Sunday, October 9, 2016
Fall Adventures in SLO County!
Day Trip: Apple Orchards and Barn Visits in San Luis Obispo, California!
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| Variety of Apples to Taste while visiting Gopher Glen |
Looking for something to get your family into the fall spirit? Why not take an Apple Pickin’ road trip up the beautiful coast of California! San Luis Obsipo is a college town with a very unique vibe. Nestled above Pismo Beach, SLO is known for its local breweries and fun downtown restaurants!
In the fall time, orchards surrounding SLO are open up to the public- each offering different apple and farm experiences. My husband and I decided to visit 3 different apple orchards during our day trip together up the coast. We also found out that due to high liability, it is very hard to find an actually orchard that will allow you to pick your own apples. There is one that I know of, and is only open on the days in which they display their sign along the 101 freeway.
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| Welcome to See Canyon Fruit Ranch! |
Orchard #1: See Canyon Fruit Ranch
Address: 2345 See Canyon Rd, San Luis Obispo, CA, 93405
Phone: 805-595-2376
Open: September - November
Daily from 10 am to 5 pm
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| Apple Press at See Canyon Fruit Ranch |
This farm has plenty of areas to sit, relax and enjoy your apple treats. You are welcome to bring your own picnic to this farm. They also sell these items in the barn that you can purchase and either take home, or enjoy during your visit: apple cider, apples, pumpkins, honey, fresh produce, eggs, almond brittle, and some small retail items.
My husband and I tasted the Apple Cider (made at Gopher Glen) and the Almond Brittle- which was delicious! We bought a bag to take home and share with the family.
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| Cute Honey Display at See Canyon |
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| Welcome to Gopher Glen! |
Orchard #2: Gopher Glen
Address: 2899 See Canyon Rd, San Luis Obispo, CA 93405
Phone: (805) 595-2646
Open: Varies Based on Season. Call Ahead.
Typically Open: 10 to 5
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| Large Variety of Apples at Gopher Glen! |
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| Local Honey. Available at Gopher Glen. |
While there, you can enjoy the shade with a nice crisp apple. I loved this entire See Canyon area because it actually feels like you are on an orchard, which can be hard for local Californians to find at times. I also loved the fact that there are so many orchards and barns all within a 5 minute drive of each other.
Orchard/Farm #3: Avila Barn
Address: 560 Avila Beach Drive • San Luis Obispo CA 93405
Phone: (805) 595-2816
Open Daily, Hours Vary. Call First. Not Open Year Round!
Typically: 10 to 5
This is honestly one of my favorite places on Earth. Anytime I am near SLO, I have to stop by Avila Barn! It is absolutely stunning and reminds me of what most people envision when they think of a roadside barn. They offer so many things to their visitors and they change their decor and offerings for the seasons. This barn is not open year round, so make sure to check hours before stopping by.
From fresh roasted corn on the cob, to ice cold ice cream, this barn has it all! Located off the 101 freeway (exit: Avila Beach), this barn isn’t easy to miss! They have a very large dirt parking lot that connects you to their barn. When you first walk into the Avila Barn property, you will be greeted by caged goats, chickens, sheep, cows, emus, and more! You can feed the animals with the lettuce they provide for a small fee. The outside of the barn has tons of shade and areas to rest. They also have adorable strings of lights hanging over the eating area, located at the back of the barn. On the property, you will find little stands that sell local produce or treats (the majority in which THEY grow and make). You MUST try their roasted corn on the cob--- it is the BEST you will ever have! They even have a toppings bar stocked with spray butter, seasonings and sauces to top your corn. The corn is $4 a cob and the toppings are complimentary! (If you want to use your credit card, they do have a minimum of about $10).
After you finish your corn, head on into the barn for some retail therapy! They have all the cute kitchen accessories and freshly made bakery goodies inside of the barn ready to purchase. They also have a large assortment of bagged snacks, freshly picked produce, flowers, honey, cold water, cheeses, and other items to add to your home. The children have a small area in the back of the barn’s shop that offers books, toys and more.
When you are finished shopping, head on over to the next building for a sweet treat! In this section, they have premade sandwiches, drinks, treats, fudge, hot dogs and ice cream! Directly next to the sweet shop, they have about 6 shaded outdoor benches that you can sit at with a beautiful view overlooking the tractor rides.
The back of the barn also carries your typical kitchen souvenirs such as local jams, honeys, boxed mixes, cute kitchen knick knacks and more.
Next, you will want to check out what other seasonal offerings they have available. I always love to come here, sit back and relax for a couple of hours. There is plenty to do and tons of space to do it!
