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"Sprinkled with charmingly unpretentious shops."
— Lucky magazine |
When you want someone to know you’re thinking of them, a simple “wish you were here” may do. But uncovering the perfect gift for someone special to you on a trip away from home is priceless.
Shop SLO-ly for the ideal keepsake in kitschy downtown boutiques, or breeze through more familiar stores nearby. With San Luis Obispo’s mix of locally owned and chain retailers, you can easily take a piece of SLO home with you.
Wonderfully walkable, downtown San Luis Obispo is filled with independent and chain shops tucked into restored historic buildings.
The main drag for shopping is Higuera Street; it is paralleled by Monterey and Marsh streets, where shopping is also abundant.
And you’ll have more eye candy as you weave your way through the side streets that connect the thoroughfares, replete with boutiques and unique, local eateries.
In the middle of it all is the Downtown Centre, a complex of national retailers, quaint restaurants and a seven-screen commercial movie theater. The area serves as a rendezvous point for locals and visitors alike.
Just down Higuera Street, The Network is a European-style indoor arcade that has a sprinkling of local specialty shops, coffee shops and eateries. You might opt to enjoy your meal on the accommodating creekside terrace, where live music plays in fair weather.
The Court Street retail complex between Higuera and Monterey streets hosts a contingent of higher-end national names, eateries and a plethora of other services in a pedestrian-friendly outdoor atmosphere.
If a tour of downtown didn’t wear out your plastic, there are several other shopping centers within a few minutes’ drive.
The SLO Promenade (321 Madonna Road) has a number of other regional and national chains that offer a variety of departmental shopping options, as well as specialty shops and dining options.
Next door at Madonna Plaza (221 Madonna Road) you’ll find more than a dozen specialty shops and fast food outlets. Farther out Madonna Road, Laguna Village (1328 Madonna Road) houses restaurants and a variety of retail outlets and services.
To pick up provisions before heading out to the San Luis Obispo Wine Region, Marigold Shopping Center (3990 Broad St.) is conveniently located along the way.
You’ll find a number of eateries and specialty shops, as well as grocery and drug store outlets. If you’re headed to the beach, you can get your outlet shopping fix at Prime Outlets of Pismo Beach (333 Five Cities Drive), where you will find a comprehensive selection of the outlet brands.
The twist of a silver bracelet made by a local jeweler can emulate the winding creek gently weaving its way through town. The smooth stroke of a painter’s brush is reminiscent of the breeze flowing through the Mission Plaza trees.
Artists and jewelers alike find their inspiration here, in both the nature and culture of this small yet bustling town. Let SLO’s diverse galleries, antique shops and jewelry stores be your muse. | 
