Page 37 - SLO Visitors Guide Summer 2024

slovisitorsguide.com SUMMER 2024 37
Pismo Beach,
Shell Beach & Oceano
The beach cities of Pismo Beach,
Shell Beach and Oceano join
Grover Beach to offer a 15-mile
stretch of beach for long walks,
watching shore birds and marine life,
enjoying tide pools or just sitting on
the sand and feeling the breeze and
sun. Enjoy views of the historic Pismo
Beach Pier and take advantage of a
variety of water sports like kayaking
and surfing. Green spaces with trails
and panoramic ocean views include
Dinosaur Caves Park, Chumash Park
featuring coastal wetlands, Margo
Dodd Park, and the Pismo Preserve.
Millions of Monarch butterflies
migrate to the Monarch Butterfly
Grove in the cool months.
Pismo Beach and its companion
communities provide lodging for
every budget. Enjoy the iconic
wholesome food and fine wines that
are hallmarks for San Luis Obispo
County. Gifts, original art, clothes,
jewelry and décor can all be found
tucked away in the many galleries
and shops. A day or more exploring
Pismo Beach gives a lifetime of
memories.
Attractions
Dinosaur Caves Park
Located at the corner of Cliff
Street and Shell Beach Road, this
11-acre park is popular with walkers,
photographers, dog lovers, joggers
and fishing enthusiasts. Observe
dolphins, whales, sea otters and
other sea life as well as sea and shore
birds such as gulls, cormorants, and
Peregrine falcons. Reservations may
be required for group events. Visit
pismobeach.org/288/Dinosaur-Caves-
Park for more information.
Oceano Dunes
Thousands flock to the Oceano
Dunes State Recreational Park to
camp along the ocean in tents and
RVs every week. You can rent and
ride dune buggies and ATVs on the
beach and enjoy riding for the entire
afternoon. There is a small cost per
vehicle to drive on the beach and it
is recommended you have a larger
vehicle before attempting to drive on
the dry sand; you don’t want to get
stuck in the dunes.
Ocean views
Pismo Beach is home to several
parks with beautiful, panoramic
views of the Pacific Ocean and birds
and marine life that live and migrate
through the Central Coast. A few of
the most popular parks with exquisite
views, trails, places to rest, picnic and
enjoy the scenery include:
• Chumash Park covers 38-acres of
wetlands, willows, oaks and is home
to a rich variety of birds and wildlife.
Bring a camera. Leashed dogs are
welcome.
• Eldwayen Ocean Park meanders
over a mile along the bluffs and
has stairs down to the beach and
the tidepools. Check a tide chart to
visit during low tide to explore the
tidepools.
• Margo Dodd Park, located on
a bluff above the ocean includes
breathtaking panoramas of the
ocean, beaches and surrounding
areas. Bring binoculars and a camera.
Walk the sandy beach to a tidepool at
the end of Pier Street.
Hiking and scenic walks at
the Pismo Preserve
The preserve provides over 11
miles of trails wandering through
880-acres of oak woodlands and
coastal ridges and some of the most
stunning panoramic views of the
Pacific Ocean and surrounding land
and beaches. Trails are marked for
the direction of travel. Park is open
weekdays from sunup to sunset.
Price Historical Park
This four-acre park and open
space provides hiking trails
and a class 1 bike trail. The park
incorporates a self-guided history
perfect day!