This week Wade and I took a drive out to Lopez Lake, which is about 20 minutes from the Village of Arroyo Grande in Central Coast, California.

Historic Village of Arroyo Grande

The Village spans a few blocks and is a pretty cute part of the city. It just has a very different feel, almost optimistic. It could have been it was a sunny day or I just had a huge relief from having done a class presentation. The early inhabitants of this area in Central Coast is the Obispeno Chumash Tribe. Some of the buildings date back to the 1800s.

We pulled into a spot – the only spot – just outside Bill’s Place, its green awning with a white clover leaf, across the street from Bill’s Cleaners. Where we were headed to was Old Village Grill.

It was about 2:30 in the afternoon and school kids had descended on this place which was buzzing with energy and movement. We sat outside, where there were about seven tables. For Central Coast, the Old Village Grill may be the rare place with decent prices. Wade had the cheeseburger, I had the garden burger, and we shared a half basket of onion rings. Surprisingly, a half basket was plenty. The food was pretty good. Wade said it was much better than Garland’s, which does a good cod burger. Next time, I’ll probably add fried onions to my garden burger, which usually tends toward the drier side anyway.

From the Old Village Grill, which has been grilling since 1994, we headed to Lightning Joe’s Guitar Heaven, which has been rocking for 41 years. It’s always fun to drop into a guitar shop and this one had a lot for the eyes, and heart. So, so many electric guitars, and then we went downstairs for the acoustic guitars. Ukuleles, banjos, and mandolins are also here. Wade’s dad actually brought a mandolin here for repairs. There’s another floor that we didn’t get to!

The staff was friendly and the guy refurbishing a power slide explained a bit what he was doing. Lightning Joe’s carries both new and used inventory.

Arroyo Grande | Old Village Grill | Lightning Joe’s Guitar Heaven

Lopez Lake

Lopez Lake is a reservoir built in 1969 that serves the Five Cities in San Luis Obispo County – Arroyo Grande, Grover Beach, Pismo Beach, Oceano, and Avila Beach. There is also a recreation area of 4,200 acres, about ten miles east of Arroyo Grande. It includes more than twenty miles of shoreline, offering lots of activities from fishing and boating to hiking, mountain biking, and birdwatching.

We had been camping earlier in the year and I’ve been paying more attention to campsites. If you’re looking for a place to check out, Lopez Lake Recreation Area is large! With over 350 campsites and several cabins, there are several campgrounds, some of which include coin-operated hot shower facilities.

Since we missed the turn onto High Mountain Road, we ended up driving into the park. It must really be big – it’s got several reservations windows.

It was a hot day, as we noted the climbing temperatures, driving from the Village. As we continued up High Mountain Road to check out the area, it climbed to the low 90s, which is about 30°C. We got as far as the first creek on the unpaved road. Our SUV doesn’t have a high enough clearance, we decided. Another time. And as we descended, each time I looked, it was about 8°F (or more than 10°C) cooler. By the time we got to Pismo Beach, it was already in the low 60s (about 17°C).

Lopez Lake Recreation Area | Camping Reservations at Lopez Lake

Blast & Brew

We ended our day trip at Blast & Brew in Pismo Beach. They also have three other locations – Arroyo Grande, Orcutt, and Atascadero. This one is closest to home.

The hostess led us to a high table by the window, and a view of the ocean. I ordered the Pismo Mule, which is Malibu Rum, Ginger Beer, and a few juices. It was pretty good; still, if you ever get to try the Rum Swizzle…

For a bite to eat, Wade ordered chicken wings (they’re spicy!), which came with waffle fries and I had calamari, which was a surprisingly small portion. Still, Blast & Brew had a light and casual atmosphere and it was a fun way for us to wrap up the day of exploring.

Blast & Brew
2131 Price Street
Pismo Beach, California
(805) 295-5151
Blast & Brew