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What’s New in San Luis Obispo County
Fall 2006
What’s New in San Luis Obispo County
What’s New in San Luis Obispo County is a quarterly news round-up, produced by the San Luis Obispo County Visitors & Conference Bureau, which lists new lodging, attractions, exhibits, activities, tours, and other new tourism developments in San Luis Obispo County. For more detailed visitor information about San Luis Obispo County, visit www.SanLuisObispoCounty.com.
Visitor Information
California Welcome Center. Prime Outlets – Pismo Beach has been chosen as the site for the newest California Welcome Center. Expected to be open by fall 2006, California Welcome Center, Pismo Beach will join a network of 11 official California Welcome Centers designated by the California Division of Tourism throughout the state, and will be the only one along the Central Coast between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Conveniently located just off Highway 101 on 333 Five Cities Drive in Pismo Beach, the welcome center will provide useful visitor information about destinations, attractions and activities in San Luis Obispo County and the entire Golden State. For more information visit www.visitcwc.com. Press contact: Joseph M. Scott, (805) 773-4662, jscott@primeretail.com.
Promotions
Passport to Adventure. In celebration of the Central Coast Natural History Association’s 30th Anniversary, the organization is sponsoring “Passport to Adventure,” an educational game that offers a $1,000 grand prize. To play, passport holders will visit any California State Park in San Luis Obispo County, seeking answers to 30 questions. If the answer is correct, they can receive a special stamp in their passport at the Morro Bay Natural History Association, Pismo Nature Center, Spooner Ranch at Montaña de Oro State Park, and Monarch Grove (opens October 28). Passports are free and available at any of the four Central Coast Natural History Association (CCNHA) store locations. Completed passports will be entered into a drawing for a $1,000 grand prize, $300 second place prize, and ten $30 gift certificates to CCNHA nature stores. The “Passport to Adventure” game concludes on December 31, 2006. For more information call (805) 772-2694 or visit www.ccnha.org. Press contact: Denise Lapp Tallman, (805) 772-2694, ext. 101, ccnha@morrobaymuseum.org.
Parks
Coastal Discovery Center. July 22 marked the grand opening of the Coastal Discovery Center at San Simeon Bay. Operated by the Monterey Bay Marine Sanctuary and California State Parks, the center will be located in W. R. Hearst Memorial State Beach, directly across Highway 1 from Hearst Castle®. The Center will provide engaging exhibits about ocean exploration, local wildlife, and San Simeon history. Exhibits highlight the connection between land and sea and include a video voyage to the deep sea, a “talking” tidepool, and live rainbow trout. Admission is free. For more information call (805) 927-2145. Press contact: Michele Roest, (805) 927-2145, Michele.Roest@noaa.gov.
San Simeon State Park North Coast Acquisition. Soon the public will have access to 13 miles of rocky shoreline and sandy beaches that was acquired by California State Parks as part of the Hearst Ranch Conservation Plan. The area of coastline north of San Simeon Point is now part of San Simeon State Park. California State Parks is conducting public meetings in San Luis Obispo and Cambria to discuss new coastal access and gather input for development of a management plan. This pristine piece of coastal real estate will feature passive recreational use in the not-too-distant future. Press contact: Dan Eller, (805) 927-2074, deller@hearstcastle.com.
Lodging
Avila La Fonda Hotel. Luxurious accommodations are now available in Avila Beach at the new Avila La Fonda Hotel. Located on San Miguel Street, the property features a Mexican village-style architecture, complete with beautiful fountains, a two-story mural and stained glass ceilings. Lodging choices include Casitas (two-room/two-bath suites), Great Rooms (large studio suites) and Spa Rooms. Special amenities offered are extensive – Jacuzzi tub, fireplace, 42-inch Plasma TV, Bose™ CD player, hospitality bar, gourmet kitchen, complimentary snacks and beverages in in-room refrigerator, and 24-hour concierge service. The second floor of the Avila La Fonda Hotel features a retreat center, library of historical Central California books, and CD/DVD library. For more information call (805) 595-1700 or visit www.AvilaLaFonda.com. Press contact: Troi Hoffman, (805) 773-6996, troihoffman@ail.com.
