Terry
Front Desk Agent
Arroyo Grande
Day 1
When the kids come back home we start the day with a hearty breakfast. At Dolphin Bay Hotel and Residences they have equipped gourmet kitchens, which we have stocked with groceries before the family, arrives. This is a great place to have family gatherings and a starting point for our adventures in the Central Coast. We pack a picnic lunch for a hike at Oso Flaco Lake and onto the Oceano sand dunes until we reach the ocean. From here we can look north to Pismo Beach and south to Point Sal. We see a variety of migrating birds such as the white pelicans, egrets, wood ducks and we may even spot a dolphin too!
This is an all day event and we end up with a take out pizza from Klondike’s in the Village of Arroyo Grande heading back home for the day.
Day 2:
“Golf Anyone”? We have year round golf with fabulous courses set up for every level of player. The courses offer some of the best dollar value in California and courses such as Monarch Dunes and Cypress Ridge Golf Course are highly rated by golf magazines. Some of the family chooses to play golf the rest go get the Christmas tree at Avila Barn and pick up some fresh baked goods at their onsite bakery. Yummy!!!! They grow their own vegetables, fruit and have a great gift shop. Last minute Christmas shopping is also on the agenda in the fun downtown San Luis Obispo and Pismo Factory Outlets. At the end of the day the family is back together for decorating, eating and secret present wrapping for Christmas.
Day 3:
This has become our family tradition on Christmas day. We have an early start in the morning and drive along the coast towards Ragged Point for our Christmas day mid-day meal. We see the rock at Morro Bay, we walk the boardwalk in moonstone beach by Cambria, we get a glimpse of Hearst Castle and then we stop to watch the elephant seals with their newborn pups. This is an amazing site to see the male bulls protect their harem and you may see the live birth of a pup. The coves near Piedros Blancos Lighthouse create perfect conditions for an elephant seal nursery. All the while we are taking a lot of pictures. We end up at Ragged Point Restaurant for our Christmas meal and last year they had a harpist who played beautiful Christmas tunes. After dinner before we head back home to open presents, we take a stroll in the gardens and along the cliff looking at the ocean. It’s another beautiful day in San Luis Obispo County.
