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Anchored by the great wine region of Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo County teems with rocky coastlines, rugged wilderness and quaint artisan villages, making for the perfect end-of-summer escape.

“The viscera is used for anticoagulant in
Asia,” says Abalone Farm manager Brad Buckley, holding up one of the slippery sea creatures anchored in its iridescent shell. “What we eat is actually the foot.”
The central California coast is a prime breeding ground for the gastropod mollusk, he explains, pointing to the Pacific Ocean mere steps from where we stand on his property in Cayucos in San Luis Obispo County. And indeed, the edible portion is called the adductor muscle, which the sea snail uses to cling to rocks in the often violent ocean tides.

It’s a mystery how man decided it would be a good idea to eat the things – the classic way to catch abalone is to dive from cliffs and risk death extracting them. They must be alive, so they’re moving when you pry one loose from its shell, and to cook it, you should pound it to tenderize, then fire it for 20 to 30 seconds per side so it doesn’t turn to rubber.

Buckley offers a slice of the fresh meat, and it’s extraordinary – crisp like a vegetable with bright flavors. Buckley and his team don’t dive to get their seafood. The Abalone Farm has been in business since 1968, with rows of planter-like tanks stretching along a tidy inlet and producing some 100 tons of California Red abalone annually. The working plant – the mollusks are spawned and hatched here – offers tours on Thursdays in the summer months, with no reservations needed for the hour-long, $7-per-person exploration.

It’s also an excellent introduction into what makes this section of California’s Central Coast so special. Stretching halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco, the entire region spans seven counties, from Santa Barbara to Monterey, in a crazy quilt of soothing beaches, rocky coastline cliffs punctuated by thundering waves, quaint artisan villages, and rustic wilderness perfect for camping, along 350 miles of coastline. San Luis Obispo County sits nearly smack in the middle of it all, anchored most recognizably by the city of Paso Robles.


While the area has a rich history reaching back to the Spanish land grants of the 1800s, over the past several years it has matured to include trendy dining and nightlife enclaves and opulent hotels for lavish retreats. More recently, it has evolved into an increasingly important wine destination, too. Paso Robles alone boasts nearly 200 wineries, making it the third-largest wine-producing region in California, thanks to its mild Mediterranean climate.

Planning a summer escape here from the Valley is easy, with nonstop flights from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport to San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport introduced last year on US Airways. And whether a trip is inspired by nature or an extravagant vacation, there’s a lot to explore throughout the county’s cozy towns.

Outdoor Delights
A casual, nature-oriented visitor will find solace in an oceanside cottage such as Beach Bungalow Inn & Suites in Morro Bay, designed like a chic 1940s motor court with just 12 rooms, 11 of which have fireplaces. Rates start at $115 per night in the summer, including full breakfast, and there are value packages available that include activities such as fishing at nearby Virg’s Landing or farm tours of Morro Bay Oyster Company.

Victor Hugo Winery

At breakfast, load up on carbs with a hearty “surfer mama” plate of fettuccine, eggs, cheese, sausage and plenty of garlic at Hoppe’s Old Cayucos Bakery & Deli. The calories provide ample energy for trekking the nearly two-mile beachfront/wildlife sanctuary boardwalk in the artsy town of Cambria about 20 minutes north up Highway 1. For lunch, it’s hard to resist heading back south to Pismo Beach (yes, the same sandy community made famous by Bugs Bunny) for the touristy but tasty “miles of clams” at Steamers of Pismo restaurant, which sits on an ocean-washed bluff.

Need even more activity? Plan a day around the spectacular hiking and bird watching at the nearby Oso Flaco Lake and Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Preserve, or kayak Morro Bay with the help of guides from Central Coast Outdoors. You’ll paddle alongside harbor seals, sea lions and sea otters, which playfully slip beneath the waves then reappear here, there and everywhere.