The Front Street Inn and Spa. Located along Morro Bay’s Embarcadero, the Front Street Inn and Spa features four distinct suites with views of Morro Rock and the bay. When not relaxing in their suites, guests can be pampered at the Bay Beauty Spa, a full service spa that offers massage, skin care, spa packages, nail service, and hair care. For more information call (805) 772-5038 or visit www.frontstreetinn.net. Press contact: Val Seymour, (805) 772-5038, baybeauty@charterinternet.com.
Mission Inn of Pismo Beach. In September 2006 the Mission Inn of Pismo Beach, featuring 120 spacious rooms and family suites, is scheduled to open. Many of the rooms have ocean views. All guest rooms have custom-made Restonic beds, refrigerators, microwave ovens, coffee makers, flat-screen TV’s, safes, doorbells, polished granite countertops, and free wireless and Internet access. Guests can also enjoy a complimentary full breakfast buffet. Other highlights of the property include an outdoor pool and large patio with an ocean view, fitness room, business center, laundry, gift shop, conference and banquet space, and a beer and wine tavern. Parking is free. For more information and reservations call (805) 773-6020 or visit www.MissionInnPismoBeach.com. Press contact: Terence Concannon, (805) 773-6020, tconcannon@missioninnpismobeach.com.
Dining
Apple Farm ‘s Market at the Mill. The Apple Farm Restaurant in San Luis Obispo recently opened a gourmet food and wine shop – Market at the Mill – inside their Old Millhouse. The gourmet food and wine shop offers a wide range of delectable foods, including cheeses and olives, homemade ice cream, baked goods, salads and sandwiches to go, plus regional fine wines, ciders and juices. The shop also sells culinary artwork and gifts, fresh produce, flowers, and much more. Known for its fresh comfort food and Victorian elegance, the Apple Farm Restaurant is located at 2015 Monterey Street in San Luis Obispo. For more information call (805) 544-2040 or visit www.AppleFarm.com. Press contact: Holly Padove, (805) 773-1000, holly@thepressroom.com.
Lido Restaurant and Bar. The new luxury oceanfront resort, Dolphin Bay Hotel and Residences in Shell Beach, has opened Lido Restaurant, which features coastal wine country cuisine. The new restaurant offers panoramic ocean views along with breakfast, lunch and dinner prepared by Executive Chef Evan Treadwell and his talented team. The menu, designed to be paired with San Luis Obispo and Paso Robles wines as well as those from other regions, will change quarterly and will be highlighted by a rich range of locally produced ingredients. For more information call (805) 773-8900 or visit www.theDolphinBay.com. Press contact: Shaw McPherson, (805) 773-4300, smcpherson@thedolphinbay.com.
Wine Country
The Grapeline Wine Country Shuttle “Wine and Dine” Tour. Evening wine tasting is now available in Paso Robles Wine Country thanks to The Grapeline Wine Country Shuttle. The evening tour includes tasting at two wineries followed by dinner at a premier wine country restaurant. Hotel pickups are around 5 p.m. with the expected return at 9:30 p.m. The Grapeline’s “Wine and Dine” Tour is available Sunday through Thursday for a minimum of two guests, and private group tours can be arranged seven days a week. Cost: $85 per person. For more information call (805) 239-4747 or visit www.gogrape.com. Press contact: Cathy Sanchez, (805) 239-4747, prgogrape@att.net.
SIP: Paso Robles Wine Country. The all-new SIP (Studies in Place) Paso Robles Wine Country will debut on Friday, October 20 at the Paso Robles Inn in downtown Paso Robles. The two-hour educational seminar presented by a panel of Paso Robles Wine Country experts, will feature the basics of viticulture, a look into the winemaking process, followed by a wine tasting. The seminar allows wine enthusiasts an inside look, and taste, of the distinct, different characteristics found in wines of the Paso Robles appellation. Cost: $50 per person. For more information call 1-800-549-WINE or visit www.pasowine.com. Press contact: Sarah Flickinger, (805) 239-8463, sflickinger@pasowine.com.
