5 Ways To Dig The “Vibe” In Pismo Beach, CA
Having secured our Spring Break spot we settled into a laid-back week of hanging & exploring around the Pismo area. The town itself was completely new to us. We’d visited nearby SLO (San Luis Obispo) many times in our pre-RV days, but we’d never been to Pismo Beach so we didn’t really know if we’d like it. It took all of about 30 seconds to figure out we LOVED it, and the feeling really didn’t change the whole time we were here.
As a traveler I always find this phenomenon fascinating. Every town I know has a “vibe” and either that vibe resonates with you or it doesn’t. Some rare towns need an extra look and grow on you over time, but most are either instant connections (or disconnects), kind of like two strangers sharing love at first sight.
In a way this makes perfect sense. The feelings you have about a place are really no different than any relationship, and so those same wishy, washy completely non-scientific emotions come into play. In our travels both Paul and I feel town vibes almost instantly. We usually know right away if we’re going to love a place and we typically feel exactly the same about every place we go. This synchronicity is also what makes us such great travel companions, no doubt.
And so it felt in Pismo Beach. The State Park was relaxed and green. The beach was awesome and the town had that nice laid-back surfer vibe that we instantly connected with. A bit touristy no doubt, but not so much that it had lost it’s personality and not so over-developed that it had lost it’s heart. Plus the entire area is just BUSTING with natural beauty and SUPER dog-friendly to boot. Drive a few miles and you can find a stunning spot all to yourself.
Here’s what we got up to and our top pics for feeling the “vibe” of the area:
1/ Beach Sunsets, Piers & Rides
One of biggest draws in Pismo is that you can access endless miles of beach just footsteps from your RV. Not only that but they really cater to everyone here. So whether you’re an ATV-nut, a horse-rider, doggie-lover or you just want to hang there’s plenty of beach for everyone.
In the South end of town are the famous Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes, one of the largest dune complexes in all of California. They stretch 18 miles long and encompass several distinct areas from a large Wildlife Refuge at the very southernmost end, to a hugely popular OHV (Off-Highway Vehicle) & Camping Recreation Area in the middle, to a smaller (lesser-known) Natural Preserve (a popular horse-riding area) at the top .
The central OHV area is probably the nuttiest area in the whole of Pismo. If you’re brave enough you can drive your RV onto the sand and camp here, but otherwise you’re free to take your car, ATV or any other vehicle with wheels and just play around. It’s not really our kinda thing so we just did an afternoon visit on our leg-powered ATV’s (i.e. our bicycles) so we could go and gawk at the rigs in the sand (Our verdict? Probably fun for some, but not for us).
North of the Dunes, from Grover Beach to Pismo Pier (right by downtown) is a huge multi-mile stretch of 100% dog-friendly, human-friendly playground. No cars allowed along this part of beach, so it’s quiet and relaxed. This is where we spent MOST of our time either walking to/from town with doggie, watching sunsets, strolling along the pretty Meadow Creek Trail, or just hanging on the beach. Plenty of spots to rent a surf board, SUP or kayak if you want to get on the water too.
2/ Brews And Food
Pismo Beach offers a offer a ton of decent food, brew and wine options. Downtown Pismo has all the usual “beach fare” (frozen yogurt, taffy etc.) as well as a few worthy eateries. A short drive south, Grover Beach/Arroyo Grande offers a surprising number of Asian spots (Thai, Japanese) plus a VERY nice brewery.
Beer-wise our absolute top pick for the area was definitely Figueroa Mountain Brewing. It’s not dog-friendly (sadly), but offers good food and superb beer! Not much for heavy Stout lovers here, but we really liked almost everything else we tried especially the Bella Mia Saison, Darby Brown (on cask), the Such A Dort Lager and ALL the IPA’s (Hoppy Hoppy, Double IPA, Imperial IPA). A “must do” for beer lovers. NO Dogs.
Food-wise our fav hit was the Splash Cafe, a local institution especially for Clam Chowder (although they have tacos and other stuff too) which was highly recommended by several of our fellow RV travelers. It definitely delivered and Paul raved about the Clam Chowder for days after. NO Dogs Allowed.
Coffee-wise our absolute top hit (and what became our regular morning walk) was The Orange Cat Cafe. A super cute cafe named after a 19-year old cat who still hangs out there everyday. Sip a tasty mocha in their grassy outdoor (doggie-friendly) area, pet the legendary cat (he’s a cutie) and just enjoy the laid-back atmosphere. Dogs OK!
