Located off of San Luis Bay Dr and HWY 101, this is an organic apple orchard with 14 acres of vibrant apple trees, and a 3-acre organic vegetable garden with organic herbs, honey, flowers, and classes. They have a U-Pick apple stand located in the Garden Area which is located on Monte Rd where you may enjoy picking fresh apples right off the tree. All apples are organic, so you can enjoy eating them right off the trees.
Gopher Glen Apple Farm is a forty-year-old farm, that started as a quaint, roadside apple stand. Dr. John DeVincenzo, a local orthodontist, was the original owner and founder of Gopher Glen, originally named for its large number of furry inhabitants. Dr. D (as he was affectionately referred to) had a particular interest in apples and through the grafting process, created his own unique varieties, one being the Heaven Sent apple, named after his late wife Bobby.
Depending on what time of season you come there will be a variety of different apples. Some varieties include Golden Delicious, Red Gold, Fuji, Red Delicious, Pippin, Gala, and many others. They say, “The fall is one of our favorite seasons here at See Canyon Fruit Ranch. Come bring a picnic with your family and enjoy our beautiful property. Life is too short not to picnic, sip some cider, and laugh with the people you love.”
From peaches to raspberries, Avila Valley Barn is almost always good for a U-pick experience! They use healthy soil practices meaning it is safe for your family to walk into the field and eat fruit and veggies 365 days a year.
Be sure to tag us in your apple-picking pics on social so we can repost and engage with you! Happy Fall, y’all.
The crowds have thinned out, the warm sun sets into vibrant sunsets nightly, and colorful, crunchy leaves have fallen on the Bob Jones Path… As if you needed another reason to be excited about sweater weather in Avila Beach! Read on for a full fall itinerary for our picturesque and charming beach town:
Visit the Pumpkin Patch!
If anyone reigns supreme over fall in Avila Beach it’s the kind folks at Avila Valley Barn. Hop on a hayride out to the apple orchard. Be sure to visit hungry and indulge in their signature seasonal sweet treats- caramel apples, apple cider, cider donuts, and apple cider floats. Don’t forget to pick up a homemade pie to keep the sugary bliss going strong at home. Get delightfully lost in the hay bale maze and wander the pumpkin patch to find the perfect one to carve into a spooky jack-o-lantern.
Apple Picking
Enjoy fall’s bounty at Avila Beach’s iconic apple orchards from September through late November. Home to some of the best-tasting apples on the Central Coast, the See Canyon apple season opens September 1 through early December. Grown in a perfect micro-climate that enhances their crisp, juicy, fragrant, fresh apple essence, the Avila Valley’s apple farms are each unique and special in their own way. Come explore the Avila Apple Trail to learn about the apple varieties grown here. Visit the orchards to taste fresh apple cider, hard ciders, still and sparkling apple wines. Enjoy homemade baked apple pies and pastries, and a variety of apple products pie along the picturesque See Canyon Apple Trail. Apple season is a special time of the year on the Central Coast. Tasting locally grown apples picked right off the tree, will give you a completely new appreciation of this beautiful fruit.
We are pleased to invite you to the 2022 SLO Coast Wine Harvest On the Coast, taking place November 11th and 12th in Avila Beach.
We’ll kick things off at 5 PM Friday with Sip & Savor by the Sea at the Central Coast Aquarium. Sip cool-coastal wines from two dozen local wineries and savor delectable passed appetizers. Watch what will undoubtedly be another stunning Avila Beach sunset and enjoy live music by Dan Curcio and Gary Wooten of Moonshiner Collective! Best of all, the Central Coast Aquarium will be open for a tour, with docents on hand to tell you all about the glorious undersea world on the Central Coast. The cost for a ticket to attend Sip & Savor is only $90. What a great way to start your weekend!
Saturday afternoon the Grand Tasting begins at 1 PM at the Avila Beach Golf Resort, where you’ll taste amazing wines, all grown here in the SLO Coast AVA. There will be plenty of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay of course, but there’ll also be Albariño, Grenache, Tempranillo, Syrah, Riesling, Gewurztraminer, and more! Relish delicious bites by local chefs featuring only the best local ingredients and dance in the grass to live music! General admission Grand Tasting tickets are $125.
This year will feature our first VIP Rare and Reserve Tasting in the Clubhouse where our member wineries are pulling out only their best wines to share with you. You’ll get to experience limited-release, small-production wines that are the most exclusive wines made in the region. It’ll be the only opportunity this year to taste the very best, hardest-to-find wines of the SLO Coast AVA! Access is extremely limited and tickets for the Grand Tasting with VIP “Rare and Reserve” access are $175.
