PISMO IN ITS PRIME
This strip of central California coast has more going for it than sand, surf and stunning scenery
Central California coast is more than sand, surf and scenery.
Dunes are grand — and Pismo Beach and its California coastal neighbors have those in sandy spades. But there’s more to this Central Coast getaway than sea foam. Here are four ways to spend a weekend by the sea.
Dinosaurs
Pismo’s Dinosaur Caves Park sits on an 11-acre, clifftop expanse just south of Shell Beach, a perch that offers gorgeous ocean views, easy hiking trails, a wedding-ready gazebo — and a playground for tots with orcas, dolphins and giant dinosaur eggs. There’s a funny story about how the park got its name. This area was a major tourist attraction in the early part of the 20th century. So H. Douglas Brown decided that what his Caverns of Mystery really needed — besides its caves, which opened onto the beach — was a giant concrete dinosaur. It was 1948, and neighbors were not amused. There was so much opposition that construction on the Apatosaurus-like creature was halted midway — or rather, neck-way. The headless dinosaur stood at the entrance for another decade before it was destroyed.
Today, a much more discreet dinosaur, complete with head, stands by the entrance to the park. And, the clifftop playground includes shaded picnic tables, swings and the USS Imagination, appropriately beached on the sand(box), as well as colorful, climbable Oreo the Orca, seals, dolphins and giant turquoise “eggs,” sized just right for tots to climb inside. And if you’re too old to be clambering on play structures, try a kayak tour of the caves below.
Sips
It’s not your imagination. Vineyards are popping up all along Highway 101 — and there are wineries tucked away in the hills and valleys here. Mere minutes from Pismo Beach and Arroyo Grande, you’ll find the Laetitia Estate Winery where you can sip your way through a lovely array of sparkling wines and pinot noir, play bocce and hike through the vineyards. Do not leave without grabbing a bottle of the Laetitia Citrus Habanero olive oil. (Divine with the last of the summer corn, and we can’t wait
to try it with roasted butternut squash.)
But venture 20 minutes down Price Canyon Road from Pismo proper, and suddenly you’re in the heart of the wine country. Vineyard signs point every which way. Follow them to Sextant (read more about that winery adventure on our Drink page), Talley, Chamisal, Edna Valley and the utterly charming Kynsi, where you can lounge on the porch and sip crisp pinot blanc or splurge on the excellent — and at $28, not too pricey — Hutash Harvest Cuvee.
Splashes
Hotels in Pismo Beach tend to bandy the term “beach access” with the same linguistic flexibility airlines apply to “direct flights.” Here, “access” may be a euphemism for “you can see the ocean from here, but if you want to stick your toes in actual sand, you may have to access that experience by car.”
Still, when you include the neighboring communities of Grover Beach, Oceano and nearby Avila Beach, there are more than 20 miles of sandy, splashy amusements to be had, however you access them. Pismo’s main beach draws sunbathers, sand castle-builders, kite-surfers and legions of tourists. Browse the beach shops and T-shirt emporia, stroll the length of the 1,200foot Pismo Pier, then head for the white sand beach.
Thrillseekers flock to the giant dunes at Pismo State Beach and Oceano Dunes State Recreation Area, the only California beach where one can rent ATVs and roar up and down the steep, sandy slopes.
For a less adrenaline-fueled experience, head for Avila Beach, a gem of a beach town, with nice restaurants, a small aquarium, kayaking and surfboard rentals, soft white sand and gentle waves. At this time of year, the town is driveable and parkable. During the sum- mer, you’ll want to take the free beach trolley, which runs from Pismo to Avila Beach on weekends.
Gourmet delights
If you’re a beach devotee, you’ve probably spent considerable time in the line that wraps around that Pismo institution, the Splash Cafe. And you’ve sampled the addictive, sugar coma-inducing pastries at the town’s Old West Cinnamon Rolls — it was Cinnabon before there was a Cinnabon.
But if your tastes run in a more farm-to-fork — or fishing boat-to-fork — direction, try the Ocean Grill in Avila Beach, where shrimp tacos share menu space with tempura-battered calamari banh mi and wood-fired pizzas.
Brunch? Head for the Lido at the Dolphin Bay Resort for seasonal bread pudding, stuffed french toast, benedicts, scrambles and a particularly lovely duck hash, all served with a view of the ocean.