Mothers day is Sunday May 12… next weekend !!!
What’s cooking for Mothers Day? Why not take your mom to dog friendly SLO for a week or the weekend?
San Luis Obispo County Has Tons of Dog Friendly Places to Explore
San Luis Obispo is located midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles, and a few hours south of Monterey county. It is known as the Happiest City in America… According to Dan Buettner’s National Geographic book Thrive, “San Luis Obispo has snagged the top spot for happiest people in America.”
Below are some suggestions of dog friendly places to stay and visit while you are in SLO.
Take a dog friendly wine tour in Paso Robles or San Luis Obispo regions with a Breakaway Tours Dog Day Wine Tour.
Mom and dog can learn how to surf at Pismo beach with miles of lovely sand and waves. Amble along the boardwalk, fish from the historic pier, or explore Pismo Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove, which hosts an average 25,000 butterflies per season.
Lunch at the Splash Cafe (try the yummy clam chowder) is a must.
Mom and pooch will feel right at home at a pet friendly oceanfront hotel such as the SeaCrest OceanFront. Ask for their Celebrity Pet Package which includes a pet bed, food bowls, a pet concierge brochure, and a 5 acre lawn area for pets to do their business (with pet waste stations along the way) and direct beach access to the pet friendly Pismo beach. More info at www.petfriendlypismobeach.com
Take a walking tour of the downtown of the Happiest City, SLO, visit Bubble Gum Alley, the dogs will LOVE the creek that goes through downtown, and dogs are even welcome at the San Luis Obispo Museum of Art. Also, check out the pet boutique Tails for yummy treats for the canines. Other pet friendly attractions include the San Luis Obispo Botanical Gardens.
Enjoy a leisurely dinner at a pet friendly restaurant such as Luna Red. Their patio is filled with guests and their four legged friends. And the food and wine is to drool for. Organic, sustainable fresh seafood and salads. Crab lasagne, wild boar spare ribs and a variety of vegetarian fare.
http://www.lunaredslo.com/storage/Dinner%20Menu%20March%202013.pdf
After dinner, head on down to Grover Beach, and relax at a beach party with bonfires, wine and s’mores and all. Beach Butlerz will set up bonfire pits, each with a good supply of seasoned firewood, luxe beach chairs, a Luxe Cabana (ultra style), tiki torches, and a 12–‐foot tall teepee decked out with plush pillows and all the fixings to create s’mores. The marshmallows are huge and the service is magical. All you need is a full moon to get the party started (and some lit bocci balls).
Beach Butlerz
(805) 878-4283; www.beachbutlerz.com
Pooches all aboard on a Tiki Boat tour of the Morro Bay Harbor on the Lost Isles Cruise. View the wildlife in their natural habitat, and sea otters, seals, sea lions, and a wide variety of birds in Morro Bay’s beautiful estuary. The dogs will love the sounds of the sea life. www.baycruisers.com
Lots of shopping and meandering after the cruise along the Embarcadero… Then enjoy a great meal of freshly caught fish, smoked oysters, calamari, fish and chips and more. at Tognazzini’s Dockside Restaurant. Tognazzini’s is also home to three beautiful and friendly white Labs.
www.bonniemarietta.com/Dockside-Restaurant.htm
Before you leave the coast, be sure to take a coastal hike at one of the many pet friendly parks such as Montana De Oro (Mountain of Gold).
After lunch, you may want to relax or head up the coast to San Simeon. Tour the infamous Hearst Castle (or save that for the next day). www.hearstcastle.org
Dogs are NOT allowed at the castle. If you want to visit and do not want to leave the dogs alone, hire a pet sitter from Faithful Friend Pet Sitting Service.
You can also enjoy wildlife viewing including bird-watching, whale-watching, sea otter preserves, and elephant seal viewing and the dogs can roam along the beach.
Stay at the pet friendly Best Western Cavalier Oceanfront Resort, Cambria and San Simeon’s only oceanfront accommodation that offers direct beach access to dog friendly beaches and 14 acres for walking the dogs. A King room with oceanview has a fireplace and your very own patio. There is a hot tub/jacuzzi and pool on property and bonfires at sunset.
Check out the artistic town of Cambria. Be sure to enjoy lunch or dinner at Robin’s Restaurant. The gorgeous garden patio will be a treat for the dogs and your mom alike. The food will please everybody. Unique starters such as Singapore chicken sate, fresh inviting straight from the garden salads and curried chicken and other sandwiches are what’s for lunch. For dinner, lamb curry, Tail Lobster Enchiladas, Malaysian chicken and Moroccan duck breast entrees, plus delectable desserts (hot fudge sundaes with coffee ice cream and pistachio nuts) , Robin’s seasonal menus are prepared from scratch.
Top off the weekend with a visit to one of Paso Robles pet friendly wineries. Ecluse features Bordeaux and Rhone style wines, as well as their fabulous Zinfandel. Meet and greet Ecluse Winery’s blind dog Toby. www.eclusewines.com
Ecluse has a special love for dogs and produces “Blind Dog Wines” In honor of their assist dogs that both lost their vision, they have created an eclectic blend of some of the best Paso Robles reds. A percentage of proceeds from “Blind Dog Midnight Run Cuvee” will be donated to Dogs for the Deaf in Central Point, Oregon.
Stroll through downtown Paso Robles after the wine tour and shop in stores like Sealed with a Kiss. Pet friendly retailers offer special treats and you can enter the Thomas Hill Organics dog friendly patio restaurant from this store. www.thomashillorganics.com
Brunch or lunch will be a feast of the eyes as mouth watering plates piled high will fill your tummy. The menu features organic produce from their farm and highlights unique wines from sustainable growers on the Central Coast. Thomas Hill Organics also provides local organic grass fed beef, lamb and free range organic poultry. Smoked Salmon Omelette, PC Cattle Burger, Pumpkin Bread French Toast, and more. Gluten free bread upon request.
http://www.thomashillorganics.com/menu_files/Brunch%20Menu.pdf
Whatever you do, your dog and mom will feel lucky, refreshed and grateful for the great getaway.
Dog Parks
- Dinosaur Caves Park, Price St., Pismo Beach
- Elm Street Dog Park, Ash St., Arroyo Grande
- El Chorro Regional Dog Park, Dairy Creek Rd., San Luis Obispo
Dog Friendly Beaches
- Pismo Beach, To the left of the pier
- Port San Luis / Avila Beach, Between 2nd and 3rd pier
- Oceano Dunes, Off of Hwy 1 exit
Blog Hop time…thanks to Life with Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers and Confessions of the Plume… grab the blog hop link
