San Luis Obispo

All photos taken by Brady Teufel

Story by Emily Devine

What lies right outside

your window
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S an Luis Obispo (Spanish for St. Louis,

the Bishop) is a city in California, located
roughly midway between San Francisco and
Los Angeles on the Central Coast. The city,
referred to locally as SLO or “San Luis,” is the
county seat of San Luis Obispo County and is
adjacent to California Polytechnic State Univer-
sity (Cal Poly). As of the 2000 census, the city
population was 44,174.
The city is home to San Luis Obispo Coun-
ty Regional Airport which offers private and
commercial air service to several major cities
in the west. Amtrak provides daily rail service
here as the terminus of the Pacific Surfliner line
and a stop on the Coast Starlight line. Grey-
hound also maintains a bus terminal in San
Luis Obispo. Public transportation includes
the city-wide SLO Transit bus lines as well as
the county-wide SLO Regional Transit system.
Rideshare encourages the use of the local public
transit, as well as carpooling and biking.
Cycling is occasionally used as a mode
of transportation in San Luis Obispo. Bike
lanes are maintained on a few of the streets
and the number of bike stands are increas-
ing, especially in the downtown area.
Parking in the downtown area can be
a challenge for those interested in finding
a spot directly in front of their final desti-
nation. The city provides parking in three
multistory parking structures throughout
downtown at: Chorro and Marsh street
intersection; Palm Street between Chorro
and Morro streets; on Palm Street between
Chorro and Osos streets. Street parking
downtown is metered. The structures are
free for the first hour and 75 cents per hour
thereafter. Because of San Luis Obispo’s
location halfway between Los Angeles and
San Francisco, it has long been a stopping
point for travelers. In fact, the word motel
was coined here when the Motel Inn of San
Luis Obispo was established in 1925.

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 Since then, the
pleasant year-round
climate, pretty scenery,
and well-preserved,
walkable downtown
have made the city a
tourist destination in
itself.
Downtown
San Luis Obispo is
centered around the
carefully restored Mis-
sion San Luis Obispo
de Tolosa, originally
built in 1772. It is one
of the best preserved
examples of Spanish
Mission architecture
and among the oldest
buildings in California.
Its bells are unique in generous helping of ple have been sticking Another big at-
that, unlike other Cali- pink, wildly kitschy their chewed gum on traction is the develop-
fornia missions, the decor, themed guest the walls of this alley ment of Edna Valley
bell ringer stands in rooms, and a water- located on Higuera into a well-known
the bellroom with the fall urinal in a men’s Street, between Broad wine region. Just
bells when ringing the restroom. south of the
cadences. The down- The city, people
town area also boasts Fremont can spend
many eclectic shops Theater is a an afternoon
and boutiques. historic Art wine tasting
Another big tour- Deco theater several winer-
ist attraction is Hearst from the ies in the area
Castle, the vast estate 1940s. It has with a very
of publishing magnate appeared in short drive.
William Randolph many mov- Some of
Hearst, 43 miles to ies includ- these winer-
the north of San Luis ing a three ies have won
Obispo. The Madonna second clip awards and
Inn is another famous in My Blue acclaim for
local landmark. Estab- Heaven. their vintages.
lished by Alex Ma- One famous and Garden streets. The wine region
donna in 1958, the inn tourist destination is Bubble Gum Alley extends north beyond
is a famously eccentric Bubble Gum Alley. has even appeared on Paso Robles (30 miles
building known for its Since about 1960, peo- national television. north) and Santa Ynez

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 (70 miles south). quarters of a mile of area. Later, all traf- pic Torch, the Tour
A field station of the street is closed to fic was blocked off, of California bicycle
the Marine Mammal cars. Live entertain- making the downtown race, Cinco de Mayo
Center is located in ment is featured and Farmers’ Market one celebrations, as well as
San Luis Obispo to local farmers and long “mall,” even a long-standing Christ-
support sea rescue and vendors sell goods and rerouting part of a state mas Parade. A Mardi
beach stranding rescue produce. The Farmers’ highway to accommo- Gras parade that was
operations for this sec- Market was created date the street closures. well attended has been
tion of the California in 1983 to make use The Farmers’ Market fraught with difficul-
coast. of downtown streets brought a great deal ties related to crowd
One of the main blocked off to end of revenue and has control and alcohol
draws is the Farmers’ a tradition of teen/ become internationally consumption. Debate
Market, a large festival collegiate cruising. known. about the cost of the
held downtown on Farmers and vendors San Luis Obispo parade, and the associ-
Higuera Street every were allowed to set up has been home of ated crowd control,
Thursday evening between barricades as several other events, continues.
year-round from 6 p.m. a way to bring people including a stop on Mardi Gras has
to 9 p.m.. About three- back to the downtown the way of the Olym- not been the only local

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event reined in after gaining acceptance. Cal
Poly’s open house, Poly Royal, was held every
April until a 1990 riot of drunken revellers, many
visitors to town, caused damage throughout resi-
dential neighborhoods and the business district.
The university cancelled the event for several
years before reintroducing a scaled-down Open
House. While Poly Royal welcomed the commu-
nity for hikes, carnivals, “magic” shows put on
by the Chemistry Department, and other public
performances, the revamped version is designed
for students and parents.
Jamba Juice, famous for its fruit smoothies,
was founded in this town. Formerly called Juice
Club, Jamba Juice is now a national chain.
Although Juice Club was not a Cal Poly senior
project as some claim, three of the four co-
founders, Joe Vergara, Kevin Peters, and Linda
Olds did graduate from the university. Jamba

Juice still exists at the original Juice Club loca-

tion: 17 Chorro Street #C.
City ordinance prevents businesses of any
sort (including fast-food restaurants) from con-
structing new drive-up or drive-through windows
or services. Two branches of one local bank are
the only locations in the entire city with drive-up
service; their drive-up service existed before the
ordinance became law.
The medical office on the corner of Santa
Rosa and Pacific streets is one of very few
commercial buildings designed by Frank Lloyd
Wright.
A horse race on turf named the San Luis
Obispo Handicap is run at the Santa Anita Park
in honor of this city.
San Luis Obispo was the first American
town to ban indoor smoking in all locations,
including bars and restaurants.