It’s the final stretch for the laborious task of making local boutique wines in Avila Beach! Quality takes time and the last grapes harvested in the state are coming in ready to be crushed into stellar cool climate wines. Start with Sinor-Lavallee Winery and Peloton Cellars, two Avila Beach wine-tasting rooms just steps from the sand. Alapay Cellars is right around the corner, pop in for a fun, relaxed, and cozy tasting room atmosphere. Keep the wine flowing at nearby Avila Wine Company and settle in for wine by the flight, glass, and bottle! Next, head into the leafy, historic See Canyon to visit Kelsey See Canyon Winery. In addition to mouthwatering wines and bites, enjoy the winery’s resident flock of peacocks, and, often, live music.
The days are crisper and cooler getting dark sooner making it the perfect time of year to escape to Avila’s naturally occurring mineral springs. Want to indulge your body, mind, and soul? Find pure bliss in two legendary Avila Beach Hot Springs:
Sycamore Mineral Springs
Tucked away under a canopy of sycamore trees, this treasured spot provides a retreat from daily stress and obligations. Find Sycamore Mineral Springs’ famous hot tubs, staggered amid the trees, as well as the Oasis Lagoon swimming pool. In keeping with a longstanding history of healing weary travelers, Sycamore Mineral Springs also offers luxurious spa treatments and yoga classes. However you choose to soak it in, you’ll find relief and restoration at Sycamore Mineral Springs.
Along with a thermal soaking pool, Avila Hot Springs offers a heated swimming pool with waterslides, poolside service, a restaurant, and an arcade. No matter how you spend your time at Avila Hot Springs, it’s guaranteed to be relaxing, rejuvenating, and FUN!
Hidden Gem Number One is the newest spot in town- the aptly named Secret Garden at Sycamore Mineral Springs Resort! Nestled in lush vegetation off the Bob Jones trail, this is just the place to kick back, grab a special drink and listen to live music, or simply relax. This oasis is accessible just over the green Sycamore Resort bridge, a three-minute walk from the main building or off of the Bob Jones Trail through the gate.
You can live every week like it’s shark week in Avila Beach now! Don’t worry- we’re not talking about sharks hanging out in the bay waiting for a little snack. We’re referring to the brand new shark exhibit right here in Avila Beach at 66 Landing Passage. Captain Micheal Brink, Owner of SLO.TOURS has opened up a new self-guided exhibit featuring every species of shark jaw and teeth on an eye-catching display.
Let the light guide your way! Point San Luis Lighthouse is one of the best-kept secrets on the Central Coast, a hidden gem outside of Avila Beach, and a fun day adventure for the whole family.
If you are looking for something new and unique to do on the Central Coast consider a tour of the Point San Luis Lighthouse. A must do for tourists and locals alike!
Point San Luis Lighthouse was established in 1890, operated until the mid-seventies, and was fully restored to museum quality in 1995.
You can live every week like it’s shark week in Avila Beach now!
Don’t worry- we’re not talking about sharks hanging out in the bay waiting for a little snack. We’re referring to the brand new shark exhibit right here in Avila Beach at 66 Landing Passage.
Captain Micheal Brink, Owner of SLO.TOURS has opened up a new self-guided exhibit featuring every species of shark jaw and teeth on an eye-catching display.
This donation-based museum has a small entry free making it an accessible, educational, and fun stop for kids and families. There is also a small gift shop with toy sharks, t-shirts, books, and more where you can shop after the tour.
Be sure to snap a pic with their realistic-looking deepwater backdrops and tag us in any photos you take there!
Sharks are the only apex predator in the sea, do not have any bones, and contrary to rumors, have good eyesight! There is so much to learn and appreciate about this misunderstood species, and our local exhibit is just the place to start.
This delightfully rustic destination invites visitors and locals to pick-up the freshest fruits and vegetables grown locally, as well as a chance to hang out with goats, sheep and other farm animals. Enjoy locally made ice cream, baked good, jams, flowers and seasonal activities such as hayrides and u-pick apples in the fall for a fun family outing.
This delightfully rustic destination invites visitors and locals to pick-up the freshest fruits and vegetables grown locally, as well as a chance to hang out with goats, sheep and other farm animals. Enjoy locally made ice cream, baked good, jams, flowers and seasonal activities such as hayrides and u-pick apples in the fall for a fun family outing.
