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Why : Because this is California’s foremost known repository of used gum.
What: Bubblegum Alley is found just off Higuera Street (the main commercial drag of San Luis Obispo) on the 700 block between Garden and Broad streets. It’s the sort of unsanitary whimsy you might expect from a college town: a narrow alley whose tall brick walls are bedecked, festooned, clad and ennobled by the steady accumulation of gum that’s already been chewed.
This has gone on for decades, evolving from a lingering prank into a full-fledged civic landmark and guidebook highlight despite the fact that it disgusts a substantial part of the population. There’s a similar wall in Seattle’s Pike Place Market — where a recent clean-up immediately gave way to renewed gum accumulation — but there are no known rivals in California.
Feel free to pitch in. Or browse thoughtfully as if assessing an early Picasso. Or just give the alley a dismissive glance look on your way into Higuera Street attraction like the Blast 825 Taproom or Mother’s Tavern or the Frog & Peach Pub or SLO Brew. … you get the idea.
Where: Near 735 Higuera St., between Ambiance boutique and Blast 825 Taproom. San Luis Obispo city and county, 192 miles northwest of downtown L.A.
How much: Free. Unless you buy gum to contribute.
Info: San Luis Obispo Vacations
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