Travel California Local Insights: Hidden Gems in Central Coast, CA
Do you love traveling? I sure do. Today I thought I’d start a pre-summer series of backyard travel. As we tour various areas of Central, CA and CA over the summer I will share them with you when we take our day trips or even longer trips. If you ever visit Central CA. you might add some of these places to your travel list. We visited Los Osos, CA. not that long ago, it is just a short hour drive from the Paso Robles area and on our list of places to visit again this summer. I am going to share a glimpse of Los Osos, CA. from our last time there but, stay tuned for some more pictures as we head back out there soon in our backyard travels this summer to give you more local insight to the California area!
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Local insights to traveling CA.
Summer is almost upon us, we are counting down the days to begin traveling again. We visited Sweet Springs Nature Preserve ( North side of Ramona Ave. between Broderson and 4th St in Los Osos) we visited it over the end of butterfly season in Central, CA. Los Osos, which is derived from the name Valley of the Bears is a small community. There are several spots along the coast where the butterflies come to migrate through and this is one of them. ( butterfly season is in the fall, October until late March) No, this time of year there won’t be the butterflies, but you will find other hidden treasures. There is plenty of nature, bird watching, beautiful shores not far off, a pond with access via a bridge-way and walking paths to follow at the Sweet Springs Nature Preserve which are nestled among the eucalyptus trees. The Sweet Springs Nature Preserve is on 24 acres of land. Dogs permitted on leash (subject to change). There is no collecting of natural items. Visit Morro Coast Audubon Society to find out more, along with a calendar of events & bird sightings.
After our stop there we headed to the Bayside Cafe (10 State Park Rd, Morro Bay, CA 93442) which is a short drive away and well worth it. You’d never know this little place had such good food! It has the some of the best cuisine I have tasted on the Central coast with moderate pricing and a casual atmosphere. It is nestled in the Morro Strand area of Morro Bay. The drive is scenic. When we ate there it was after lunch and pre- dinner so we beat the rush. This isn’t a known spot by most tourists unless you just happen across it.
After the meal, which included an order of fresh, yummy clam chowder we headed into back through the town of Los Osos to Morro prior to heading up the highway, we stopped for a cup of coffee. I couldn’t resist taking a photo of the colorful shops nearby our coffee destination. Morro is a coastal town in every sense.
We had the most yummy lattes from Top Dog Coffee Bar.You can find Top Dog Coffee Bar at 857 Main St Morro Bay, CA 93442 I just love a good soy latte. There are many cute coastal towns in the area. If you surf or kayak the Central Coast is a must visit area, as up and down the coastline there is easy access for doing both off nearby beaches. If you don’t do either just drop by to enjoy the beautiful views and wildlife. You’ll find sea otters, whales and sea lions depending on where you are at.
Find events and other places nearby from the Chamber of Commerce’s Website LOBPChamber.Org
For us there are just times when you need to travel a little more coastal as our weather in Paso Robles, CA can get rather hot in the summer months! Well that winds it up for our pre summer travel series kick off! I hope you enjoyed seeing a peek inside our area of CA. especially if you haven’t traveled here before!
Related Travel Posts you may enjoy local insights and travel tips:
- Part 1 Monterey Bay, CA. and Monterey Bay, Aquarium
- Part 2 Monterey Bay, CA. and Monterey Bay, Aquarium
- Santa Margarita Lake, CA. and Zipline Tours
- Packing and Unpacking Travel Tips
- Camping Checklists Round-Up and Free Printables
What are your travel plans for summer?
