Atascadero, with its population of nearly 30,000 people, became an incorporated city in 1979. Sitting further inland than other coastal communities, the weather tends to be hotter in the summer and cooler in the winter. Get an up-close look at the Animal Kingdom at Charles Paddock Zoo, the only zoo on the Central Coast. Visit the Historic Atascadero City Hall and visit the Atascadero Historical Society Museum. The Society owns an original 1919 Colony Home and maintains the Hattie Prather Rose Garden. To the north, you’ll find the famed Paso Robles Wine Country. And just a short 30-minute drive southwest will have you in Morro Bay at the Pacific Ocean.