Why do people move to SLO?

Often times, I talk to visitors in SLO and they have the impression that my hometown has an aura around it.

Thus, I have to wonder what is it about San Luis Obispo that attracts retirees, investors, second home buyers and families to move here. Furthermore, why are first-time home buyers willing to pay a high price to buy their first home in SLO when they could save money and live just 20 minutes North or South at half the cost? To some, this may seem like a straightforward answer and they can come up with a million different reasons this phenomenon occurs on the spot but for me I have to take a second to think about it. I seem to have developed a mindset that takes for granted that I live in one of the most desirable places in America. I'm not going to bring up the whole Oprah says that SLO is the happiest place in America because, trust me, that horse had been beaten. (It's true though)

Instead, I would prefer to lay out some of the ABC's about our area and why it is a town that people visit and never leave.

Agriculture: San Luis Obispo is a community that has a strong foundation in Agriculture. Many people stay in the area to live the lifestyle of a rancher, farmer or equine enthusiast because we still have farmland and horse trails around here. In fact, you can ride your horse on...beaches.

Beaches: Whether, you're a surfer, beach bum, kite boarder, or a sailor you will find that the beaches of San Luis Obispo's neighboring communities to be irresistible. A majority of days in San Luis Obispo provide a quick dash to the beach for a bit of sunshine and cool water.

Culture: The culture around SLO is preserved in the traditional architecture, green space surrounding the town, strong connection of residents and visitors and locally produced art, food and music. There is a culture event each week, whether it be Thursday Night or Art After Dark on the first Friday of the month, where you will find live local music, food, wine and of course local art.

Drinks: Do you enjoy going out for drinks with your friends and family? Maybe you prefer jumping in on a wine tour of local wineries. Regardless of your preference, there are more wineries and breweries than you can shake a stick at. Each with its own unique taste and feel that provides an experience to rival any other. Where else can you sit at the beach with a glass of wine on an 80 ° Saturday?

Education: San Luis Obispo Coastal Unified School District provides top-notch education to children of all grades from k-12. With a public school system that consistently performs well in state testing and athletic programs that hold multiple titles in various sports as well as private school education possibilities, parents can be sure that their child will receive an exemplary education.

Flying: San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport is just out-of-town and is served by U.S. Airways and United Express. Flying out of SLO may not land you across the Country as it is a smaller airport but it does get you to nearby hubs and large cities. Not to mention, the airport restaurant, The Spirit of San Luis Obispo, has been a lunch and breakfast destination for many local residences where they can watch the coming and going of private and passenger planes while they eat.

Golf: There are numerous options for the weekend golfer and the seasoned veteran alike. You can easily golf every day and not play the same course twice. Or, if you like one of the local courses, the chances are that you can find a home right along the fairway.

Healthy Living: San Luis Obispo residents place a high value on their health. The community has many parks, walk ways, hiking trails, biking trails and routes, outdoor events and open air concerts. The air here is clean and often a refreshing treat for visitors from the big cities north and south of us.

Intimate Community: Generally speaking, San Luis Obispo is full of warm and inviting locals. To test that statement I would encourage any doubters to simply walk down a street and say hello to a stranger, 9 times out of 10 you will get a friendly reply. Many visitors to the community have noted this warmth.

Joyriding: With gorgeous views and scenic roadways in our area a nice afternoon cruise in your car or on your motorcycle can turn an afternoon drive into short vacation. Whether you make a run up to Big Sur for coastal views or into the California Valley for wild flowers you will be impressed.

Kickback: The local residents like the concept of vacation and relaxation where they live. Around here we have literally thousands of little strongholds of places where a person can hide away for a spell and find solitude. Life here is often referred to living the SLOw Life.

Local History: San Luis Obispo has a deep and rich history dating back to the Chumash Indians and the establishment of the Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa in 1772 and running all the way up to being the birth place of Robert Hunter of the Grateful Dead.

Music:  Music in SLO is known for being both full of local talent as well as marked with major artist performances. Locally produced talent includes the likes of Still Time and Weird Al Yancovic whereas big name artists include, Snoop Dogg and the Stone Temple Pilots. Any given evening you will find a musical venue that will fit your fancy.

