San Luis Obispo, California

Almost every kind of outdoor lifestyle is happening here: rock climbing, bouldering, mountain climbing, mountain biking, biking, surfing, running, hiking, swimming, sea kayaking, golfing and just being on a beach if hanging out is your thing. The chill part comes in part from the beauty and in part from the distance from the mania of Los Angeles, the Bay Area, or any major city. It’s a wonderful place to be active and relax at the same time.

The isolation of SLO (what locals call San Luis Obispo) makes it tough for young professionals who look for a more active city life. You’re a few hours from Los Angeles or the Bay Area and at times transplanters feel that gap and complain about the sleepy nature of the pace here. The college provides some lifestyle buffer for recent graduates still into the pub party scene but there is a stretch of age between 25-35 when those not in the family way who crave a jumping social scene might need to travel to get their nightlife.

Life in SLO operates at a slow pace. The weather is perpetually nice and locals spend their time taking advantage of that mild climate. As noted there is an endless supply of outdoor activities to participate in and if you move here that will be a major part of your lifestyle. Locals also enjoy a major farmer’s market downtown on Thursday nights (this is the Central Valley, agriculture is a huge deal), and there is a big art/gallery scene here that hosts wine/food events the first Friday of each month. There are a surprising number of good restaurants in all kinds of different cuisines and you are surrounded by amazing wineries so the foodie/wine passionate will like it here. The schools are excellent and the outdoor lifestyle means families get a pretty wholesome and supportive experience.

If you want to see what's happening in SLO check out the calendar of events.

We highly recommend visiting San Luis Obispo and staying in the community in a VRBO rather than a hotel to get a feel for living among the locals. You can also receive discounted travel fares via our partnership with Expedia.

For a California city the tech scene is limited, although they’re trying to change that, but do not move here expecting to find the tech or rich industry opportunities of SF or LA or San Diego or San Jose. For the most part it’s a town with medical and service jobs. You’re way too far to commute to a major city so you’ll need to work remotely to make it work.