Other worthy spots to eat are Mon Ami Creperie in downtown Pismo (dog-friendly outdoor area) and Izakaya Raku in Grover Beach (no dogs).
3/ Hikes & Views (With Doggie)
One of the big draws of this part of the Central Coast is the endless abundance of open nature. From beach to hills, almost everything is ridiculously scenic and if you’re lucky enough to come in Spring you get the added bonus of green grass, California poppies (always a treat) and a multitude of other colorful blooms.
Probably the most famous area to hike around here is Montana De Oro State Park and it truly is superb (stunning, amazing, wish-you-were-here kind of place) but sadly the park doesn’t allow dogs on any of its trails (dogs allowed at Spooners Cove, but that’s it). So if you’re NOT hiking with paws, definitely go. Otherwise there are thankfully many other places where you can enjoy the views w/ pooch in tow:
- Dinosaur Caves (Pismo) -> Within the Pismo area, apart from the beach (of course) there’s a very scenic trail just north of town at the top of the cliffs in Dinosaur Caves Park which is 100% dog-friendly. It’s super short and easy (the park is only 11 acres in size), but it’s very lovely and a great way to see the sea caves without having to take a kayak tour. Coords for trail start: 35.154005, -120.666600
- Johnson Ranch/Irish Hills (SLO) -> Drive just ~10 miles inland from Pismo to San Luis Obispo and you enter a magical land of rolling green hills and endless miles of dog-friendly Open Nature Preserves. I never actually knew about these until my friend Lauren introduced them to me during our visit here, and I am sooooo thankful he did! Together with Polly we went on a fabulous 5-mile trail through old oak groves, running creeks and grassy hills absolutely bursting with spring flowers. Start your exploration at Johnson Ranch and either do a loop there or connect through to Irish Hills for a longer hike. One of the best doggie spots around IMHO!! Coords for trail start: 35.223422, -120.693304
- Morro Dunes Ecological Preserve (Los Osos) -> Around 10 miles west of San Luis Obispo is another hidden dog-friendly gem. Morro Dunes Ecological Preserve offers miles of paw-friendly trails that lead up a steep hill to a stunning overlook of Morro Bay. Polly and I did an awesome ~3-mile loop hike here and saw almost no-one else. NO trail signs though (I got lost at least 3 times) so make sure you download the map on THIS PAGE and keep some kind of GPS handy (a smartphone will do). Coords for trail start: 35.308454, -120.843157
4/ Afternoons At Avila Beach
If you head just 10 miles north on the coast from Pismo, you’ll hit the little town of Avila Beach. Snuggled into it’s own little cove, this is a popular week-end spot for beach goers, lighthouse lovers and doggie folks. It’s touristy and small and doesn’t offer many eating options, but it’s cute and has a few hidden gems:
- Point San Luis Lighthouse – A GORGEOUS lighthouse, but it’s only accessible via docent-led tram or hiking tours (only offered on Wednesdays and Saturdays) and you have to plan ahead to get in. We were lucky enough to come here a few years ago, so we didn’t go this time around, but if you’ve never been it’s well worth the visit! Click HERE for more info. NO Dogs Allowed.
- RV Beach Camping – Drive past town towards the Port and you’ll actually find a bunch of first-come-first-serve RV camping right by the beach (there’s also an overflow area up on the hill). It’s very scenic and you DO get full water views, but at $50/night (for dry-camping!) it’s not cheap. Click HERE and HERE for more info.
- Off-Leash Doggie Beach – In the same area as the RV Camping you’ll find the Avila doggie beaches (Fisherman’s Beach & Olde Port Beach), two totally off-leash-friendly spots for doggies to play and run in surf and sand. Click HERE for more info.
- PierFront Wine & Brew – Once you and doggie have tired of running on the beach, head on over to this craft beer and wine spot overlooking the pier in town. Good selection of brews and doggies are welcome in the outdoor seating area. Click HERE.
5/ Markets & Missions in San Luis Obispo
For an easy afternoon away from the beach, head ~10 miles inland to SLO to check out the Thursday night Farmers Market and the local Mission. The former is famous for it’s BBQ’s (and the very entertaining vendors that sell them). The latter is one of the 21 missions that comprise California’s Historic Mission Trail. It was built in 1772, has a great little museum and still operates today. NO doggies allowed at either location unfortunately, so leave pooch at home for this one.
There’s a TON more brews & restaurants in SLO too, but sadly Paul got sick with the flu and spent the last days of our stay drugged out in bed. So we didn’t really get a chance to check ’em out. Something for next time though, right?
