If you are planning your next trip to the central California coast and want to check out some of the best farm tours, we have curated a list for you! Enjoy visiting local farms with rescue animals, organically grown produce and flowers, sustainable products and clean wines in San Luis Obispo County:
Hambly Lavender Farm, San Miguel: Wander the lavender rows, harvest your own bouquet, visit the animals, browse the farm store, and slow down for a little while at Hambly Lavender Farm located in San Miguel just north of Paso Robles. Meet Ben & Jerry, their new piggies, who are quickly becoming farm celebrities! They were named by a visitor the day they arrived and apparently have strong opinions about marshmallows and licorice goat treats. On Saturdays and Sundays at 10am, join Milton Hambly for a relaxed, one-hour walk through their working family farm to learn how lavender is grown, harvested, distilled, and crafted, with time to meet the animals and harvest lavender along the way. As the sun sets, enjoy cooler air, softer light, and a slower pace. Wander the fields, bring a picnic, and sip wines from a rotating selection of featured local wineries, with mellow background music throughout the evening from 6:30pm-9:00pm on Saturdays.
Halcyon Farms, Oceano: This quaint local farm stand located in Oceano, just minutes from Pismo Beach, offers organic and locally grown produce, baked goods, honey, flowers and U-pick strawberries, raspberries and blackberries in the right season. They also offer pumpkin etching in August, and you return for your full-grown pumpkin in October showing your art piece in full detail and ready for you to take home and add to your own home fall décor!
SLO Ranch, San Luis Obispo: SLO Ranch is a local small business marketplace featuring unique and amazing food, artisan shopping, and interactive farming, offering a true farm-to-table experience! In May of each year, the Blueberry Festival at SLO Ranch is a two-day celebration featuring live music, U-pick blueberries, pony rides, line dancing, and fun for all ages. Come spend the day at the Corral, where there’s plenty for little ones to see and do! Hop on a hayride, visit our goats, donkeys, and alpacas, and take fun photos at their Western town. Hayrides and bounce house are open on weekends, along with photo-ops and farm animals to feed.
City Farm SLO, San Luis Obispo: City Farm SLO is empowering the next generation to live healthier, more prosperous lives through sustainable agriculture and farm-based education. Starting in 1994, the City of SLO aimed to preserve 180 acres of prime farmland, leading to the creation of the Calle Joaquin Agricultural Reserve. Over the years, various initiatives transformed this land into a hub for sustainable agriculture, education, and community engagement. Offering private farm tours, community tours, kids birthday parties, and special events, the nonprofit farm offers many ways to give back including their weekly farm stand on Saturdays from 10am-1pm with a vibrant selection of fresh vegetables, fruits, cut flowers, and proteins, all grown with organic and regenerative methods by City Farm SLO and our City Farmer Collaborative. They are proud to offer City Farm Meats, including pasture-raised chicken, eggs, and lamb. You'll also find Bread Bike breads, fibers from their sheep flock, dried goods and more seasonal offerings at their SLO location.
The Luffa Farm, Nipomo: Nestled in the small town of Nipomo, The Luffa Farm took root when the owner Deanne began growing luffas as a hobby over 40 years ago. In 1999, she decided to start a business growing and selling luffas and handcrafted bath and herbal products to retail outlets. The farm quickly grew into a local curiosity for adventurous knowledge-seekers. It was such a great experience teaching the members of the community about these quirky gourds, Deanne decided to open it to the public and offer free tours to anyone who stops by, no reservations needed! Now The Luffa Farm continues to educate visitors from all over the world. They grow Heirloom Egyptian Luffas without any harsh chemical or heat treatments, and the result is a soft, washable, non-abrasive plant-based sponge. Come visit the farm and feel the difference for yourself, located about 15 minutes south of Pismo Beach.
Loving Llama Wellness Ranch, San Luis Obispo: At the Loving Llama Wellness Ranch in the foothills of San Luis Obispo, guests can enjoy outdoor yoga classes, woodfired sauna, cold plunges, and sound baths all set amongst the serene landscapes with gentle resident llamas roaming around the yoga decks. Sweat in the woodfired sauna with great views and then refresh your body and mind with an invigorating cold plunge beneath the open SLO sky and soak in the benefits of local spring water with revitalizing minerals. Baby and mother llamas enjoy munching hay from guests’ hands during the relaxing and unique wellness experience.
FARMstead ED, SLO County Farm Trail: Build your own farm visit itinerary and deepen your San Luis Obispo experience by touring local agriCULTURE right at the roots! While the central California coast is known for world-class wines, the best kept secret is the deep agricultural roots. A short century ago, this area was primarily growing grains, almonds, walnuts and cattle.
Join FARMstead ED as they take you back to the roots of the central California coast, sharing the rich local agricultural history and guiding you through a crop of family farms along the SLO County Farm Trail. Their “Local Roots Experiences” are listed a la carte style so you may choose those that pique your curiosity and tickle your taste buds, allowing you to create your own itinerary. All their experiences are family friendly and can accommodate a variety of interests and schedules. To book your “Local Roots Farm Experiences” just click on the farm of choice to book directly on their site.
The central California coast and San Luis Obispo County is rich in agriculture, feeding mouths and touching hearts across the country, so visiting some of these unique locations is the perfect way to get in touch with your local farmer and see their hard work in action while visiting Pismo Beach.