Get Out

Oprah Winfrey once named San Luis Obispo the number one place to live in America. The reasons are obvious- the city is set in a beautiful countryside in rolling-green hills, close to the beach, has amazing trails, and an enriching town.

However, being new to a city without easy access to a vehicle makes it difficult for many students to experience all that the city has to offer.

In this post, Dormlife101 will help students unravel the mysteries of the bus system, discuss resources on campus that offer travel opportunities, and share nearby places that students like to visit.

As a Cal Poly student all of inter city bus travel is free. However, it is often difficult to navigate the bus system. The maps near the bus station are nearly impossible to decipher and the iPhone app is usually wrong.

Fortunately, Dormlife101 is here to help. The bus schedules of each bus route can be found online with the times and stops of each route.

The difficult part though is knowing which bus to take. Routes 4 and 6a will take you down town and Routes 5 and 6b are the shortest routes back to campus.  You can switch these around, but it will take an extra forty minutes if you try to take Route 4 to campus.  Just remember 4 goes down, 5 goes up.

If you want to go somewhere else you can call (805) 541-2877 until 5 pm or enter in your address, destination, and time, into Google Transit and it will map out  your route step by step.

Some students have managed to get around town without using a car or the bus system.

Kiersten McDonald, freshman biology major, uses her motorized scooter that reaches up to 60 mph.

McDonald tries to get off campus three to four times a week, she said.

She likes to go to Louisa’s Place for breakfast on the weekends and take random drives down foothill or Costco, she said.

“Sometimes I honestly just ride my scooter around and explore,” she said.

She has driven through a neighborhood and discovered houses on top of a hill that had a gorgeous view of green mountains on one side and Slo on the other, she said.

Her favorite adventure was to Arroyo Grande, McDonald said.

“I can’t go on the highway with my scooter,” she said. “But there is a back highway and it’s just these hills and curvy roads that has nothing but vineyards on the right and beautiful rolling green hills on the left.”

If you keep traveling on the road to the tops of the hills, there is also a view of the ocean, she said.

Matt Moe, freshman engineering major, also has a sense of adventure when it comes to exploring Slo.

He tries to go on hikes once a weekend and his travels often last over three hours, he said.

“I like going on hikes because it’s a different perspective at looking at things,” he said.

He usually hikes at Bishop’s, a place across the highway, or the hills by the “P,” he said.

“There’s a swing that’s way back in the hills, and if you go across the highway there is a high point,” he said.  “Those are probably my favorite places.”

ASI Poly Escapes offers many opportunities for students to get in touch with nature.

Poly Escapes has rental gear ranging from tents to kayaks for an affordable price for Cal Poly students.

In addition to the outdoors equiptment, Poly Escapes also leads many student-led trips throughout the year.

Their trips include nearby day hikes, as well as weekends in Yosemite.

Spencer Mills, Front Line Services of ASI said that Poly escapes offers a wide variety of equipment rentals like kayaks, backpacks, tents, and headlamps.

Poly Escapes runs their own trips and has an organized trip almost every weekend, he said.

“The trips are a little pricey,” he said. “But compared to the cost of getting gear on your own and going out with your friends, it is very affordable.”

Feel free to check out their website or their facility located by the rock-wall near the Recreation Center from 12pm to 5 pm for detailed information.