Nightlife: San Luis Obispo nightlife may not be the same as a big city scene but it holds its own with the use of friendly atmospheres, clean streets and open galleries and even one of the top open air markets in the state occurring every Thursday night.

Outdoor Lifestyle: The active and healthy lifestyle is a result of the amplitude of outdoor opportunity in SLO. Visitors quickly realize that in a given day they can tackle more outdoor activities than they can accomplish. Recently a group of individuals attempted "Epic SLO Day", a day starting at daylight that consisted of rock climbing, mountain biking, a bike race, surfing and a BBQ. It has yet to be completed in fullness but yielded a happy group.

Proximity: San Luis Obispo is centrally located in California's coast between San Francisco and Los Angeles and is surrounded by notable communities like Santa Cruz, Monterey, Carmel, Santa Barbara and Shaver Lake. The ease of travel to any one of those destinations attracts many people to the unique town and on any given weekend you will see an exodus on the road of people to and from the communities mentioned.

Quick Commutes: Many of the people who move to San Luis Obispo relocated here because they grew tired of the daily commute to and from work. The average commute time for a SLO resident to work is 15 minutes. Many residents live within walking or biking distance of their place of employment and utilize local bike or walking paths.

Restaurants: Do a Google search for Restaurants in San Luis Obispo and you can see that we have plenty to offer in terms of both variety and service. If you want a quick gourmet burger and a draft brew, we've got it. If you want a five course meal with an expensive bottle of wine, we've got that too.

Surfing: Surfers love the Central Coast for obvious reasons. We have good surf here. Surfers won't find ripping barrels or crystal clear waters but they will find consistently good surf and enough spots that crowds won't be an issue.

Thursday Night: Every Thursday night Downtown San Luis Obispo transforms into a bustling open air market filled with locally grown produce, meats, dairy, goods, prepared foods and live entertainment. The core of Downtown is closed to vehicle traffic so that pedestrians can meander along and shop, eat and enjoy the vast array of offerings that our community proudly boasts about. "Farmers'" as it is referred to attracts guests from all over the world and never disappoints.

University: San Luis Obispo is home to two colleges, California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo and Cuesta College. "Cal Poly" is at the top of the list for Engineering, Business, Agriculture and Liberal Arts programs. Founded in 1901 as an agricultural program it has grown to produce companies such as Xerox, iFixit and Foster Farms. Cuesta College is the local community college that provides great opportunities for many students to earn their Associates Degree, nursing education or to simply transfer into the next level of their education.

Vibe: What's the Vibe in SLO? To put it into one word, unique. The SLOw Life certainly describes the way people function here. It isn't that nothing goes on here or that people are lazy it's more that the residents live a quality life at a more relaxed and reasonable pace. Residents take time to say hello to one another and to simply enjoy the beauty of the community. See for yourself.

Weather: If 70-80 ° average temperatures and sunshine are what you are looking for, SLO is right for you. With a temperate climate along the coast temperatures can make large swings in a single day but reliably return to comfortable tee-shirt weather. It's convenient for living that active lifestyle.

Generation X: X is a hard letter to find something to write about but in the case of San Luis Obispo, Generation X comes to the forefront. The town has many Gen X business owners, residents and guests. A majority of residents range from their 20's to late 50's.

Youthful:  We're not talking about age here, we're talking about activity, development and industry. San Luis Obispo is, if you haven't figured it out, active but not just in the outdoors and arts. San Luis is actively changing the look and use of existing buildings by preserving the cultural heritage that makes the city unique but also incorporates enhanced night life, urban living and commercial space. Concurrently, SLO is encouraging entrepreneurship, business development and welcoming new industries. Who wouldn't want to work in a place this wonderful?

Zebras:  Yep, Zebras! Take one of those joyrides out of SLO up the coast about 45 minutes and look to the East and you stand a good chance of seeing Zebras at the Hearst Ranch. Trust me, they're there. If they aren't around, you can at least take a look across the highway to the West and find an Elephant... Elephant Seal that is.

Come to SLO and find your own special reason to fall in love.