Useful Links:
- Dog Friendly Beaches in Pismo Area -> Click HERE & HERE
- Hiking In SLO & Pismo Area -> Click HERE
- Pismo Beach Visitor Guide -> Click HERE
- Avila Beach Visitor Guide -> Click HERE
- San Luis Obispo Visitor Guide -> Click HERE
WOW ….I wanna be there. ….just have to figure out how and when…I am looking forward to the camping info…
It’s the perfect beach town. We really had fun here. Full campground review coming next.
Nina
I’m lucky to have called this area home for 30+ years. If you want a true gourmet spot but in a casual environment check out Ember. It’s on Grand Ave in AG. Love your blog, neat to know you are in my backyard, so to speak.
Sweet! I love good tips from local folks who live in the area. Thank you! You’ve got a beautiful place to call home, by the way. I could easily spend a few months here.
Nina
Looks like a gem We find ourselves returning to the same places we enjoy. Looks like we might have to check this out as we travel through CA.
We tend to do that too. Once we find a place we like, we keep going back! I’m glad we “branched out” this Spring and tried the coastal route. It’s been many years since we last came by this way and we’re discovering many new soon-to-be-favorite spots. It’s been fun!
Nina
We travel South from Sonoma County at least once a year and Pismo State Beach is our favorite campground along the central coast. In the winter the butterflies are right next door! We haven’t checked out Morro Dunes, will do that on our trip south in June!
I’m dying to come back and see the Monarch Butterflies. They were all gone by the time we arrived.
Nina
We LOVE Pismo and Splash clam chowder is the best! Worthy of days of raving over! We head out on our full-time adventure next week. Will start with going up the N. Calif coast and will hit Cape Disappointment in late summer. Who knows where after that! Safe travels.
Well congrats on the upcoming adventure! You’ve picked a wonderful first time route. Enjoy!
Nina
Wow! Thanks for sharing this great info. Looking forward to when our travels takes us to CA.
Great review thanks. We have been going to Pismo Coast Village every January with a group of 16+ rigs and have a blast. The Butterflies are a must see that time of year and yes Splash is also a must.
Thanks Nina for the “Other” spots to visit. I will for sure share your adventures with the others in our group…
Safe Travels……… Lee and Shelia
Love your photos! I’ve been going to Pismo (and Avila and SLO) for over 50 years and it’s still one of my all-time favorite beach towns in California. Thank you for a wonderful review of a beautiful area.
I can definitely see why you keep coming back. I know we will too! Cheers for the share.
Nina
We were headed this way a couple years ago and actually had reservations, but had to cancel. We really need to get SLO and Pismo Beach. Thanks for the great tour!! You three certainly had a great time:)
I definitely recommend another try. There’s soooo much to see and do, plus I know you’d love the hiking here.
Nina
We’ve spent lots of time in SLO, Morro Bay, and Montana de Oro. Those are some of our favorite spots on the California coast. We’ll have to check out Pismo Beach next time we’re in the area — thanks for all of the recommendations! Looks like you’re having glorious weather.
We certainly are. We had a couple of mornings of dense fog while we were here, but otherwise it’s cleared up everyday and we’ve had near-perfect sun and moderate temps the rest of the time. Spring on the CA coast is pretty darn nice.
Nina
What? You didn’t go to the Pirate’s Cove while you were at Avila Beach??
What?? I missed Pirates?? Arghhhhh! Nooooo!
Nina
It’s a clothing optional beach but it is the most serene and beautiful beach in the area. Never seen a real pirate there that I can remember. 🙂
Well there you go. You learn something new everyday! Never knew about that spot.
Nina
We loved Pismo and SLO. It’s definitely on our list for a re-visit! 🙂
I’m sure you’ve moved on by now, but for next time, put The Spoon Trade and Graze Kitchen (both unassuming but delicious farm to table restaurants) on your list:
http://www.thespoontrade.com/
http://www.grazekitchen.com/
We drove by Graze several times, but didn’t manage to try it. On the list for next time!
Nina
Great Post…after reading your postings I always want to go hook up our rig and head out! We were there 2 years ago, loved it too! We had a wonderful lunch at Honeymoon Cafe in Pismo Beach!
Wow! You three really did Pismo right!! Bill went to Cal Poly and Montana de Oro is his favorite place on the planet – so we get to the area whenever possible. I agree that our RV won’t ever be one of those parked on the sand, but watching several of them get pulled out by multiple 4x4s is an entertaining venture on any given Sunday afternoon 🙂 Must try the Orange Cat next time we’re there!
