Irish Chain Tour

Benni's Spanish-style bungalow - It could be any number of dozens located in the city of San Luis Obispo.  It's a very common house style.

Oak Terrace Retirement Home - On the road to Morro Bay (Highway 1), look to your right after a few miles, right around the turnoff for Los Osos. This retirement home is the one I based my fictional one on, though just its outside appearance.  I've never actually been inside this real one.

The Rusty Spur restaurant - Based on The Hitching Post restaurant outside of Santa Maria (Santa Barbara county).  Take Betteravia Road toward the ocean (west).  It is located near the Casmalia landfill. Check with the Santa Maria Chamber of Commerce or call the restaurant for exact hours and location.  (The food is fantastic and you need to make reservations.)

San Celina Historical Museum (inside the old Carnegie Library building) - The San Luis Obispo Historical Museum inside the old Carnegie Library in San Luis Obispo - 696 Monterey Street opposite the Mission 

Cal Poly, San Celina - Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo (drive up Santa Rosa street toward Morro Bay - you can't miss the signs.) 

First Baptist Church of San Celina - fictional church based on the many Baptist churches I've attended and visited throughout my life 

Central Coast Fashion Plaza - closed now - San Luis Obispo used to have an enclosed mall which was anchored by the Embassy Suites Hotel and Gottschalks Department store.  The hotel and Gottschalk's are both still there but the mall is now a different sort of open-air plaza. You can see the Embassy Suites off Interstate 101.

Cemetery where Jack and Benni's mother are buried - on South Higuera street across the street from the Elks lodge.

Harper and Ramsey ranches - I made these up. They are a combination of many ranches I've visited within San Luis Obispo county.

Mahi's Fish Taco - based on Wahoo's Fish Taco in Costa Mesa, California (see my essay about them in the essay section of my website)

Gum alley - on Higuera street between business 733 and 737 Higuera (started in late 1950's, they think) 

Rosita Pass - Cuesta Grade (Interstate 101) between San Luis Obispo and Santa Margarita.  It separates south SLO county from north SLO county (traditionally two different worlds in terms of politics and lifestyles though that is changing now in the 21st century)

The Aragon house - like Benni's, it could be any number of woodframe, California bungalow houses in the city of San Luis Obispo

Marshalls Jewelry Store (since 1889) - actual store on Higuera Street in San Luis Obispo

Bad Cat Cafe, Port San Patricio - Fat Cat Cafe in Avila Beach at the start of Port San Luis pier (also has great food and a wonderful album of customer's actual fat cats)

Turquoise key chain that Gabe carries made for him by a Navajo friend from Vietnam - my husband's pocket--I bought it for him 20 years ago in Flagstaff, Arizona

Tropicana Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada (where Benni and Gabe spent their wedding night) - It's there, but I've never gotten to stay in a suite like they did!