15 things to do in Avila Beach on California's Central Coast - Los Angeles Times
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Hammocks hang under a pier that leads into the Pacific Ocean
(Visit SLO CAL)

15 things to do in charming Avila Beach, the ‘little secret of the Central Coast’

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Tucked away three miles off the 101 Freeway between Pismo Beach and San Luis Obispo, about a 3½-hour drive from L.A., there’s a tiny little secret most travelers tend to miss: a quaint, walkable village and a wide beach with soft white sand, clear blue water, gentle waves and the most days of sun of all the beaches on the Central Coast. Because of Avila Beach’s location in the Port San Luis Harbor, with mountains surrounding the town, the fog lifts here earlier than at other beaches in the area. And when other beaches are fogged in, you can still catch rays at Avila Beach, where on average, 286 days a year are sunny.

This has been common knowledge to some for years. When Sara Elena Loaiza, who now runs a vacation rental property in Avila Beach called Casa San Miguelito, was diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, she and her husband took a trip up and down the 101 to find a location that would be cooler than their home in Pasadena and thus better for her health. They ran into some surfers in Cayucos who told them to look into Avila Beach — for both its sunny days and the cooling effects of the ocean breeze. And because Point San Luis juts out on the western end of Avila Beach, the beach is protected from winds and has milder surf, making it safer and popular with surfers and families.

“Avila is sort of this little secret of the Central Coast, a locals’ beach,” said James Whitaker, owner of Kraken Coffee in downtown Avila Beach. “Pismo has all the tourists from Bakersfield and the [Central] Valley, and then Avila has a totally different vibe.”

Avila Beach didn’t always have its relaxed beach-town vibe. Before the area became Avila Beach, the Chumash people had long foraged and fished along the coast. The first Spanish expedition landed in California in 1769, and in the mid-1800s, Miguel Ávila received a Mexican land grant of over 14,000 acres, which encompassed San Luis Obispo Bay and modern-day Avila Beach. In the late 1800s, Captain John Harford built a commercial shipping pier, Harford Pier, which still stands today. Around the turn of the 20th century, the area was booming as a shipping port for San Luis Obispo, making it well positioned when oil was discovered in nearby Santa Maria Valley. For a period of time, Avila Beach was the world’s largest oil shipping port and oil tankers lined the bluffs to the west of the beach.

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Then, in 1989, an oil leak from Unocal Corp.’s underground pipelines was discovered and made public, marking the end of the oil industry here. It took a few years for cleanup efforts to begin and another few years for the town to be rebuilt. Ultimately, 200,000 tons of contaminated soil were removed and houses and commercial buildings had to be destroyed, including most of the historic buildings. (Only two commercial buildings were moved and then returned: Avila Market and San Luis Yacht Club.) But from the ashes, and with the oil tankers removed in 1999, Avila Beach has forged a new identity as a tourist destination.

These days, Avila Beach is a charming little beach town. With a population of fewer than 1,500 people, there are no chain restaurants or stores to be found. Downtown consists of a few blocks with a handful of hotels, local restaurants and small shops. There’s free street parking right in front of the beach. Fair warning: Spots quickly fill up on nice weekend afternoons, in which case there’s a $7 all-day parking lot a block away.

The main beach is about half a mile long and has most of the facilities — like bathrooms, showers and a playground — and shops, but there are two other beaches within walking distance: Olde Port Beach and Fisherman’s Beach. The limited parking in town and three separate beaches mean the area doesn’t feel as crowded as other beaches, except potentially on summer weekends, when a trolley runs from Pismo Premium Outlets to several stops in Avila Beach.

Most of the time, you’ll find a relaxed getaway with sandy beaches, hot springs, hiking trails, wine tastings and more. Here’s what to do and where to eat when you’re done playing on the sand.

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A round hot tub on a wooden balcony
(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

Sycamore Mineral Springs Resort

San Luis Obispo Hot springs
In 1886, prospectors drilling for oil in Avila Beach found sulfur mineral water instead, which led to the development of Sycamore Mineral Springs Resort in 1897. The current-day resort’s property spans about 100 acres with 23 hillside tubs, 72 rooms, a pool, a spa and meeting spaces, with all mineral springs water sourced underground within the property. There’s also the oasis waterfall lagoon, a private mineral spring pool that can be booked for up to 20 guests. Private hillside tubs of varying sizes can be booked by the hour for $23 per person ($28 on weekends), or if you’re splurging for a room at the resort (starting at $239 per night), they come with their own private tub on the balconies.
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A pathway between tall trees.
(Fiona Chandra)

Bob Jones Trail

San Luis Obispo Beach Trail
For a walk or a bike ride on an easy, paved trail, head to the Bob Jones Trail, also known as the City to the Sea Trail. It’s a mostly shaded, 2½-mile trail (one-way) that starts on Ontario Road (there’s a small parking lot right across the street) and ends in downtown Avila Beach, passing a vineyard and crossing San Luis Obispo Creek for some scenic views.

