monarch butterflies clustering in the nearby eucalyptus trees.

For more action, head south to Grover Beach, gateway to the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area – the only drive-on beach in California. The state park designates protected areas to safeguard fragile plant and wildlife, but allows vehicular access to miles of beach, so visitors can experience the thrill of riding All-Terrain Vehicles, dune buggies, and motorcycles along the coastline and in the dunes.

Inland, country roads travel past fruit orchards, pastoral farmlands, and hundreds of acres of premium wine grapes. Cool coastal air and warm dry days help produce some of California’s best wines (especially Chardonnay and Pinot Noir varietals) in the Edna Valley and Arroyo Grande Valley wine regions. Tasting rooms are located throughout the South County.

Weather Conditions

Pismo Beach weather is being used to globally indicate conditions as it is the largest beach area and centrally located in reference to the other beaches. Inland weather is being represented by Arroyo Grande for the same reasons; centrally located and very large.

Inland Conditions

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Arroyo Grande

Farmers’ Market

Arroyo Grande Farmers’ Market
Saturdays, 12 – 4pm
Short Street behind City Hall, Arroyo Grande

The earliest inhabitants of the Five Cities valley and coastal area were Chumash Indians, who conducted extensive trade with other Native American tribes at considerable distance.

The first Europeans to see this stretch of coast were the crew of Portuguese explorer Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo, working in the service of Spain. The Spanish Portolà expedition was the first European visit by land, passing through the area on September 4, 1769. When Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa was established nearby, the Portolà trail became part of the road connecting the 21 Spanish missions (today called El Camino Real). Later, agricultural activities expanded into the area. The Arroyo Grande valley was found to have particularly fertile ground, and was given the name meaning “wide riverbed” in Spanish.

Francis Ziba Branch, originally from New York, saw the area on a hunting expedition during the period when California was part of Mexico. Branch married María Manuela Carlón, and this marriage entitled Branch to file claim for a Mexican land grant. In 1836 he and his wife and baby son moved onto Rancho Santa Manuela. They were managing a successful cattle ranching operation when California became a U.S. territory, and then a U.S. State. But some years later they suffered financial difficulties during a drought when many cattle died. They sold off smaller parcels of land to settlers.

In 1862, the San Luis Obispo Board of Supervisors established the township of Arroyo Grande. Businesses developed along a road called Branch Street to serve local agriculture. A railroad depot was built in 1882. The city of Arroyo Grande was incorporated on July 10, 1911.

The Five Cities area experienced rapid growth in the 1970s and 1980s, partially due to the expansion of the wastewater treatment plant, under an EPA Clean Water Grant, that removed a growth constraint.
from Wikipedia

If you are looking for a noticeable change of  the seasons then look no further. Rich fall colors, verdant spring greens, cold winters and summers that get down right hot. Air conditioning is a Creston summer must have.

Current Conditions

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Creston History

Creston (named after Calvin J. Cressy) was founded in 1884 on the Rancho Huerhuero Mexican land grant.

Creston was home to Cardiff Stud Farm (Creston Farms), a place once owned by Canadian-American television personality Alex Trebek, and where a number of retired American thoroughbred racehorses were taken care of, including those below. Cardiff Stud Farm was sold in 2008 and is now an event center called Windfall Farms.

Morro Bay is a natural embayment with an artificial harbor constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It is the only all-weather small craft commercial and recreational harbor between Santa Barbara and Monterey. Morro Rock was originally surrounded by water, but the Army built a large artificial breakwater and road across the north end of the harbor, linking Morro Rock and the mainland. Some of the rock used for this and for the artificial breakwaters was quarried from Morro Rock itself. Other rock was imported by barge from Catalina Island. The bay extends inland and parallels the shore for a distance of about 4 miles south of its entrance at Morro Rock.

Only relatively small craft are capable of passing the harbor channel. A large natural sandspit, augmented by breakwaters, protects the harbor from the Pacific Ocean to the west. At its northern end, remains of a bridge that used to connect the shore with the sandspit can be seen. Morro Bay Harbor’s channel silts up and must be dredged every three to four years. Previously, the Shark Inlet connected the back bay to the ocean. Some have proposed reopening it to slow the sedimentation that is filling up the bay. There has also been work on reducing erosion in the Chorro Creek watershed to reduce the amount of sediment coming into the bay to form bottom layers of bay mud. Chorro Creek is the bay’s largest tributary. It forms an estuary in the back bay between Morro Bay and Los Osos. The second largest tributary, and the only other significant one, is Los Osos Creek, which empties into the far south end of the back bay.

