Saying Goodbye to “America’s Happiest City”

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February 24, 2013 by wedandwanderlust

Four suitcases, several boxes(of varying sizes), a few reusable grocery bags filled with cookbooks and random items, one dog and her accoutrements, will all get packed into our four door Accord tomorrow night.

Our furry baby, Riley, nestled in the back seat.

One car and two weeks wouldn’t be enough for most people to get their lives packed up, but for us, it’s way more than we need. Yesterday, we completed our packing and now we await our journey cross-country with exuberant anticipation and tangible melancholy.

Our Wanderlust brought us to the incredible, grandiose West Coast, and it fulfilled and exceeded every expectation that we had. California has treated us well! We have been living in the central coast, in the county of San Luis Obispo(or “SLO” as the locals appropriately call it), which has been declared “America’s Happiest City” by National Geographic, Oprah and USA Today Travel. (click on the links to see video/articles so you can get a feel of what I’m talking about) And from my personal testament, it fits that category perfectly!  It’s not the most well-known city in California, but I’d say it’s one of the best! This is a place that facilitates true community, balance between working hard and playing hard, and promotes healthy and happy lifestyles. From hiking to farmer’s markets almost every day, to tanning on the beach or enjoying the wine country, there is so much to do and see here!

SLO Life – Bubble Gum Alley, Hiking Bishop’s Peak, Harvested Grapes at Cottonwood Canyon Winery, Avila Beach, Elote at SLO Farmer’s Market

When we first arrived, we lived in Nipomo, which is a quaint, quiet, scenic city, where it was common to hear roosters crowing in the morning and have hummingbirds visit with you on the front porch. Golfers, farmers, families, and retirees alike call it home. We enjoyed our little cottage, nestled behind a giant oak tree and located on Lisa Lane. ( I mean seriously, how cool was that to live on a street named after me?!…Well, not me specifically, but you can let a girl dream!)

After our first three months, we decided that there was far too much left for us to see to leave now, so we stayed and we moved to a townhouse in Pismo Beach. What a glorious decision that was – hearing the ocean from our bedroom window each night, daily walks on the beach with the pup, and enjoying the magnificence of each painted sunset and luminous star each evening. For the last six months, each day has felt like a vacation!

My love captured this gorgeous shot of Pismo Beach on his run.

Not to mention that the weather here is fantastic! I think the hottest day we’ve had here was 85, and even then it lasted for two days and went back to the normal high of 70 and low of 40. One day while wine tasting, a local stated how humid it was that day…I nearly choked on my wine. Clearly, they have never been to Florida or the Caribbean because humidity lives there! Rain is also a rare sighting here, and the local news makes a huge deal about it when it does come.  A “massive rain system” here is like typical afternoon drizzle in Florida. Ahh…life is all about perspective!

The city, scenery, climate, and friendly people have all made for an unbelievable time here. We’ve met some wonderful people and created some incredible memories, none of which we shall soon forget.

Although we could stay here forever, our journey must continue. After all, when you are a nomad, you get the “travel itch” when you’ve been in one place too long! So Tuesday morning, we will say our goodbyes and dip our toes in the cold Pacific for one last time, and begin our adventure to our new destination, which I will write about tomorrow!