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R EMEMBER WHEN YOU WENT OFF TO college and met a friend for life? at's how I feel about San Luis Obispo, an open-armed town in Central California that everybody calls SLO. Just off Highway 1, SLO is the home of California Polytechnic State University, or Cal Poly. e gregarious bartender in Bulls, a dimly lit, cowboy- themed bar in the center of town, is a recent Cal Poly alum. Marina stayed after graduation and became a manager. "It's the kind of place you don't want to leave," she told me and my wife. "And if you move away, most people come back, at least to visit." Summer is the tourist season, Marina explained, and after September, college kids mostly replace curious visitors like me. ere's really no big-ticket draw in SLO. e town has a historic Spanish mission, an abundance of excellent restaurants, and wine country is nearby. SLO is absent a theme park, and there's no super-high-end resort or iconic local attraction urging travelers to declare, "I've got to see that!" Still, you can't help but bond with SLO. e town has an easygoing charm. SLO isn't your crazy friend who threw raging keggers. It's not necessarily the popular kid, the captain of the soccer team, nor the class clown who did a hilarious impression of your English Lit COURTESY PHOTOGRAPHY You've Got a Friend in SLO Central California's San Luis Obispo is about to become your bestie BY RON DONOHO detour destinations Located in the heart of downtown San Luis Obispo, the historic Fremont Theater was built in 1941 ranchandcoast.com 84 NOVEMBER 2024 RANCH & COAST MAGAZINE