Scene from Santa Margarita

Taking a stroll at the Santa Margarita School Demonstration Forest, shown here with trees decorated by students for Valentine's Day, is one of the free or no-cost family activities found in Best Family Adventures by Jennifer Best. See bestfamilyadventures.com for details. Thanks to retired Santa Margarita School teachers Sharon Drake and Betty Williams for overseeing the DF adopt-a-tree project.
Santa Margarita is a rural town, pop. ~ 1300, located in the northern interior (Salinas Valley) region of San Luis Obispo County, California. Situated along the central coast of California, the area features a Mediterranean climate. The town was laid out in 1889 on land that was part of the Santa Margarita Ranch. Though the years have brought many changes to the area, Santa Margarita retains its rural character. The community is surrounded by oak woodlands of the 13,800 acre Santa Margarita Ranch. Here are a few links to help you find out more about this special place:

Coyote Road School ~ Coyote Regional Outdoor Adventures
Local Natural Science and Outdoor Education for Youth and Adults

Best Family Adventures
New book by local author is a great resource for families looking for free or no-cost adventures on the Central Coast.

Santa Margarita Area Advisory Council
The voice of Santa Margarita area residents

Santa Margarita Lake
Great place for fishing, hiking, riding and relaxation - just a hop and a skip from town

County of San Luis Obispo
SLO County's online center

The Educated Gardener
Santa Margarita's own specialty nursery and gardener's store

Las Pilitas Nursery - Santa Margarita
Local native plant specialists

Marguerite Costigan Fine Art
One of the Central Coast's most inspired artists also serves as chief naturalist/artist for SMCF projects. Thank you, Marguerite!

Santa Margarita School
Home of the "Mighty Mustangs"

The Land Conservancy of SLO County
SMCF has operated under the 501 (c) nonprofit umbrella of the Land Conservancy of SLO County since 2002.