Plenty of benches line the trail for a break or picnic lunch, or grab a bite at Woodstone Marketplace, a market and deli located just off of the trail, at right about the halfway point. There, choose from sandwiches, salads and pizzas as well as beer and wine you can enjoy on its patio by the creek. Another pit-stop option is the Secret Garden, accessible through a wooden gate right off the trail — it’s a concession stand selling drinks, muffins and cheese and fruit plates with a lovely seating area, run by Sycamore Mineral Springs Resort. If you don’t have your own bike handy, rent from one of the several bike rental spots in town, like Avila Hot Springs, which also offers a public pool with water slides and a hot spring soaking pool and is conveniently positioned for you to start your ride from Ontario Road.
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A man sits on a tractor and people sit on hay bales behind him
(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

Avila Valley Barn

San Luis Obispo Family Farm
This popular family destination has been around since 1985 and is the reason many people visiting nearby Pismo Beach found Avila Beach in the first place. The open-air barn — which sells fresh and dried fruits, nuts and other goodies — was started by first-generation farmers Bruce and Debbie Smith, who raised their seven kids on the property, which includes a farm too.

The family still runs the farm and barn, and two of the seven kids have moved back with their own families in tow. One runs the farming operations; the other is a chef who runs the chicken shack and smokehouse in the building adjacent to the main barn. Also on the premises are plenty of outdoor picnic tables where you can enjoy the food; on the other side of the property is a petting zoo with goats and llamas. The barn offers a ton of activities for the little ones, including pony rides, hayrides, u-pick fruit and flowers and more. Whether you’re traveling with kids or not, the barn is a fun stop for corn on the cob and some ice cream, or cherry or olallieberry pies you can bring home as edible souvenirs. (Or buy a frozen pie and bake it at home.)
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A sign marks Echo Coast trail in Avila Beach, overlooking the ocean.
(Fiona Chandra)

Pecho Coast Trail

San Luis Obispo Hiking Trail
The Pecho Coast Trail is part of PG&E property, so hiking is allowed only on docent-led tours, which happen on Wednesdays and Fridays and must be reserved online ahead of time. The 3.75-mile round-trip trail goes from the Port San Luis Harbor parking lot to the historic Point San Luis Lighthouse and back. You also can take a tour of the interior of the lighthouse that costs $10 (they take credit cards), or you can just explore the outside while waiting for the rest of your hiking group. It’s not a long trail, but it does include some elevation gain, and you’ll be rewarded with beautiful views of the San Luis Bay for almost the entire hike. The docent gives a good overview of the area’s history and will point out some of the local flora on the trail. The whole hike, including the tour, usually takes around four hours, and you aren’t allowed to hike back alone — so time your plans accordingly.
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A plate of food and a glass of beer on a wooden counter overlooking the ocean, with hills in the distance
(Fiona Chandra)

Mersea’s Seafood Restaurant

San Luis Obispo Seafood Restaurant
Mersea’s is located on the pier of Port San Luis, which makes it the place to be for a casual lunch with a view. Most of the seating is outdoors, with picnic-style tables and colorful stools at a counter with a direct view of the ocean. The interior of the restaurant is modern but informal, with nautical-themed decor, and locals hang out at the bar enjoying a beer or bloody mary. On Saturday and Sunday afternoons every summer, there’s live music out on the deck with local performers ranging from bluegrass to rock. Fried seafood is what they do best, so grab a table by the water and enjoy a plate of fish and chips and a pint of draft beer. Keep an eye out for otters and seals — sometimes they even hop on the boats anchored nearby. Just make sure to also keep your eye on your food, so the seagulls don’t snatch up your fries.
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People in small boats in the ocean around a large rock
(Fiona Chandra)

