Surfing with goats in San Luis Obispo County

SLO CAL (San Luis Obispo County, California) is renowned for being a friendly, laid-back destination home to quaint coastal towns and farmers markets.

Yet there are a host of offbeat experiences that will put SLO CAL right at the top of your bucket list.

From surfing with goats to visiting an architectural graveyard, expect the unexpected.

Dine and stay at the iconic Madonna Inn 

Located just minutes from the heart of Downtown San Luis Obispo, you will find the bright and brilliant Madonna Inn, a hotel like no other. This wacky and wonderful accommodation offers a unique hotel experience with eccentric pink interior design and 110 brightly coloured, individually themed rooms boasting huge chandeliers and bespoke furniture. There are four restaurants, a world-famous bakery, a spa and Pismo Beach a stone’s throw away.

Surfing Goats at Pismo Beach 

Surf like a goat with this animal-tastic activity at SLO CAL’s very own Pismo Beach. The Surf Goat Day is a one-and-a-half to two hour experience including a surf lesson, board rental, tandem surf ride, and spin on the Rapture Party Wave Board with Pismo the goat. If you don’t fancy getting your feet wet, there is a one and a half hour Goat Hike in the Pismo Preserve. Open to all ages, both activities are totally unique.

Discover Bruno Munro’s Light at Sensorio in Paso Robles 

“Light at Sensorio” features two installations by internationally acclaimed artist Bruce Munro. Field of Light is a 15-acre walk-through experience, comprising more than 58,800 spheres lit by fibre optics. Munro’s largest artwork to date, the spheres illuminate the landscape in gentle and subtle blooms of morphing colour. The latest installation, Light Towers, celebrates Paso Robles wine and features 69 towers of more than 17,000 wine bottles similarly illuminated by glowing optic fibre.

Take a hike to Cal Poly’s Architecture Graveyard 

Take a short hike to explore the California Polytechnic State University Architectural Graveyard, also known as the Cal Poly Design Village. This unexpected display of unusual architectural structures is all part of a competition run by the University every year to showcase the talent and creativity of its students. Participating students pick a plot of land in the ‘Graveyard’ to create a structure based on a theme. After the competition the structures are left and so the graveyard continues to grow each year. If you are lucky, on your hike you might even be greeted by the horses that roam free in this area.

Go wild at Hearst Castle 

Take a trip to the iconic Hearst Castle for a wildly elegant experience. Designed by architect Julia Morgan as a home for William Randolph Hearst in 1919, this spectacular 250,000-acre estate is filled with thousands of works of art from around the world, and comprises 165 rooms, 123 acres of gardens and several world-famous pools and terraces. What makes this castle stand out is the unusual wildlife that roam around the castle grounds. Believe it or not, wild zebras can be found grazing in the surrounding grassland.

The Tiny Town of Harmony 

With a population of just 18, Harmony is the tiniest town in SLO CAL by far. Don’t be fooled by this town’s modest size as lying within is a rich history waiting to be explored. Harmony long served as the capital of SLO CAL’s blooming dairy industry for nearly five decades and today the town is a vibrant artist’s haven with pottery and glassware workshops, yoga classes and a legendary creamery serving hand craft ice cream. The town’s quirky art and funky facades are a magnet for wander-lusters and is a desired location for weddings and picnics.

About SLO CAL

Located midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles on California’s Central Coast, SLO CAL (San Luis Obispo County, California) brings together the best of the Golden State, with 80 miles of coastline and beaches along Highway 1. It has the third-largest wine region in the state  and outdoor adventures on land and sea. www.slocal.com