San Luis Obispo County Parks owns or operates seven Regional Parks. These special places offer a balance of natural environment and recreational opportunities in harmony with the visitor's quest for fun and relaxation. Our Regional Parks are our "flagship" facilities offering the best of the Central Coast. They include: Biddle Regional Park, El Chorro Regional Park, Heilmann Regional Park, Lopez Lake Recreation Area, and Santa Margarita Lake Regional Park. Each park is has a very distinctive character and offers a variety of activities. Contact our reservations specialist at (805) 781-5930 or e-mail us at adiaz@co.slo.ca.us.

Biddle Regional Park - Set among mature California Sycamore trees and open fields, this beautiful day-use park offers an oasis of quiet comfort for the individual while easily accommodating gatherings of 500 or more. Top-flight Central Coast wineries and Lopez Lake Recreation Area lie at your doorstep.

El Chorro Regional Park - Experienced travelers to the Central Coast are quite familiar with this popular overnight camping and RV site and day use park. Set along side of California's Scenic Highway 1, El Chorro is the perfect launching site for access to a range of recreational areas including nationally ranked wildlife refuges, botanical gardens, California State Parks, and the County's own Dairy Creek and Morro Bay Golf Courses. Two off leash pet areas (one for small dogs and one for large dogs) offer pet owners a place to let their pets socialize and play. Minutes from downtown San Luis Obispo, El Chorro is simply too attractive and convenient to pass up!

Heilmann Regional Park - A true "diamond in the rough", this exquisite day-use park set in a classic California Blue Oak forest setting in the historic town of Atascadero, offers three regulation sized tennis courts, group picnic areas, and a recently-built disc golf course. Appreciated by locals for many years, Heilmann lies next to Chalk Mountain Golf Course, a traditional stop for golfers since the 1940's.

Lopez Lake Recreation Area - Lopez Lake is the crown jewel of SLO County Parks. With well over 400,000 visitors per year, Lopez easily ranks among the premier recreational lakes of the region, while managing to retain a true "back country" style experience for visitors. Boating, fishing, bird watching, lakeside camping, hiking, windsurfing, and mountain biking are just a few of the activities available at this enchanting place. Visit daily and fill your stringer of fish or by the week and fill your heart, Lopez Lake will capture your spirit! For reservations at Lopez Lake, click here.

Santa Margarita Lake Regional Park - It's time to admit that Santa Margarita Lake can no longer contain its appeal to folks just within San Luis Obispo County. Somehow, this special lake, fed by the waters of the Salinas River has managed to retain that rare old world charm of lake parks from everyone's childhood. This park is truly one of the most impressive natural areas owing to the thousands of acres of lands preserved within the park and its "hidden" location away from populated areas. As a major source of the City of San Luis Obispo's drinking water supply, the lake has been managed with care; and it shows!

See also: Rios Caledonia Adobe