Avila Beach Paddlesports

San Luis Obispo Rental Shop
Rent a paddle board or kayak to get out and explore the secret beach and nearby sea caves found around Shell Beach. The secret beach is tucked right below the Port San Luis Lighthouse and is accessible to the public only by kayak or paddle board, since the road to the lighthouse is a private road. Kayak and paddle board rentals start at $35 for two hours. For those wanting guidance or to learn more about the area, Avila Beach Paddlesports offers a guided adventure tour complete with lessons on basic kayaking along with sea life and geography of the area for $110 per person. The tour takes about four hours and goes to Whaler’s Beach, where paddlers can walk up to explore the outside of the Port San Luis Lighthouse. The winds and surfs tend to be calmer in the morning, so it’s best to plan your kayak trip for earlier in the day. Note: Kayakers are not allowed to tour inside to prevent sand from getting into the historic building.
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Oysters on a rectangular tray with a wine glass
(Fiona Chandra)

Sinor-LaVallee

San Luis Obispo Vineyard
Sinor-LaVallee was born from the husband-and-wife team Mike Sinor and Cheri LaVallee, who met in a chemistry class at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Sinor has worked at numerous wineries on the Central Coast; in 2013, the pair bought the Bassi vineyard, located just west of the 101 freeway in Avila Beach. The organic vineyard is mostly planted with pinot noir and syrah grapes, and being only 1.2 miles from the Pacific Ocean, the coastal elements, which tend to give wines more acidity, are apparent. Now that they’ve added freshly shucked Morro Bay oysters and caviar service to the menu, it’s easy to while away the afternoon at their small tasting room, which can seat up to 14 people inside, or out in the colorful backyard where there’s a mix of stools and picnic tables. Flights start at $20 for a taste of four wines; the fee is waived with a two-bottle purchase. Don’t feel like drinking wine? They also have cider made from apples grown on their estate.
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The Shell Beach bluff trail at Avila Beach, with the ocean alongside.
(Fiona Chandra)

Shell Beach Bluff Trail to Ontario Ridge Trail

San Luis Obispo Hiking Trail
This popular loop is actually two separate trails that hikers can connect to. One part is the Shell Beach Bluff Trail (shown on this map), a flat paved trail that is a little under a mile long. It is wheelchair-friendly and offers scenic ocean views. For those who want more of a workout, it also connects to the rugged and steep Ontario Ridge Trail right above it to make a loop. There are a couple of trailheads you can take to do this loop. The parking lot on Bluff Drive (near 26 Bluff Drive) is paved but very small. The other parking lot, on Cave Landing Road (across from 1616 Cave Landing Road), is much larger, but it is unpaved and rather gnarly in parts — and it gets busy, because it’s the same parking lot used to head to the clothing-optional Pirate’s Cove Beach, which is accessible via another trail that leads south from the parking lot).
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A hand holds up a heaping cup of yellow and white shave ice.
(Fiona Chandra)

Big Al’s at the Beach

San Luis Obispo Gift Shop
Big Al’s at the Beach is not just your quintessential beach souvenir gift shop. Sure, you can get Avila Beach branded T-shirts, and it has plenty of options, from tie-dye tees to Big Al’s branded hoodies. But most people come here because Big Al’s serves Hawaiian shave ice in flavors ranging from pineapple and passion fruit to cotton candy and bubble gum. It’s a welcome treat during the warmer summer days, and at Big Al’s, you can get it topped with a dollop of whipped haupia, a coconut pudding that is a traditional Hawaiian dessert. The whipped haupia here is a fluffy coconut cream that goes particularly well with the tropical fruit flavors. Big Al’s also offers smoothies, boba drinks and Joebella coffee roasted in nearby Atascadero, and there’s an indoor seating nook if you don’t feel like enjoying your treats out in the sun.
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The interior of Blue Moon Over Avila features white rattan chairs and a bar.
(Fiona Chandra)

Blue Moon Over Avila

San Luis Obispo Restaurant
This bistro is one of the most popular places for dinner in town, thanks to its beachfront location that offers a nice sunset view from the patio. It’s one of the more upscale restaurants in town, and reservations on the weekends are recommended. The owner, Nanci Bell, felt that Avila Beach reminded her of a place in the South of France, so Blue Moon Over Avila is decked out with white rattan chairs and serves up a French-inflected menu, from lighter options like salad Niçoise for lunch to heartier fare like steak au poivre. Dinner entrées start from $24 and up. The wine menu also leans toward French wines, but local wines are represented. On some evenings, there are live music performances, usually jazz or relaxing tunes on the piano. Blue Moon Over Avila’s patio is the place to be on warm summer nights, providing great views of the beach, the waves, the sunset and also the people.
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A tasting room with a bar and cases of wine piled against the wall
(Fiona Chandra)

