Top 10 things to do on the Central Coast

Searching out the wildflowers is a great way to spend a spring afternoon.

Top 10 things to do on the Central Coast

So you have a little time to kick back and relax on the Central Coast? Well it's no time to slow down in SLO, because there are so many things to do. Here are a list of some of my favorite things to do and this is just scratching the surface.

San Luis Obispo Farmers Market
ALL YEAR - Every Thursday night, Farmers' Market brings the community together to shop for fresh produce, sample San Luis Obispo's delectable and varied cuisine, browse local shops, listen to live music and interact with local entertainers.
Hiking around San Luis Obispo

Kayaking around Morro Rock
ALL YEAR - Kayaking is relatively easy and a person can do it with just some basic instructions. Outfitters will show you how to get in and out of the boat, how to hold and use your paddle, as well as giving you some helpful tips about the area you will be paddling through. Most kayak outfitters also give tours and this is often the best way to get started kayaking.

Paso Robles Wine Tasting
ALL YEAR - Visitors to the Central Coast often come to sample the vintages of the more than 200 wineries in the Paso Robles American Viticultural Appellation, but not so long ago this was a sleepy area with only a handful of tasting rooms available for the public. Read a little on the link above about how it all got started and who came first.

Estrella Warbirds Museum
ALL YEAR - For all aviation and military buffs, the Estrella Warbirds Museum in Paso Robles is a must see. It has two dozen aircraft on display, missiles, tanks, and other military vehicles and machinery, as well as military artifacts and paraphernalia and civilian artifacts kept by civilians and military personnel during the wars.

Hunting for Wildflowers on the Carrisa Plain
SPRING - Come out for a relaxing drive looking for the wildflowers found in the eastern part of the county way out Highway 58. You can’t miss it in a good flower year. As you approach Shell Creek Road the fields are bursting with miles of yellow flowers. People come by busloads to see the spectacle and to take photographs.

San Luis Obispo Marathon
APRIL - You may think that running a marathon is a bit too ambitious for a retired person, but you'd be wrong. The field is filled with the 65+ and over set. I recently raced a triathlon at Lake Lopez with an 80-year-old gentleman. It's never too late to start running. A great place to start is with a 5k run, like the one sponsored by the SLO Marathon. Afterward enjoy their health and fitness expo.

Arroyo Grande Strawberry Festival
MAY - This is one of California's largest festivals and premiere festival on the Central Coast. This family-style event brings together thousands of visitors and residents to enjoy activities and entertainment, the Strawberry Stampede, hundreds of art, craft and display booths, ethnic foods, and of course, scrumptious strawberry treats of all kinds in shortcakes, funnel cakes, milkshakes, ice cream and by the box.

Atascadero Wine Festival
JUNE - There are several wine festivals on the Central Coast but this one is exceptional. The Annual Atascadero Lakeside Wine Festival brings together more than eighty Central Coast wineries to the Atascadero Lake Park to share their favorite wines for this annual festival. Continuing the celebration of the senses, the festival provides an eclectic selection of fares from local chefs with an array of culinary creations to invigorate your spirits and enjoy the good life, against the backdrop of this truly inspired Lakeside Festival.

Paso Robles Concerts in the Park
SUMMER - During the summer the downtown park fills up with locals and visitors every Friday at 5:30 p.m. to enjoy live music, dance, food and wine. You are welcome to bring your own chairs, blankets and cooler. This is a fun, social experience not to be missed.

Cambria Scarecrow Festival
OCT - Every year the population of Cambria increases by hundreds. Thanks to some amazingly creative locals a phenomenal display of scarecrows descend on this little town and remain there for the entire month. The scarecrows are a diverse and eclectic group. Some resembling the characters from Harry Potter, others meant to look like a senior citizen walking down the street. They seem the have embraced the artistic atmosphere in Cambria, and in the process they've given passers-by another reason to make a stop in this seaside community.