By Stop 1: San Luis Obispo
If you’re heading up the coast, a stay at the Madonna Inn is an absolute must. The iconic hotel opened in 1958 and is renowned for its distinct themed guest rooms, whimsical charm and unique amenities. I’ve stayed at a lot of hotels in my time and I kid you not I have never stayed at something like this. It’s wonderful in a really cooky way. From its lavish decor to bathroom waterfall showers to their insane bakery, everything at this hotel is one of a kind to say the least.
One of my favorite parts about this hotel was that every room has a different theme. It was hard to choose with 110 different options, but we decided on the Caveman room mainly because of the waterfall shower but also when else are you going to sleep in a cave? It was modeled after the Flinstones and was pretty awesome.
Currently with Covid, the famous Gold Rush Steak House is only available for outdoor dining, so although we weren’t able to sit in pink booths and hear live music, I was happy we still got to eat there!
Activities
Not only are the rooms and lobby visually engaging, the hotel also has plenty of activities to keep you entertained. From pool time, to biking and my personal favorite- pink tennis and basketball courts! Playing both sports at sunset was pretty fun.
Eat & Drink
The food in downtown SLO is pretty good, there is a wide range of restaurants with Cal Poly College nearby. Everything from mom and pop coffee shops to beyond burger options and ice cream is available. Below are the places we ate at and really enjoyed!
Breakfast: Seeds
The Acai Bowls were so delicious and they have plenty of variations!
Lunch: Big Sky Cafe
We got a beyond burger and vegan chopped salad and both were really fresh and tasty.
Dinner: Madonna Inn Gold Rush Steakhouse
The food is decent, its kind of like a fancy diner. It’s not life changing, but the experience of eating at the hotel makes it worth it.
Overall the Madonna Inn was a great experience and I would recommend going for 2 days and 1 night. We were able to see everything we wanted and enjoy the amenities of that hotel in that time. Anything more, it would seem repetitive. If you enjoyed this post or have any questions, please leave me a comment!
