San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo is the county seat of San Luis Obispo County in Central California, United States, and extends between the Santa Lucia Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. The city offers Mediterranean climate conditions and numerous outdoor recreational spaces throughout its territory.

Spanish missionary Junípero Serra established Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa in 1772, marking the foundation of this settlement in Central California. The mission became the core around which the later urban development took shape in this area.

The San Luis Obispo Museum of Art presents rotating exhibitions while the downtown area maintains over 180 buildings designated as historic resources.

The California Polytechnic State University campus connects to downtown through regular bus services, with multiple stops along the main commercial districts. The downtown core is easily walkable and most attractions lie within a few blocks of each other.

Bubblegum Alley runs for 70 feet (21 meters) through downtown, displaying thousands of pieces of chewed gum pressed against its walls since the early 1970s. The alley evolved into an offbeat local landmark tucked between two buildings in the heart of town.

Location: San Luis Obispo County

Inception: 1772

Website: https://slocity.org

GPS coordinates: 35.27417,-120.66306

Latest update: December 15, 2025 02:10