Peloton Cellars

San Luis Obispo Winery
This winery (no relation to the Peloton bike franchise) was started by a group of friends who shared a love of bicycling and of wine. Fittingly, the tasting room has an antique high-wheeler hanging over the bar. Here, they’ve been making French-style wines using grapes sourced from small, sustainable vineyards throughout the Central Coast since 2005; the Avila Beach tasting room opened in 2010. Peloton Cellars makes only around 900 cases each year but offers quite a diverse variety, from crisp Albarino to Grenache to Bordeaux-style blends. The cozy tasting room is a bit hidden in the alleyway of Landing’s Passage. Once there, spend a lazy afternoon with a bottle of wine on the small, shaded patio. Tasting flights start at $25 per person (for a taste of five wines), which is waived with a purchase of two bottles.
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A white cottage near the beach, wit others on the hillside above.
(Fiona Chandra)

Casa San Miguelito

San Luis Obispo Vacation Rental
A white, two-story cottage on the quieter end of San Miguel Street, Casa San Miguelito is one of the last remaining historic houses in Avila Beach, and it’s a vacation rental. The cottage was built in 1896, as part of the row of cottages used to house the Union Oil workers for a time, and has been moved three times around Avila Beach. At the current location, the cottage has a white-picket-fenced outdoor dining area on the side of the house and a serene, terraced backyard. The three-bedroom cottage offers more hands-on service than your regular vacation rental — including a concierge service to arrange a private chef dinner and same-day laundry service — and most of the amenities are local, from the coffee to the Fable+Rune bath soaps. Casa San Miguelito provides everything you need for a beach day, from kids and dog toys (yes, it’s dog-friendly) to flip-flops and a beach wagon to haul them all. Rates start from $595 per night.
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A goblet of reddish beer on a counter in front of a sign that says The Libertine Brewing Company
(Fiona Chandra)

Libertine Brewing

San Luis Obispo Brewery
This brewery started in Morro Bay in 2012 and opened a tasting room in Avila Beach in 2018, making it the only brewery tasting room in town. Inside, there’s a bar counter on one side and a merch and bottle shop on the other, but most people choose to hang out on the long sidewalk patio either at the counter or on the large oak barrels that function as tables. Either way, the atmosphere is always relaxed. There is a record player behind the bar, and guests can request the bartender play songs of their choice (if they happen to have the vinyl, of course). Libertine specializes in wild ales that are often made using local produce — including Cara Cara oranges from San Luis Obispo and even seawater from Morro Bay that’s used for its Gose (it was one of the first in Central Coast to produce this style of beer). A lot of Libertine’s beers are sour, but if you’re not into sour beers, there are always at least a couple of other options among the 12 rotating beers on tap, such as double IPA or saison.
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A cup of coffee sits on a table next to a wall decorated with a tentacle.
(Fiona Chandra)

Kraken Coffee Co.

San Luis Obispo Coffeehouse
On weekend mornings, there is typically a line of people waiting at Kraken Coffee, a coffee shop in the corner of a mixed-use building right across from the beach, to get their caffeine fuel before hitting the beach. It’s not surprising, as it’s one of the only places to get a latte in town and certainly the only one open at 7 a.m. Kraken’s owner, James Whitaker, is also co-owner at Kreuzberg Coffee, which opened in 2010 in San Luis Obispo. Whitaker has been coming to Avila Beach since he started attending Cal Poly SLO as a student in 1997. This location had been a coffee shop since around 2007, so when the previous business went up for sale in 2017, it was an easy decision for Whitaker to open Kraken. Kraken serves coffee roasted by its sister company, Kreuzberg Coffee, as well as ice cream (and affogato) from another sister company, Batch. There’s a seating area upstairs for those who want to sip their lattes next to fun prints of krakens and other cephalopods.
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A fountain stands outside the Avila La Fonda in Avila Beach.
(Fiona Chandra)

Avila La Fonda

San Luis Obispo Hotel
Not everyone goes on a beach getaway with their families. For those looking for a quieter lodging that caters to adults, there is the hacienda-style Avila La Fonda. The hotel was modeled after a Mexican village, so from the exterior it looks like it’s made up of eight different casitas, but the interior is one seamless space. Throughout the property there are murals and stained glass windows that incorporate images of the local scenery. The 28-room, two-story hotel is not strictly adults-only, but with its warm tones and amenities like a fireplace or an in-room two-person whirlpool tub, it’s a destination sought out by couples. Guests won’t go hungry here. Avila La Fonda provides complimentary croissants for breakfast, a chips and salsa bar with beers at noon, a wine reception in the early evening and pies at 8 p.m. Rooms start at $229 per night and the rooms on the ground floor are pet-friendly.
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