Wine, waves and classy, coastal fun converge in Pismo this fall
Autumn in Pismo Beach means wine and waves; golf and brews; events and outdoor exercise; and shopping and entertainment.
Now add in a delightfully relaxing assortment of accommodations and the most comfortable air and water temperatures of the year under the ocean’s prevailing winds.
Folks from the Bay Area are accustomed to easily accessible local wineries, tasting rooms, wine and food pairings, top restaurants and some venues that provide all that along with entertainment. The same goes for premiere shopping, exceptional dining, culture and outdoor recreation.
And Pismo Beach — an incomparable, classic California beach town with an undeniably chill vibe — is overflowing with these and more, all in a seaside location.
Best of all? Pismo is only a few hours from the Bay Area — but feels like it has a time zone and tempo all its own.
Wine and waves
It’s the perfect pairing — wine and waves. Three of the local winemaking regions — Edna Valley, Arroyo Grande and Avila Valley — are only 15 to 30 minutes from downtown Pismo Beach. And many of these regions’ vineyards and wineries have received international acclaim.
The wine country experience here maintains a laid-back and refreshing mix of independent boutique wineries and artisanal wineries. Among them are vineyards and artisanal wineries operating under their original names and owned by some of California’s most widely respected producers.
An intimate experience awaits visitors across the area’s tasting rooms, wineries and vineyards. Whether on the vineyard property or at a downtown Pismo Beach wine bar featuring local wines, it’s not uncommon for visitors to find themselves tasting with winemakers themselves.
“Another great way to spend time outdoors when you’re staying in Pismo Beach during the fall is to take a 15-minute drive to Sea Canyon for apple picking,” says Jim Lewis, Pismo Beach city manager. “And pumpkin patches so close to the ocean make a great experience.”
Tastes and treasures
If coffee, tea or fruit smoothies are more your cup of joy, several locally owned and operated spots serve up tasty creations throughout Pismo’s carefree, coastal atmosphere.
Spend the first half of any day strolling downtown Pismo Beach and the Pismo Pier with no schedule. Pop into the one-of-a-kind boutiques with crafts, artwork and jewelry from local artisans. Swing by the specialty clothing or surf shops. And listen to buskers in plazas or coffee shops, and enjoy lunch at a farmto-fork diner.
Soon you’ll be ready for a late-afternoon siesta at the hotel, with windows open, dozing to the calming sound of gentle waves lapping up on the beach.
Golf, shop and wag
From any of the Pismo Beach hotels, visitors are a short drive from highly rated public golf courses, including Cypress Ridge, Roger Dunn, Blacklake, Monarch Dunes and the Avila Beach Golf Resort.
Just south of downtown, the beloved Pismo Beach Golf Course serves golfers some instant gratification with its 9-hole/par-3 course along the ocean.
Some visitors may prefer shopping over putting. They’ll be thrilled that the downtown and beachfront hotels or vacation rentals are very cloes to the Pismo Coast Plaza. And also nearby, they’ll discover designer retail, boutiques and plenty of day spas and beauty treatments.
Meanwhile, Fido and friends are welcome nearly everywhere. Some shops and restaurants in Pismo even include treats for the pups in their offerings.
“A good majority of our hotels are dog friendly,” Lewis says.
Fall favorites that are distinctly Pismo
There’s no “L.A.” in Pismo. Ask anyone who loves Pismo as a place to vacation, live, work and play and they’ll remind you that Pismo has an identity all its own.
Pismo Beach may in some ways compare to Newport Beach or Huntington Beach. But everything here takes place on a more relaxed scale and with an excellent range of things to do just steps from the beach.
These include events such as the annual Pismo Beach Clam Festival coming October 14-16. The event features live music, local vendors, a Friday night wine walk and a Saturday surf contest. There’s also the Sunday clam chowder contest, with chowders made by local restaurants celebrating the region’s storied history as a fishing village.
“For decades, our annual Clam Festival weekend continues to bring together many unique elements of what Pismo Beach offers visitors in a festive and fun weekend getaway setting,” says Gordon Jackson, Pismo Beach CVB director of tourism & events.
“This year promises to be just as entertaining, delicious and joyful, and we continue to offer an array of beautiful, comfortable seaside lodgings for visitors to enjoy at their leisure,” he adds.
Environmentally minded travelers from the Bay Area will appreciate that the 2022 Clam Festival kicks off the Pismo Beach Stewardship and Educational Outreach
Program, “Sea Change — Be Change.”
A special exhibit area dedicated to the program will feature interactive displays, activities and art emphasizing the Central Coast’s local marine and wildlife, native flora and fauna, and responsible dogfriendly travel. Another exhibit demonstrates the value of pollinators to food supply in this farm-to-table region and still another honors the history of the area’s indigenous people.
“Our fall lodging special makes the trip easy to plan,” Lewis says. “Many of the hotels also include shuttle service to the wineries and other attractions in the area.”
Explore Pismo fall lodging specials at experiencepismobeach. com/places-to-stay/ deals. Scroll through experiencepismobeach.com to learn more about wine and waves experiences as well as dining, beach and mountain sports or hiking, nearby daytrips, and more.