Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo has a hilly, sunny campus with pretty eucalyptus trees and other tall, impressive trees. Green lawns and flowers can be found throughout the campus. Beautiful mountains can be seen from the campus, sometimes full of atmosphere with fog gathering at their peaks. There are plenty of modern and attractive buildings, some elegant 1920s buildings, and the always-present 1950s concrete clunkers. The Performing Arts Center is a lovely building with large spherical sculptures outside. It hosts top performers. Outside the Agriculture Dept is a golden statue of a bull, decorated colorfully for the department. Dexter Lawn has beautiful views of the mountains and some tall trees. The Orfalea Business building is yellow and magnificent with its tall columns. It is located next to a lovely part of campus, the O'Neill Green, with huge trees, a cactus garden, a koi pond, winding paths, and a thick green lawn. Nearby is Jespersen Hall and Heron Hall, two of the prettiest halls, built in the 1920s, with memorable landscaping outside them: flowers, large sandstone rocks, and cactus. Thank goodness for the 1920s! It brought us the most pleasing buildings. 

Between classes, it's nice to walk along Via Carta which is full of students, and sit on the sloped lawn under a tree outside Mathematics and Science on Via Carta, people-watching. Continue along Via Carta to Campus Market where there are dozens and dozens of tables outside by food trucks- it's a happy scene, with students laying on the lawn enjoying the day. Centennial Lawn is also a nice place to lay on the grass, and to sit beside the statue of Einstein on a bench- it is up a long concrete staircase, hidden from view. 
A fantastic place to hang out is Scout Coffee, between the entrance to Cal Poly and the Performing Arts Center. It has attractive decor, with great seating inside and outside, and huge windows where you can look out and think about the world. Their handheld quiches are good. 
Have lunch in the attractive glass two-storey building, Vista Grande Dining Complex, upstairs on the balcony that is shady. You can get a rice bowl with beef burrata, cabbage, cheese, sour cream, and salsa at Streats.
For a pleasant one-mile walk, from Vista Grande Dining Complex, walk along shady Klamath Rd to see endless varieties of trees and high-up views of Bishop Peak and Cerro San Luis mountains. North Mountain Lawn is particularly gorgeous, with tall cedars and evergreens, lush grass, and views. Students hang out here reading and enjoying the sun. Then walk along Village Drive and behind the Plant Conservatory on a pretty, winding path past cactus, old oak trees, and on a bridge over a creek. There are plaques describing the natural environment. The Cal Poly Plant Conservatory is open M-F 9-5. You are allowed to walk inside its rooms and observe the plants. There are also many flowers in pots and lilac growing around columns in spring on the lovely patio outside. Students sit here and study in peace.
At the entrance to campus, on Grand Ave and Slack Street, you can see horses in fields, with mountains behind. It is a bucolic scene! You can walk very close to them, which is fun for kids. There are also horses at the Equine Center, across the road from Leaning Pine Arboretum. The arboretum is a pleasant place to walk among large trees and past interesting plants from Australia, the Mediterranean, and other regions. In April, there are wonderful flowers in the South Africa garden, and green mountains behind. You can park in the H14 parking lot (pay in the machines) for $12.
Cal Poly SLO is known for its hands-on learning. One thing that makes the university different to others is that you must choose a major from the beginning and it's very hard to change after that. Everything, including housing, is divided into the different departments so that you mostly interact with people from your major. You can take very fun classes at Cal Poly, like Floral Design, and Dairy Husbandry. In April for about a week, near the H16 parking lot, there is a field of sheep! You can walk along Via Carta and admire the sheep of different colors and patterns, with a backdrop of the green mountains.
There is a large rec center, plus a rock climbing wall where people also tightrope walk. Outside the rec center is a juicer and acai bowl place where you can order at a window. The University Union is being redone and everyone is excited for that.
People love to hike the Poly Canyon Hike, a shady trail on campus that takes you on a wide road through a canyon, to hills covered in creations made by Cal Poly Architecture students, or if you take the path behind the cream-colored barn, you reach amazing wide open spaces. It is popular with students on Fridays when the class-load is less heavy. If you come on a weekday, you can also check out the Cal Poly Plant Conservatory and its vertical garden, or study on its beautiful patio with mountain views. All are welcome. In spring there is lilac here, growing around the columns.
The hilly neighborhood full of plain 1940s houses around Cal Poly is pleasant to walk around, with big trees, flowers, and views of mountain peaks and hills. Deltina Coffee is a chill place to stop and have a pastry and tea.
On Saturdays 9-3, depending on the season, you can pick fresh fruit at Cal Poly Farms U-Pick. Bishop's Peak makes a majestic backdrop for the fruit trees. Take the dirt road between the Crops Unit Building and the Viticulture Building. This is a wonderful experience! It's especially good in April when you can smell the orange blossoms- heavenly!
University Square is the nearest off-campus area where you can get food. I highly recommend the Scout Coffee location there too. It is large and very pleasant! From that area you can walk the lovely Foothill neighborhood, with historic homes (some like gingerbread houses), trees galore, and views of the two peaks: Cerro San Luis and Bishop Peak. 
A few times a year, come at 11am on concert day for a free symphony orchestra rehearsal in the Performing Arts Center on campus! There is an instruments petting zoo in the lobby, where kids can try out different instruments for fun. The concerts, though, aren't really good for kids to attend because you must be super quiet while the musicians listen to instructions about each piece. 
For more live music in SLO, check out my summer live music list. 
It is a 4 minute drive or 25 minute walk from campus to San Luis Obispo downtown, which is a happening place to hang out. 
Avila Beach is a 12 minute drive away- a gorgeous area with colorful cafes, a boardwalk, a pier, and white cliffs by the sea.

Directions

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is located at 1 Grand Ave, San Luis Obispo CA 93407.
Heading north on Highway 101, follow the signs to Cal Poly. It's an easy hop off the freeway and to  the campus entrance. Drive up the hill on Grand Ave and turn left on Pacheco Way, into the Grand Avenue Parking Structure, where you can park for $10 daily rate in any of the general parking spots. Remember your license plate number and pay at the machine, or use the ParkMobile app. If this lot is full (which is often), you can park in the visitor parking lot. It is on the left after you turn on Pacheco Way. You also pay at the machine, entering your license plate number, and the cost is $12 per day.

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