I would have to agree on the entertainment aspect of the Dunes. Definitely a lot of folks who get caught by the tides there. Crazy stuff.
Nina
Wow, you really nailed it! Those are all places I loved from our stop there too! I miss those foggy, misty beach mornings.
I do love the coastal fog, even in May and June (the infamous May Grey and June Gloom months). Our years living in San Francisco got me hooked on foggy days.
Nina
We’ve been going to Pismo for years. Although it is slowly succumbing to what has happened to Southern California, Pismo still offers a glimpse of how beach communities were 40-50 years ago. If you want to just be at the beach in a relaxing environment, Pismo is the place. Just north of town on the frontage road leading to Avila, is Shell Beach. Great kayaking and the best pizza in the area, maybe anywhere, can be found there at Del’s. What we especially love from the state park is that you can walk along the beach to town, or bicycle to town from the front of the campground. And, of course, we love Grover Beach and Arroyo Grande right next door to Pismo to the south.
Excellent and enjoyable post. We have a aunt that lives in SLO and she would be very happy to read your wonderful article and how much you are enjoying your visit there. We have been there and love it and cant wait to take our RV there. We want to try the beach camping, but not sure 🙂 Thanks for sharing and hope you continue to enjoy your visit.
Beach camping is definitely not for everyone, but I do know some folks who love it. A couple of tips -> air down your rig tires before you get on the sand, know (and work with) the tides and park well above the water line. For fun, look up some Pismo/Oceano YouTube videos of rigs stuck in the sand. It gets kinda crazy out there. Hope you get out here one day!
Nina
I liked the Pismo “vibe” 30+ years ago, when I got stuck driving on the beach in my van. A good hearted guy pulled me out thank goodness. So much to do in this area.
We love living here. But if you visit, please respect. Tip your servers well, don’t litter, drive with patience, clean up after your dogs, etc. We want to keep the Central Coast like it is. Thank you and ENJOY your visit!!!
Fabulous post, and you had us hooked until you mentioned $50 per night. Anything in the area less expensive? We have full dry camping/boon docking experience.
Danger! Warning! Watch your budget, as when you are in the Pismo and SLO area, you are extremely close to the temptations of Justin’s, Tobin James, etc.:)! Paso Robles is such a laid back area for enjoying wines:)!
The Central Coast area is great. Glad you two are enjoying yourselves. Look forward to you campground review.
Travel safe, have fun,
Smitty
We’re spending a few days in Paso Robles right now and I can already confirm this is *not* a good area for the budget. Waaay to much good wine and food around here!
Nina
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!!! I love how thoroughly you cover all the bases, every time.
Got lots of your posts in a file to map out a trip soon.
XO
a great post about the Pismo area and what we call South County. Come just a little further north next time when it is not Easter time. Have a super time in Paso Robles .. you are right about the food and wine. Goshi has great Japanese food and Mcphees in Templeton is also yummy. The beer garden at Barrelhouse is also fun and of course, you’ve already sampled our local area code beer. If you have time for a day trip from there, my flower finding friends have seen lots of color out by Shell Creek.
Hi Nina and Paul,
Just discovered a fairly recent book you guys need to get, available on audio, called “Dogtripping”, about a cross-country RV (3) trip with 27! rescue dogs. Check it out!
Paul
http://www.amazon.com/Dogtripping-Rescues-Volunteers-Cross-Country-Adventure/dp/1250053463
P.S. You’re making us jealous being in CA best time of year!
Wow…27 dogs!!!! I’m definitely checking that one out.
Nina
Really great Photo’s. Nina you have quite the eye and equipment! That is very much an area we will stay at. I went to college in S.L.O. and lived in Morrow Bay and Los Osos along with San Luis Obispo for my time there until graduation. We now have family in south of there. It will make a very good stay for family, friends and scenery. Yes it will be expensive as the wineries are great ‘over the hill’ in the Paso Robles area.
When I read the title with Pismo Beach it brought lots of memories. This is where Steve asked me to marry him in Feb 2005. He flew me to SLO airport and drove to Shelby Beach, which is just a few miles from where we were.
We spent lots of time in that ares Paso Robles and SLO for some serious wine tastings. Those were the days 🙂
No way! How romantic!
Nina
So green right now !!! Beautiful !!! Looks like a fun area. I am so excited to be going to the coast next week. Cant wait to see greenery ! I live in the sierras. Going to Davenport next week.
Here’s a fun take on “Rocking” a visit to South SLO County: http://www.slohorsenews.net/how-to-rock-your-visit-to-south-slo-county/