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.
Welcome Center
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.
On-Campus Housing
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
campus dining
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
Performing Arts Center (PAC)
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.
University Union
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.
Cal Poly MUSTANG SHOP
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.
Recreation Center
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.
Campus Health and Wellbeing
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.
College of
Liberal Arts
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 Stadium
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.
Orfalea College of
Business
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.
College of
architecture and environmental design
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 and building
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
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.
College of
Engineering
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.
Campus Market
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.
College of
Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences
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.
William and linda FRost Center for Research and Innovation
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.
College of
Science and Mathematics
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.
see where to park, find places to eat and learn what to bring