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| Local Secret: Full of Life Flatbread, Los Alamos, Ca |
Dinner: Full of Life Flatbread
Website: http://www.fulloflifefoods.com
Address: 225 Bell St, Los Alamos, Ca 93440
Phone: 805-344-4400
This is a hidden gem that you must stop and try. Located in the heart of the small town Los Alamos, Full of Life Flatbread offers guest the opportunity to dine on farm fresh produce from local suppliers. The restaurant even has its own small garden on the property and creates the daily menu based on what items they get that morning. If they have potatoes on the menu, make sure to add some to your pizza---yum!
Anything you order here is guaranteed fresh and delicious! Come early, this place gets crowded quick! I've been here at least 3 times and always have a different dining experience each time based on where we are seated. If you have the option, ask to sit on the front porch. Come about 1 hour to sunset so that when your hot pizza arrives at the table, you can enjoy it on the wooden porch while being surrounded by the vibrant colors of the sunset. Bring a jacket if you plan on sitting outside, it gets chilly!
If you are looking for a toastier location, ask to sit next to the Pizza Oven. This is also a very entertaining area to be seated! Full of Life Flatbread has a very home-like feel to it and is a fun culinary experience for all its guests. After dinner, enjoy a stroll down the historic Bell Street to discover some of the local town's history, full of rustic hotels and fun locals. Again, come early (5:00) if you want to get a seat at Full of Life Flatbread!
Other: The Apple Farm: Hotel and Restaurant.
2015 Monterey Street San Luis Obispo, CA, 93401
Phone: 1-800-255-2040
Ready to crash after a long day full of Apple activities? Where better than The Apple Farm of San Luis Obispo! This cozy hotel is very charming and resembles your grandma's home. The walls have decorative wallpaper and every shelf is full of cute knick-knacks. They offer free hot apple cider as well as cookies for their guest. The restaurant tends to be on the higher priced side. They also offer a large variety of baked goods and souvenirs to take home for your kitchen. The Apple Farms use to do a lot more for their guests, but lately have made major cut backs. Guest use to enjoy a refreshment hour with platters of cookies and a variety of drinks. Now, you have to ask for your 1 cookie when you check-in, a little known fact to most guest. The Apple Farms use to also give a wooden apple to the guest on each of their stays that they could take home. They no longer do this for their guest. Each night, they use to perform a turn down service, aka: Chocolates on the pillow, but stopped a couple of years ago. They still offer newspaper delivery and hot cider all day, but unfortunately, most of the "extras" that guest looked forward to while visiting The Apple Farms are no longer offered.
Regardless, it is still a nice hotel. On average, it goes for about $200 a night and books up quickly. They have an outdoor pool and a small shop (with a water wheel attached).
Overall, San Luis Obispo has tons of fall events to offer the family. The weather continues to push 80 in October and can cool down dramatically in the evenings. Dress in layers. Bring cash if you want to visit downtown (for parking). Enjoy these fun fall events!
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| Apples for Sale at See Canyon Fruit Ranch |
Comment below with other Fall Time Activities you and your family enjoy doing!
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What a fun post, but it has me really missing Fall though! I LOVE fall and all the activities that we do with our kids.
ReplyDeleteFall is my favorite! That is my FAVORITE time to travel as well! <3 Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteLooks and sounds like a fun time! :)
ReplyDeleteLinda
https://lindatenchitran.com/home/2017/6/21/velvet-romper
Fall time is the best! Thanks for commenting <3
DeleteWow, it looks an interesting place to visit. Thanks for providing the insights of the place.
ReplyDeleteLove doing these kind of activities in NY in fall. If I ever get to CA I'll have to revisit this.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like the perfect fall getaway. It made me miss my grandparents they had an apple and a cherry tree. You would definitely find me in one of them.
ReplyDeleteThis looks like a lot of fun! Thanks for including photos.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by!
DeleteI had no idea there were so many varieties, learn something new every day. Thanks. Beautiful photos!
ReplyDeleteThis is my kind of activity. Totally love your post. So much fun and beautiful pics..I did this last fall with my patents. Had best time. :)
ReplyDeleteThat looks so fun!
ReplyDeleteI absolutely adore this sort of blogpost! This was such a lovely read :)
ReplyDeleteIt's a liability to pick you own apples from an orchard these days?? Wow.
ReplyDeleteBut, it so nice that you were able to go on such a nice apple picking journey. 3 places in one day is amazing. I really like the first picture where it shows the different types of apples!
My cousins live in the United States and they were talking about Gobbers Glen.It seems like a fun place to hangout
ReplyDeleteAny single one of these places sounds like it would be a neat all day experience. I love stuff like this
ReplyDeleteI wish these things would happen in my place too :( It looks so much fun, I have never seen anything like this!
ReplyDelete