Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo grad here, along with both daughters. I was also an advisor for 15 years, so any excuse to go to SLO, the wife and I took the road trip.
Things to do in SLO
Avila Beach
Walk on beach/pier
Coffee place down walkway
Custom house restaurant, pretty good, bit expensive, good brunch
Sunset (not sure if you can see this time of year)
Bon Fire at night, cocktails required! Up the beach a bit, look for fire rings
Down Town SLO (Higuera Street)
Lots of neat shops, restaurants
Firestones restaurant, must have tri-tip sandwich and fries
Movie theater
Catholic Mission and neat creek area, places to hang out and have a beer
Must take picture with brass bear next to the mission
British car place (640 Marsh street, ok, this one is mine)
Bars; Frog & Peach, Buffalo, Down Town Brew
Wineries
Edna Valley (our favorite)
Bianchi
Tolosa
All near each other, $5 tasting fee, goes toward purchase
Cal Poly
Breakfast at Breakfast Buzz (295 Santa Rosa Street, near campus)
University Union, Book store
Cruise the campus
Near by
Hearst Castle tour, 40 min away, really neat daily tours
Shell Beach, 10 min away, Cliff Hotel, great happy hour
Pismo Beach, 15 min away, little beach town, can drive your car on the beach!
Pismo Beach, 15 min away, Splash Cafe best clam chowder in the world
Los Osos, 20 min away, Montana Del Oro, sandunes flat hiking next to ocean
Los Osos, 20 min away, Sylvesters, great burger place
Morro Bay, 25 min away, neat fishing town, Morro rock, kayaking
Hotels
Nice place in SLO. 1 mile to downtown and 1 mile to campus. Fifteen minutes to the beach. $$$
http://www.applefarm.com/
Nice place in Pismo Beach. walk to beach, 10 minutes to SLO downtown $$
http://www.pismolighthousesuites.com
Pretty nice place in Pismo Beach, nice sunsets (wine required), walk to beach, 10 minutes to SLO downtown. $$
http://www.cottage-inn.com/sitemap.php
Nice place in Avila Beach, on beach, 10 minutes to SLO downtown, 15 minutes to campus. $$$
http://www.avilalighthousesuites.com/