Kid-Friendly Avila Beach
We all love to have family vacations to the beach. Here are our favorite, kid-friendly things to do while staying at the Inn:
Our Inn We created our Inn on the mindset that you would never have to leave. Watch a movie from our library under the stars on our sundeck. We supply unlimited popcorn and an open door to our movie and board game library; family movie night will never be the same.
Our neighborhood park, Pirate's Park This park, appropriately titled Pirate's Park because of it's pirate ship that kids can climb aboard, is located just down the block from the Inn. There are slides, some bucket swings for smaller kids, and a real-life pirate ship's steering wheel. Located directly on the beach is also a smaller playground. There you will find swings that face the ocean, so kids of all ages can enjoy the beautiful scenery. All this is located on the corner of Front and San Juan Street.
Tide Pools To the right of the Pirate's Park playground, you will find an a small tide pool. During low tides kids of all ages can explore the tide pools underneath the bridge as well as an estuary full of wildlife.
Avila's Sea Life The most abundant of sea life that can be found in Avila, which are also the loudest, are Avila's harbor seals. These huge, lazy creatures can always be found under and on the Hartford Pier, often barking at one another. A special deck was made for them to sleep on under the Hartford Pier, so they are always laying there! Visitors have access to this landing place, as it has public access. But be careful, those harbor seals bite! This up close and personal interaction will please any kid of any age.
All year long, you can catch a glimpse of the monsters of the ocean-- whales! In the migration and feeding months, whales are often spotting roaming Avila's shallow waters. Every year in July and August, a pod of Humpback whales visit Avila and play in Avila's harbor. (Don't believe us? YouTube some videos!) Then December through March, you can spot Grey Whales catching their krill right in front of the Inn!
A sister species to the whale, dolphins are one of the many water inhabitants that can be spotted in front of our Inn. These creatures, whom are more often swimming in groups in the Pacific Ocean, search for their tasty food right around the pier. If you aren't lucky enough to spot a whale, you will spot a dolphin or two, right in front of the Inn. And of course, the cutest of them all, sea otters are always found swimming in the kelp beds.
Who needs the Monterey Bay Aquarium when you have your own aquarium at our Inn?
Also located on Hartford Pier, is BJ's live fish market. Here, kids of any height can get an up close look at the fisherman's catches of the day. This outdoor fish market consists of fishtanks upon fishtanks of sea creatures. Buy something for dinner and take it back to the Inn to cook for dinner, or simply entertain your little one.
The Avila Valley Barn Although not really a barn, the Avila Valley Barn is the perfect place to spoil your diet. Complete with a small zoo with farm animals, a candy and ice cream shop, a bakery and a seasonally-run hay ride around their farm lands, the Avila Barn is a must-see place. Here, you can eat your way through the place, all while taking in it's breathtaking views of the vineyards and the rolling Irish Hills mountains.
The Bob Jones Bike Trail (www.bobjonesbiketrail.com) Don't let the name fool you; you don't necessarily need a bike to enjoy this famous trail. Along the trail you will find walkers, joggers, sprinters with their pets, bikers, and even sometimes a few segways. The Bob Jones Bike Trail entrance is just down the street starting on Ontario Road. The trail wanders next to San Luis Obispo Creek, right behind the Avila Valley Barn fields. Kids of all ages can enjoy every feature of the trail.
Does your little one want to fit in with the cyclist and ride the trail on a bike? Look no further than Joe Momma's Beach Bike Rentals. On the way to the bike trail from our Inn, you can rent beach cruisers, in an array of sizes, hybrid bikes, and even tandem bikes.
Water Activities Our Inn has loaner boogie boards, sand toys, beach chairs and umbrellas to borrow while staying at the Inn. You can enjoy the benefits of staying at our Inn, right on the beach.
For the older kids, or the more adventurous, try kayaking or stand-up paddle boarding. SLO Coast Kayaks offers kayak or stand up board rentals, or adventurous tours around Avila. Take the family and try out the tour around Fossil Mountain, or to the Avila Lighthouse. Your little one will enjoy this experience, regardless of their level of expertise.
Avila Golf Right down the street from our Inn is the Avila Golf Resort. Kids of all ages can shoot a bucket of balls on their putting green. The resort usually extends a student discount. Either way, this is a good opportunity to uncover some of the hidden scenery of Avila. Kids will love it.
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