Downtown is a good summer spot for students, but what else is out there? Photo courtesy of news editor Lauren Weyel.
A common complaint of San Luis Obispo High School students is that “there’s nothing to do in SLO.” However, this statement is simply false. There is plenty to do and places to go in SLO, if you know where to look.
A solid go-to hangout option for teenagers in SLO is downtown. Many students flock to downtown for the food and thrift stores.
“I love going downtown with my friends. Sometimes I’m downtown, and I run into my friends unexpectedly, which is fun!” said 2023 SLOHS graduate Olivia Cusick. “Downtown can get boring after a while though. Eventually all the food tastes the same because you just go to the same three places. New places do come in sometimes, but not super often.”
SLO’s downtown area offers a relatively safe and contained environment for young people to roam, like an aesthetically pleasing mall. Parking is relatively easy, as you can park in any of the large parking structures, but these structures do cost a small fee to use. There are a myriad of events held downtown that students can attend, from Farmers Market every Thursday evening to local musicians and art at Linnaea’s Cafe.
While downtown offers many fun activities, it’s easy to get tired of the same streets after a couple visits if it becomes an overused hangout spot. This may come as a surprise to many students, but there are other places to go with your friends in SLO.
A lesser known activity is golf. Many county golf courses, like Dairy Creek and Morro Bay Golf Course, offer significantly reduced rates for golfers under the age of 18, as low as $5.
“I would absolutely recommend playing golf in the summer, especially since it stays lighter longer, so you can play non-county courses at a reduced fee for twilight hours. You can get nice deals to play golf for juniors and even if you’re over 18 since there’s a lot more twilight hours,” said freshman Jon Weyel.
Golf can be a bit of an intimidating sport to start if you are a beginner, but lazy summer days are a good time to try something new.
“For a beginner, I would not advise Dairy Creek. People think ‘oh it’s a nine hole course, it should be an easy beginner course,’ but it’s a very difficult course even for non beginners. Laguna is a great course to work on your short game, but once you get a little more advanced, I would say go to Morro Bay or Chalk Mountain,” said Weyel.
Another good option is public parks. SLO offers many public parks, like Throop Park, Islay Hill Park, and French Park where students can release their inner child and play on the play structures (while staying cognizant of their actions and behavior if real children are present). These parks also offer basketball courts, pickleball courts, and large grassy fields for the public to enjoy.
“I think Throop park is nice. I don’t go there often, but it’s a nice place to have a picnic with friends,” said 2023 SLOHS graduate Leili Nelson.
Other outdoor places in SLO include Cal Poly and various hikes.
“I like the practice field at Cal Poly because it’s big and grassy. It’s nice to sit there and watch the sunset,” said Nelson. “I also like just going up to random places on mountains and sitting there. It’s nice.”
Hiking is a classic SLO county activity. Some nice hikes are Mariposa trail and Madonna.
“I love hiking with friends,” said 2023 SLOHS graduate Christian Cuevillas. “My advice is to wear hiking shoes. People who wear Doc Martens to hike are losers, they’re going to fall! So wear hiking shoes. And avoid the plants, because of poison oak and ticks.”
If you’re bored this summer, Tigers, try going outside!