Current Conditions

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Mariners are strongly urged to seek local advice prior to making use of the channel, especially when  whitecaps or wind-blown water is evident or a small craft advisory is in effect, which is very often. The United States Coast Guard regards the harbor as one of the most dangerous in the entire nation, while others put it in the top six on the West Coast of the United States. In 1995, the Army Corps of Engineering deepened and expanded the channel to improve safety. From 1979 to 1987, 21 lives were lost in boating accidents alone. However, many additional deaths have resulted from sightseers and fisherman being swept off the rocks of the breakwater surrounding Morro Rock. They often approach too closely to the waves and are caught off guard when a big wave set comes in. The slippery and jagged rocks only add to the danger. Public access to the breakwater has been revoked and those who venture beyond the signs do so at their own peril. Coast Guard Station Morro Bay operates two small vessels. Limited transient vessel services are available. Yachtsmen may wish to contact the Morro Bay Yacht Club. A public boat launch ramp is available at the far south end of the Embarcadero.

History

During World War II, there was a U.S. Navy base on the north side of Morro Rock where sailors were trained to operate LCVPs. The breakwater on the southwest side of the Rock was built in 1944-45 to protect the LCVPs entering and leaving the harbor. Soldiers from Camp San Luis Obispo would come to Morro Bay and practice loading into the LCVPs. Many of those men were at Normandy on D-Day.
(from Wikipedia)

More Info

Morro Bay Chamber of Commerce
695 Harbor Street
Morro Bay, CA
US  93442

Phone: (805) 772-4467
Fax: 805-772-6038

http://morrochamber.org/

Antique shoppers will discover Cayucos is home to some of the best antique and collectible shopping in the area. In addition to many antique and gift stores, Cayucos hosts several antique and collectible street fairs throughout the year.

Outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy a variety of activities. Rent a sea kayak for the afternoon, try your hand at surfing or boogie boarding, fish off the pier, explore the tide pools, or just enjoy a swim on Cayucos’ sandy beach. Nearby, Morro Bay, Montana De Oro, and San Simeon State Parks offer great hiking, and beautiful sight seeing.

The town of Cayucos was born from the Spanish Land Grant days and was  part of the Morro y Cayucos Rancho. Surveyed in 1875, the original town was developed by Captain James Cass who built the original wharf, store, and warehouse that provided for commerce throughout the coastal communities. Cayucos enjoyed a colorful youth with gamblers and rum runners frequenting the Cayucos Tavern – a local favorite to this day.

Cayucos is an ideal location from which to view many of the Central Coast’s fantastic attractions. Spectacular Hearst Castle, one of the former homes of media mogul William Randolph Hearst,  is less than an hour’s drive away in San Simeon. The Paso Robles wine region produces some of California’s best wines. Spend an afternoon wine tasting and enjoying the scenic vineyards of this area.

Best of all, Cayucos is a great place to slow down, relax, and enjoy life the way it is meant to be. Everything is an easy walk or fun bicycle ride.

Current Conditions

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Cayucos History
Prehistorically the local area was inhabited by the Chumash people, who settled the coastal San Luis Obispo area approximately 11,000 to 10,000 BC, including a large village to the south of Cayucos at Morro Creek.

The first European land exploration of Alta California, the Spanish Portolà expedition, camped in the vicinity of today’s Cayucos on September 9, 1769. Coming from the previous campsite near Morro Bay, Franciscan missionary and expedition member Juan Crespi noted in his diary that “In the four hours that we traveled, making at the most three leagues, we encountered eight arroyos by which the water from the mountains runs to the sea, along whose edge we traveled. We halted at the eighth watering place in a moderately broad valley, into which enters an estuary fed by an arroyo of good water coming from the mountains.” Crespi translator Herbert Bolton noted the camp location as Ellysley Creek (further along the coast to the northwest), but the description sounds more like Cayucos.

Cayucos is the hispanicization of a Chumash word for “kayak,” or “canoe,” used by the Chumash people to fish in the bay, particularly in the rich kelp beds just north of the current Cayucos pier. The town took its name from the old Rancho Moro y Cayucos, a Mexican land grant awarded in 1842 that includes the present area of the town.

In 1867, Captain James Cass settled on 320 acres (1.29 km2) of this land, and founded the town of Cayucos. Cass began developing the area with his business partner, Captain Ingals. Cass built a 900 foot pier and a warehouse to house cargo bound for San Francisco or Los Angeles. Eventually Cass returned to life on the sea and in 1875 real estate developer C.H. Phillips subdivided and sold the remaining portions of Rancho Moro y Cayucos. The original pier was swept away by a storm but has since been rebuilt.

from Wikipedia

More Info
Cayucos Chamber of Commerce
P.O. Box 346
Cayucos, Ca 93430
805-995-1200
cayucosChamber at gmail dot com
Website»

Directions
Exit HWY 101 at Grande Avenue. Turn East (mountains) onto Grand Avenue. Continue into town. Public parking available behind shop or street parking available.

