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Self-Guided Walking Tour

Explore Our Campus On Your Own Time

Explore our campus at your own convenience by picking up a self-guided tour brochure at our Welcome Center during operating hours. Before your visit, we recommend reviewing information regarding dining, parking and transportation and printing the campus map.

Although walk-ins for self-guided tours are allowed, we ask that all visitors register before exploring our campus.

Register for a self-guided tour

Welcome Center

Building 172H-110

You can find our Welcome Center in Building 172H within the yakʔitʸutʸu residential community. Our team is available weekdays 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. to answer your questions and distribute printed copies of our self-guided tour. All in-person campus tours begin at the Welcome Center.

The Welcome Center’s hours are subject to change during academic breaks. It will remain closed on weekends and during campus closures listed on the academic calendar. If you plan to visit during an academic break or holiday, please contact our Welcome Center beforehand at 805-756-5934 to verify our operating hours.

Interior of the Welcome Center

On-Campus Housing

yakʔitʸutʸu

There are several residential communities at Cal Poly. Our newest, yakʔitʸutʸu, houses 1,475 first-year students in seven residence halls. It was named in honor of and in partnership with the Northern Chumash, the Indigenous peoples of San Luis Obispo County.

Locations of Other Residential Communities

Exterior shot of the yakitutu dorm at night

campus dining

Vista Grande

The Vista Grande dining complex features eight restaurant options over three floors, including an allergen-free station and a variety of comfort foods and sweets. The LEED certified building offers stunning views that can be enjoyed from indoor and outdoor seating areas. Please view all Cal Poly dining venues* and hours of operation.

*Cal Poly is a "cash-free" campus – our dining venues only accept credit cards or pre-orders via the GrubHub app.

Locations of Other Dining Facilities

Exterior of Vista Grande
Exterior of the Performing Arts Center with the band performing outside

Performing Arts Center (PAC)

Building 06V

The Performing Arts Center is a world-class venue showcasing a variety of performances. It's comprised of several venues, including the 1,286-seat Harold Miossi Hall, the 498-seat Alex & Faye Spanos Theatre, a classroom and a multi-purpose Pavilion.

Exterior of the UU

University Union

Building 65

The University Union is a hub of campus life at Cal Poly. Home to ASI (Associated Students, Inc.) programs, study spaces, conference rooms, university organizations and dining establishments, it’s the perfect place to study, lounge, work or socialize.

Exterior of the Cal Poly University Store

Cal Poly MUSTANG SHOP

Building 65

From hoodies to hats, the Mustang Shop is the best place to purchase Cal Poly merch. In addition to being a retail center and university bookstore, it also has a technology center where you can trade in your old phones, computers and tablets for new devices.

Athletics

Mott Athletics Center | Building 42

The Mott Athletics Center is home to Cal Poly men’s and women’s basketball, wrestling and volleyball teams. Mott Athletics Center has also been the site of numerous NCAA playoffs, concerts, exhibitions and sporting events. Eddie Money, The Pretenders, The Doors, Ike and Tina Turner and the Los Angeles Lakers are among those who have appeared at the Center.

Exterior of Mott Athletic Center

Recreation Center

Building 43

Our Recreation Center includes a 20-lane Olympic-sized lap pool, a leisure pool, rock climbing park, personal training facilities, racquetball courts, basketball courts, sand volleyball courts, locker rooms, an indoor track, fitness studios and more. A variety of classes are also available, including swim lessons, yoga, spin, strength training, HIIT and  Pilates. 

Exterior of the Recreation Center at night
Exterior of the Health Center

Campus Health and Wellbeing

Building 27

Staffed by board-certified physicians and licensed professionals, Campus Health and Wellbeing provides care for most illnesses and injuries, mental health services, trainings, workshops as wells other self-care resources tailored to the needs of our campus. 

Exterior of Building 26

College of

Liberal Arts

Building 26

This building is home to the Graphic Communication and Journalism Departments, two programs within the College of Liberal Arts. Here, you will find the Mustang News student newspaper office, a television broadcast studio, a radio station and the student-run commercial printing and digital imaging business. The faculty and staff offices for most departments in the College of Liberal Arts are located across campus in Building 47.

Spanos at dusk during a soccer game

Spanos Stadium

Building 61

Alex G. Spanos Stadium is home to Cal Poly Football as well as Men's and Women's soccer. With an approximate seating capacity of 11,000, its quaint layout and architecture provides fans excellent site lines to the on-field action. 

Exterior of Business building at night

Orfalea College of

Business

Building 3

To ensure success in a modern global economy, Orfalea College of Business provides you access to advanced technical facilities, exceptional faculty and like-minded peers who are preparing to be the next generation of business leaders.

Exterior of the Architecture Building

College of

architecture and environmental design

Building 5

Our acclaimed College of Architecture and Environmental Design offers a hands-on approach to working in all aspects of the built environment, from designing homes and gardens to planning cities.

Dexter Lawn at Dusk

Dexter Lawn and building

Building 34

A social center of campus, Dexter Lawn is a place to gather information, meet friends, or just relax and decompress between classes. Beyond the lawn, the Dexter Building holds an art gallery and studios for art and landscape architecture.

Robert E. Kennedy Library

Building 35

The Kennedy Library is a favorite study spot with plenty of coffee, group and quiet study spaces and 24/7 access. You can also access print materials, eBooks, free e-Textbooks and borrow laptops, digital cameras and more. This summer, the Kennedy Library will undergo a transformation which will feature an energy-efficient and sustainable design, and accommodate new programmatic needs. The upgrade will provide improved, efficient and new student study spaces, along with other exciting improvements. 

During the transformation, library services, programs and study spaces will be in temporary locations.

Sketch of the front of the Kennedy Library to show its transformation
Exterior of Engineering complex

College of

Engineering 

Building 192

A national leader in engineering education, the College of Engineering promotes project-based learning in order to solve the future’s most pressing technical challenges. Through research labs, industry-sponsored design projects and facilities devoted to hands-on learning, you are able to link theory with practice beginning day one.

Exterior of Campus Market

Campus Market

Building 24

Centrally located, Campus Market is Cal Poly’s neighborhood market. It features general and specialty groceries including Cal Poly products and produce as well as a grill with weekly specials, a Starbucks and a sushi bar with fresh hand rolls.

Exterior of Agriculture Sciences Building

College of

Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences

Ag Circle

One of the nation’s largest and most prestigious undergraduate agriculture programs, the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences allows access to state-of-the-art labs in a variety of majors. Nearly 6,000 acres of agricultural production, processing and research land are adjacent to campus and available for hands-on learning.

Interior photo of the William and Linda Frost Center for Research and Innovation

 

William and linda FRost Center for Research and Innovation

Building 181

The new William and Linda Frost Center for Research and Innovation brings three colleges together under one roof: the College of Science and Mathematics, the College of Agriculture Food and Environmental Sciences and the College of Liberal Arts. The Center's four levels contain state-of-the-art laboratories, research centers, technology studios, classrooms, faculty offices and conference rooms. 

Exterior of Baker Center

College of 

Science and Mathematics

Building 180

The College of Science and Mathematics offers a lab-intensive curriculum and extensive real-world research opportunities for undergraduates. Students can work with their professors on everything from laser mapping of ocean floors to atomic particle colliders to statistical analysis for real-world research projects.

Looking for more?

We have put together a wide variety of virtual content to help you get to know Cal Poly better.

Explore our Virtual Tours 

see where to park, find places to eat and learn what to bring 

 

View of campus towards the rec center