Here’s Summer: Memorial Day Weekend Starts Now!

Posted on May 25, 2012 by thecentralcoasttraveler

Ahh, summer. It all begins with Memorial Day Weekend. The Central Coast’s prime travel season is in full swing. The calendar is loaded with events, beaches are loaded with sunbathers, and people are…loaded. (Of course, the Central Coast Traveler encourages everyone to party responsibly.) At Avila Beach, the “Concerts at the Cove” series is underway and will continue into early October. Tonight’s featured act, Shwayze, The Cataracs and Outasight; check here for tickets and details.

And what more perfect way to enjoy a day at the beach than with Beach Butlerz? This party rental service provides lounge chairs, umbrellas, bonfires, or even pavilions and intimate teepees with ambient lighting. The Traveler found the Butlerz team hard at work in Avila Beach making someone’s day very special.

Moonstone Beach, Cambria

Posted on May 23, 2012 by thecentralcoasttraveler

Sunrise Above the Clouds in Big Sur

Posted on May 22, 2012 by thecentralcoasttraveler

The weather patterns along the Central Coast produce an endless variety of beautiful effects. I love these clouds (fog, actually) just above the ocean. From a terrace at the Post Ranch Inn, 1200 feet (365 m) above sea level you can be above the clouds. If staying at the Post Ranch isn’t on your itinerary, there are many other vista points along Highway 1 in Big Sur where you can see this phenomenon on foggy days.

Skyscrapers of the Central Coast: Morro Bay Power Plant

Posted on May 20, 2012 by thecentralcoasttraveler

The Central Coast isn’t known for tall buildings. After all, why build up when there’s so much open space? San Luis Obispo County has a population density of just 80 people per square mile (32 people/km²). Compare that to New York City at over 26,000 inhabitants per square mile (10,000/km²) or Hong Kong at 42,000 per square mile (16,000/km²).

The Traveler is hard-pressed to name a habitable building higher than four stories north of Santa Barbara or south of Monterey. However, there is one structure the height of a 45-story office tower, visible for miles: the Morro Bay power plant. At 450 feet (137 m), its triple smokestacks rival nearby Morro Rock.

Morro Bay seen from Highway 46, thirteen miles (21 km) to the north.

The plant dates from the 1950s, well before Morro Bay became a tourism hub, and originally ran on oil. It was converted to natural gas some time ago, and operates at only a fraction of its capacity. I’ve never seen the slightest hint of visible exhaust from the stacks.

Morro Bay seen from Prefumo Canyon Road, nine miles (14 km) to the southeast.

The slender silver-gray towers have an austere, industrial beauty, like something Charles Sheeler would have photographed or painted. They’re far enough away from Morro Bay’s town center that they disappear into the landscape. These towers are unexpected in a tourism-centric seaside village surrounded by vineyards, mountains and ocean. But that’s all part of Morro Bay’s charm: it’s not a cookie-cutter resort, but a living town that hasn’t sanitized away its history.

Pfeiffer Beach

Posted on May 18, 2012 by thecentralcoasttraveler

This is one of the Traveler’s favorite places: Pfeiffer Beach.

Big Sur Sunrise

Posted on May 17, 2012 by thecentralcoasttraveler

It’s impossible to get tired of the views in Big Sur. The Traveler took this picture while having morning coffee at the Post Ranch Inn. Why can’t every sunrise be like this?

Sand Dollar Beach at Sunrise

Posted on May 15, 2012 by thecentralcoasttraveler

Big Sur’s Sand Dollar Beach is one of the few publicly accessible beaches on the entire 90 mile (145 km) stretch between Cambria and Carmel. It’s stunning at sunrise, with the sun glowing behind the mountains. In the distance is Cone Peak, at 5155 feet (1571 meters) one of the highest summits of the Santa Lucia mountains. Cone Peak is said to be the highest coastal mountain in the lower 48 states, ascending nearly a mile above the Pacific in an unbroken slope, only 3 miles (4.8 km) from the shore.

Avila Beach

Posted on May 13, 2012 by thecentralcoasttraveler

The Avila Beach Pier is a wonderful place for strolling and taking in some amazing views. Here’s a sample of what you’ll see if you go.

Portion Control: Fries at Firestone Grill

Posted on May 10, 2012 by thecentralcoasttraveler

The Central Coast Traveler had yet another healthy lunch in downtown San Luis Obispo, this time at the Firestone Grill. On a weekday afternoon, the lunch hour rush was well underway and the place hummed like a factory. An attractive factory with nice lighting and good food, fortunately. I’m normally not impressed by my experience at cash registers, but the young woman who took my order actually seemed interested in how my day was going. Even if she was acting friendly as part of her job duties, it was a convincing performance. My burger with avocado, bacon, and jack cheese was cooked perfectly, on a wonderfully crumbly and soft roll. The “side” of fries was enough for a family of four, not that I was complaining. For tasty fast food in a handsome setting that doesn’t feel like fast food, the Firestone Grill is an excellent choice.