Atascadero is a city in San Luis Obispo County, California, about equidistant from San Francisco and Los Angeles on U.S. Route 101. Atascadero benefits from easy access to the nearby cities and towns with which it shares the San Luis Obispo – Atascadero – Paso Robles metropolitan area. Atascadero is geographically the largest city in San Luis Obispo County. The city of Atascadero and Paso Robles have approximately the same population. Atascadero is farther inland than most other cities in the county, and as a result, usually experiences warmer, drier summers, and cooler winters than other nearby cities such as San Luis Obispo and Pismo Beach. The main freeway through town is the US 101 which allows easy North and South access along the coast of California, Oregon, and Washington, with nearby State Routes 41 and 46 provide easy access to the Pacific Coast and the California Central Valley.

The population was 28,310 as of 2010. The brainchild of mega-entrepreneur E.G. Lewis, Atascadero is the result of nearly a century of organic community evolution. It is an amalgamation of rolling hills studded with oaks; historic buildings; quaint lake park and zoo; enclaves of artists, musicians and writers; all surrounded by visitor vistas and wineries.