Check it out! Here’s a video of some fellow San Luis Obispo lovers. You know I love SLO, but listen to why they love it.
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A brief discussion with JJ Jenkins
I sat down with journalism sophomore JJ Jenkins, as he talked about the magic of Cal Poly soccer, and his happy places in SLO.
San Luis Obispo enthusiasts recommend where to find happiness in town
So you’ve heard it a million times – SLO is the happiest place in America. Even Oprah says so (and if it’s on Oprah, it has to be true, right?) But let’s face it, Oprah’s super-human, so I talked to some real people – Cal Poly students – about SLO and its happiness level.
The Question: If you met someone who came to SLO for the first time, where would you tell them to go to experience the happiness of San Luis Obispo?
The Answers:
- Smile and Nod
- The Graduate
- Downtown San Luis Obispo
- Firestone Grill
- Bishop Peak
Smile and Nod: Liberal studies junior Amy Herman chose Smile and Nod as her go-to destination because it challenges its participants to leave their comfort zones.
“when I tried improv, I was so scared!” she said. “But the true happiness and magic of SLO came out when everyone encouraged me to do my best.”
Amy admired the inclusivity of the Smile and Nod gang and said it embodied the inclusive, open-hearted nature of the general SLO community.
The Graduate: Amy also recommended line dancing at The Grad for our make-believe SLO newcomers. Once again, line dancing embodies the carefree, fun personality that the town has.
“There are some people who go (line dancing) all the time, and they’re totally willing to help you learn the dances so you can have fun too,” she said.
Amy admires Cal Poly students’ abilities to look out for one another, and serve as catalysts for each other’s fun.
“I guess people here are a little less selfish and a little more altruistic than other people.”
Downtown SLO: Modern languages and literatures sophomore Emma Horowitz said downtown showcases perfectly what makes San Luis Obispo so special.
Shops on Garden street are run by local business owners and add to the fun downtown experience.
“It’s local, and it’s cute, but it’s still modern and fun,” she said. “It’s where the college community and the rest of the community comes together, which is really great.”
Emma said she loves that everything comes together downtown – the old and the new, the college kids and the families.
“It offers a real taste of the town, in just a few blocks,” she said.
Firestone Grill: “Good food is kind of a big deal here,” graphic communication sophomore Tess Hannel said.
Firestone Grill offers indoor and outdoor seating, delicious food and a fun atmosphere for its customers.
The atmosphere of Firestone grill is always fun, social and light. The iconic tri-tip sandwich is a must-have for anyone visiting SLO.
“Food makes me really happy,” Tess said. “And having fun when you’re eating is even better. And Firestone is definitely a fun place.”
Bishop Peak: Tess stressed the natural beauty of San Luis Obispo.
The western view of Bishop's peak stretches all the way to the ocean.
“We have such beautiful scenery here,” she said. “And you can see it all from the top of Bishop’s.”
The mountain is one of the “seven sisters” in San Luis Obispo county, and from the top, one can see from the ocean to and beyond the hills of Cal Poly’s campus.
“We’re a really active community, which is definitely something that sets us apart,” Tess said. “So to get a real taste of SLO, you gotta hik Bishop’s.”
So with that, I advise anyone planning a vacation to my happy little town to place these spots on their itinerary. Fun, food, scenery and laughter – all crucial parts of SLO that make it – you guessed it – the happiest place in America.
The happiest pieces of the happiest place
Most of the time, I can’t do justice to these beautiful places I’m going to write about with my words. So today, I bring you a slideshow with some tid bits of what I think makes SLO the happiest place in America. Enjoy!
The Happiest Place in America – in the eyes of a freshman
English freshman Veva Peterson has spent almost a month away from her hometown of Santa Rosa, soaking up every bit of San Luis Obispo as she can. I sat down with her for a few fleeting moments in our busy Monday afternoon and as she poured over her English paper, she highlighted a few bits of SLO that bring a smile to her face.
Fast Facts about Veva
- Full name: Geneveive Ariel Peterson
- Major: English, with a minor in pre-law
- Hometown: Santa Rosa, CA
- Family: Dad – Don, Mom – Daphne, younger brother – James
Since moving into her room in Sierra Madre, Veva said she’s fallen in love with the overall vibe of San Luis Obispo.
“Everyone here seems content with life,” she said. “Everyone seems to have a really genuine attitude. I mean, we’re all pretty lucky to live here.”
Peterson fell in love with San Luis Obispo after touring the Cal Poly campus last March.
“You don’t find this kind of enthusiasm everywhere,” she said. “No other schools I toured gave off the happy vibe that Cal Poly did.”
Though, SLO’s recent title – Happiest Place in America – did little to influence Veva’s decision to move to SLO.
“It’s cool and all, but really, I cared more about how I felt on the campus,” she said.
Veva said she loves the location of San Luis Obispo – she didn’t have to choose between mountains or beach, she got both.
“The town is so perfect for college students,” she said. “We can get anywhere, even if we don’t have cars.”
While Veva doesn’t necessarily have her four years planned out, she’s got a few items on her pre-graduation “bucket list.”
“I definitely want to learn how to surf!” she said. “And go to the Sea Caves!”
And Pirate’s Cove! She adds…just kidding.
She’s looking forward to her next four years, getting involved, and soaking up happiness as she can in her time at Cal Poly, wherever that quest for happiness may take her, she’s ready for the adventure.
A random slideshow
I made a slideshow of things I saw this morning. It’s real neat.
Here we go again
Another blog, another introduction. Hello, world, this is a web page where I will share thoughts and commentary and multimedia goodies in hopes of making you fall in love with the town I’m lucky enough to call home.
San Luis Obispo (and the surrounding areas) and I have quite the history; my parents met in the Clyde P. Fisher Science hall; I’ve spent every single birthday of mine since I was 14 at Avila beach; and I learned how to navigate Amtrak and SLO transit before I took my first city bus in my hometown of Santa Rosa.
These are my parents (the ones who met thanks to San Luis Obispo). I felt like I needed to introduce you to them, seeing as they made me who I am and all, and if it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t be in SLO right now.
The thing I love most about this place that has now begun to feel more like home than Sonoma County (though I still get defensive when they call Paso Robles “wine country”) is that no matter what time of year, no matter who you run into, no matter how rainy it is outside, it’s always sunny in San Luis Obispo. Maybe not the physical sun you’re thinking of — because there are rainy days and foggy days and less than pleasant days here — but an emotional kind of sunny. We, as a community, are friendly here in SLO. Cars stop at pedestrian crossings; you walk into class and you smile and say ‘good morning’ to your professors; you make friends with the people who make your coffee at your favorite shop . . do you get what I’m trying to say?
San Luis Obispo is a happy place to live, rain or shine. So in order to spotlight that, this blog exists. In an effort to back up National Geographic and Oprah Winfrey, this blog will spotlight the reasons San Luis Obispo is so darn happy.
This is one of my favorite photographs taken in my time in SLO. Taken at Pismo Beach in January. Yes, I said January.
I will be stopping by local businesses, chatting with community members and befriending students in hopes of showing you, my dearest readers, why this place is so great.
If you’re reading this and thinking “Oh, she should write about (insert your favorite place in SLO here)!” then you should probably leave a comment and tell me about this favorite place of yours. I’m well versed, I’d say, in SLO hotspots, but I know there are a few handfuls of places I’ve never been.
So with that, get excited. Subscribe to this bad boy. Because if you aren’t completely, totally and utterly enamored by San Luis Obispo right now, you will be by the end of the quarter. Trust me on this one.
We're SLO Happy! 
