Our home was the first to be built along the Heron Crest Ridge. It sits atop a high knoll above the town on an appropriately named cul-de-sac called Harbor Lights Lane. The home was designed to the strict Spanish Colonial tradition so popular in the early part of the last century. A collage of design features came from hundreds of photos taken of period homes in places like South Pasadena, Altadena, and Santa Barbara. The home was painstakingly designed, constructed, landscaped, and decorated, by the owners (engineers and artists) over the course of 5 years. In addition to beauty, practicality and freedom from maintenance were the prominent design criteria.

The main balcony faces South and is bathed in reflective sunlight year around, but is protected from the elements by overhangs. Wind is rare at this location. The sound of the surf is wonderfully apparent throughout the day but is especially mesmerizing in the still of the evenings. You can literally hear the oak leaves hit the ground between wave sets. This front covered balcony continues to the left where a large outdoor wood-burning fireplace awaits you. Sitting by the fire and watching the moon shimmer on the waves is a very relaxing experience. Uniquely enjoy both the ocean and country atmospheres… with no city noise, no street lights, no cars, no parks, no wind, no corrosive salt air, and best of all, no stress…

This south western view, taken from the sun deck shows the priceless panorama of Old Port San Luis. The calm water protected from the open sea takes on a beautifully deep sea-green color. Due to the fact that this property is at the high point of a knoll protruding above the bay, turning 180 degrees also offers unbelievable views of the Irish Hills surrounding Avila Beach. This diversity of both spectacular ocean views to the South and West, and panoramic rolling hills with Spanish Oaks and grazing land to the North and East is found in only a few other properties in California.

This is the view described above as you pan Westward towards the North. The estate that you see across the adjoining valley once belonged to the family who had the original Spanish land grant that ran the full 12 miles from Avila Beach to Morro Bay. The property in this view is now deeded over to the State conservancy. It is highly unlikely that any of the property in our 360 degree view path, as far as the eye can see will ever be developed. This feeling of remoteness, yet only 10 miles from San Luis Obispo, is another very unique aspect.

Continuing to rotate to the North (opposite the ocean view), you wind up looking over the Irish Hills. It is these hills that miraculously protects this property from the punishing winds from the North that virtually every other community in San Luis Obispo County experiences. Most of the wind goes around this range to the West over the ocean, or to the East through the Los Osos and San Luis Valleys. Any sea-breeze form the North (Morro Bay area) that succeeds in making it up and over the Irish Hills picks up heat from the land mass and delivers a gentle and warm breeze to our property. The locals know very well the uniqueness of this point jetting out over the ocean. It is an extremely temperate microclimate.

Returning to the main balcony, and then going South East to the knoll, offers a feeling of being in a hidden garden with cool light filtering through the oak canopy. The knoll also offers views and sounds of the ocean. Birds and deer are not in conflict with the native landscaping, so we co-exist wonderfully. This spot is one of our favorites to go and read, talk, or meditate. The large oaks on the knoll have provided a very thick cover of leaves over centuries and this leafy base along with the shade from the trees seems to insulate the area from being too hot or too cold almost year around.

Turning around from the bench shown above completes the 360 degree panorama of the property. The Irish Hills to the North are visible once again between the home and a majestic oak on the property. Although the parcel is slightly less than a half acre, you can walk for miles in many directions. Sure, you only own a small piece of property.., but as you see, property lines become irrelevant up on the knoll…

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