Google Map of this area »»

Current Conditions

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 Arroyo Grande History
The Arroyo Grande Valley was first opened for settlement in 1868 and the business district consisted of a black smith shop, stage station and schoolhouse. ” The valley was a tangled mass of brush, vines and trees, of so dense a growth that the creek had no channel but spread over the entire valley during a fresher.

Hence the valley has been built up in successive layers, 20 feet or more deep, of decaying vegetation and sediment from one of the richest hill countries to be found in the states. This land today is some of the richest in the world,” wrote land developer, John F. Beckett, in 1898 and quoted by local historian, Jean Hubbard, in the Five Cities Press Recorder on September 21, l994. “Farming in the Arroyo Grande area at the turn of the century had a common thread, which weaves through the life of the earliest settlers of all nationalities. Life was severe requiring arduous labor in their struggle to survive,” wrote Kay T. Fukuhara in the Pacific Citizen Holiday Issue, December 1976. The loneliness especially plagued the women who were so far removed from their homeland and families and were faced with language differences.

“Kinzo Saruwatari family moved to Los Berros where they became the first to grow berries prior to 1922. They packed the berries in wooden boxes before sending them to L.A from the old Oceano depot. The empty boxes were returned to the farm to be refilled and shipped to Los Angles again,” wrote Kay Fukuhara. In 1929, the Berry Growers Association was formed and existed until 1941-42. Los Berros became known as ” strawberry country” before World War II.

The Strawberry industry in San Luis Obispo County ranked ninth in the nation in the 1997 survey conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. “There were 16 million pounds harvested, even though only 500 acres are dedicated to growing strawberries,” stated Robert Lilly, assistant county agricultural commissioner.

More Info
Chamber of Commerce
800 W. Branch
Arroyo Grande, CA 93420

Atascadero enjoys approximately 18,000 residents, Atascadero is the second largest city in San Luis Obispo County. Atascadero spans close to 23,000 acres of gently rolling hills dotted by native oaks and is midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Founded in 1913 by E. G. Lewis, Atascadero became an incorporated city in 1979 and provides governmental administration through a five-member city council. The character of the community can best be described by phrases such as “elbow room” and “rural atmosphere. ” Atascadero should be considered as a place to live by anyone looking for a quality lifestyle including clean air and single-family residences which are not stacked one atop the other. The community boasts of relatively large lots in most areas, invites the ownership of farm animals on the majority of lots and works to preserve the natural flora and fauna.

Atascadero is located within driving range of many popular tourist attractions, such as Hearst Castle, about 45 minutes away; three California missions, San Antonio, San Miguel and San Luis Obispo, are all less than 45 minutes away; and three large fishing and boating lakes, Nacimiento and San Antonio, 25 miles to the north and Santa Margarita Lake, 25 miles to the south.

The city itself boasts Atascadero Lake Park, Sunken Gardens Park, South Atascadero Park, Heilmann Dog Park (Off Leash Pet Friendly :: Map), and the Charles Paddock Zoo.

The city’s elevation ranges from about 125 feet at the Salinas River to 2,436 feet at Frog Pond Mountain with City Hall being about 850 feet above sea level. Several creeks flow easterly and northerly through the city and into the Salinas River.

The average yearly rainfall for Atascadero is slightly above 17 inches, with an average temperature in January of 60 degrees during the day and 41 degrees at night. In July the daytime high averages 95 degrees with the nights dropping to 55 degrees. Even on the warmest of summer days, the ocean breeze cools the city at night. The average rainy season runs from mid-October to mid-April. Frost is common from October through April.

With the historic City Administration Building at its core, Atascadero today is an economically viable city providing social, educational and commercial services for its citizens. The growth of the city in the past decade has been due to emigration from larger metropolitan areas, the availability of economically attractive land and the attraction of the rural lifestyle.

Today Atascadero can boast of an active business community which provides goods and services not only for its local residents but for those who live in smaller communities to the north and south. A regional flair has developed in the city as factory outlet stores, supermarkets, chain drug and department stores, and new motels are locating within the boundaries of the city. Retail sales account for a major portion of the city’s income. Because of the nature of employment in Atascadero, “highs” and “lows” as the economy gets strong or weak are generally avoided.

Current Conditions

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Annual Events

Hot El Camino Cruise Night – Huge Car Cruise on Friday evening – August
Mid-State Cruizers Car Show – Atascdero Lakeside Park – Saturday – August
Colony Days Parade & Celebration – Downtown – Third Saturday in October
Halloween ZooBoo at the Zoo – October
Holiday Boutique at the Pavilion on the Lake – Third Saturday – November
Atascadero’s Annual Holiday Lighting Ceremony – First Friday December
Downtown Winter Wonderland – Downtown – Second Friday in December
Zoo Holiday Magic at the Charles Paddock Zoo – Third Saturday December

Current Conditions

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