Tours
The Grapeline Wine Country Shuttle. The Grapeline Wine Country Shuttle has opened a branch in Edna Valley, providing guided tours of San Luis Obispo Wine Country. Regularly scheduled daily tours and customized group tours are arranged to provide guests with an insider’s view of the wine country in a fun, carefree atmosphere. Departures can be arranged at most San Luis Obispo hotels, and special pickups can be scheduled at select locations in Avila Beach, Pismo Beach and Arroyo Grande. Private charters, winery events and wedding transportation are also available. For more information call (805) 238-2765 or visit www.slo.gogrape.com. Press contact: Cathy Sanchez, (805) 238-2765, slogogrape@att.net.
Arts & Culture
Performing Arts Center, San Luis Obispo. From September 23 through October 1, the Performing Arts Center, San Luis Obispo will present a festival of events in celebration of its 10th Anniversary. Also underway are a number of major projects, including the installation of a Fisk pipe organ. The three-story, 2,767-pipe instrument will take technicians nine months to install and “voice,” and is expected to debut in 2007. The addition of the Fisk pipe organ was made possible through the generous donation of Candace and Bert Forbes. Located on the Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo campus, the Performing Arts Center includes the Christopher Cohan Center, a 170-seat recital hall. For more information call (805) 756-7223 or visit www.pacslo.org. Press contact: Kris Rose, (805) 756-7223, krose@calpoly.edu.
Dana Adobe. The Dana Adobe Nipomo Amigos is hosting a series of interesting presentations at the Dana Adobe in Nipomo. The Saturday afternoon talks focus on the Central Coast’s most famous (and sometimes infamous) historical characters, and conclude with the “Notorious Men of the Central Coast” by Helen Daurio on September 30. Dana Adobe Nipomo Amigos is a private, nonprofit public benefit corporation, whose primary function is the stewardship and restoration of the Dana Adobe, which was established in 1837. For more information call (805) 929-5679 or visit www.danaadobe.org. Press contact: Paul Mangione, (805) 929-6825, paulm@mangionepayne.com.
Attractions
Hearst Castle®. The Hearst Castle® Garden Tour is now available to visitors through October 31, 2006. The seasonal tour highlights the spectacular display of color and fragrances of the estate’s extensive gardens, terraces and walkways. In addition to the hundreds of roses, azaleas, rhododendrons, and other flowering plants, the tour includes the Hidden Terrace, Neptune Pool Dressing Rooms, Casa del Mar, and the Wine Cellar in Casa Grande. Visitors should allow two hours and ten minutes for this tour. For tour reservations call (800) 444-4445 or visit www.hearstcastle.com. Press contact: Dan Eller, (805) 927-2074, deller@hearstcastle.com.
San Luis Obispo Children’s Museum. The new San Luis Obispo Children’s Museum is scheduled to open in late fall 2006. The completely rebuilt museum will be located at 1010 Nipomo Street in downtown San Luis Obispo, and will have double the space for permanent and rotating exhibits. The Museum’s “town square” will feature a 17-foot-high clock tower climbing experience, a ride on a trolley and child-size replica of San Luis Obispo’s Thursday Night Farmer’s Market. Children ages 4 and under can play and explore in an expanded early childhood learning space, complete with a larger-than-life size replica of BRIO’s wooden toy engine. For more information call (805) 545-5874 or visit www.slokids.org. Press contact: Roy Mueller, (805) 545-5874, rmueller@slokids.org.
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Press Contact: Fred Sater, Public Relations Representative, San Luis Obispo County Visitors & Conference Bureau, telephone (916) 972-1650, fax (916) 972-1661, e-mail fred@fredsatercommunications.com.
San Luis Obispo County Visitors & Conference Bureau
811 El Capitan Way – Suite 200, San Luis Obispo, California 93401 Tel: 805-541-8000 Fax: 805-543-9498 www.SanLuisObispoCounty.com
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2006
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