On Mother’s Day weekend earlier this month, I drove across the state from the northern Sierra foothills near Auburn to the San Francisco Bay Area, and then down the coast to San Luis Obispo County. On the central coast leg of my adventure, I spent quality time with my sister, my niece, and both of my daughters in Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo, and Nipomo. Although the wind was extreme at times, we managed to enjoy ourselves outdoors, exploring the marina in Morro Bay, walking around downtown SLO, and venturing out across the boardwalk at Oso Flaco Lake to the beach. Dining was also on our list of things to do, which we spread out over all three locations!

The weather was beautiful on Monday morning, and as always it was hard for me to tear myself away from the coast. After a stroll I took these photos on the waterfront before my sister and I left Morro Bay to return to our daily lives.