San Luis Obispo is supposed to be one of the happiest places in the world. You might be wondering what that means. It means there is a castle in the area, a beautiful beach that isn’t crowded, and plenty of vineyards in the area. San Luis Obispo is also home to California Polytechnic State University and a few other colleges as well. The area is known for its natural beauty, with its many forests. I am starting to see why the residents of San Luis Obispo are so happy!

Castles aren’t really an American thing. However, in San Luis Obispo, Hearst Castle make you wonder whether you are in America. Ostentatious ceilings, furniture and art flaunt the interior of Hearst. The castle was built by William Randolph Hearst, a publishing tycoon. With over 250,000 acres to work with, Hearst hired architect Julia Morgan to create a castle with 165 rooms and 137 acres of outdoor space. I went to Hearst Castle with my family when I was about 4 or 5 years old. I don’t remember much, but the one thing I remember is the Neptune Pool. The pool is surrounded by roman architecture and statues. It looks over the mountains and forests of San Luis Obispo. The view is magnificient and so is the pool itself! Heart Castle may be touristy, but it’s worth the trip.

Ever heard of an empty beach? Seems like an anomaly here in the Northeast United States, where everyone flocks to any beach available in the summer. I guess the yearlong pleasant weather creates a different atmosphere at Avila Beach. Considered a getaway for locals, Avila sits at the edge of the Pacific Ocean. The beach has just enough hotels, shops, and restaurants, but not too many. There is a reason the locals come here. The beach is a lost less crowded and the location is fantastic. Avila also accomodates a large range of people. It is seen as a more economical location to vacation because of their greater variety in lodging. So far, these Californians have a castle, and a perfect getaway, what else do they need?

The residents of San Luis Obispo have a wide variety of vineyards they can visit. Every wine enthusiast knows about Sonoma Valley, but San Luis Obispo has some pretty good vineyards as well. The region has 30,000 acres of vineyards and over 200 wineries. The reason the wine in the area is so critically acclaimed is because of the soil in which the grapes are grown. San Luis Obispo has a very unique microclimate that allows for both grapes that need a warmer or cooler climate. In some areas there is also a concentration of marine sediment in the soil which allows for more superior Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and other wines as well. San Luis Obispo also offers a great slew of higher education institutes for the students in the area. Overall, San Luis Obispo has been able to combine the greater parts of life into one location. No wonder they are seen as one of the happiest places in the world!

Citation: http://visitslo.com/cm/Home.html