Spring offers a real sweet spot in Pismo Beach. Sunny days, colorful wildflowers, and the feeling that you get the Central Coast beach town all to yourself before summer vacation kicks in.
Pismo Beach—which USA Today recently declared the nation’s No. 1 small coastal town—boasts 26 miles of coastline, but the sand is just the beginning of its appeal. Depending on your particular interests—and how you like to play—the San Luis Obispo County town offers a wide range of options. Here are eight kinds of travelers who will love a spring getaway in Pismo Beach:
Classic Car Fans
Pismo Beach was part of the California surfing scene that flourished in the 1960s, and classic cars still look right at home on its beach-town streets. The Pismo Beach Classic Car Show (May 30–June 1) channels that throwback vibe with a lot of energy: The three-day event showcases hundreds of classic cars, judged on everything from interiors and engine compartments to undercarriages and standout details. Check out the “Show & Shine” of parked cars on both days and, on Saturday, watch as 200 cars parade through the beach town’s streets. The weekend also features live music, local cuisine, and a beer garden.
Multigenerational Families
Pismo Beach is a crowd-pleaser for any age group, with everything well centralized so that your crew can enjoy activities without having to split up for the day. Begin in the heart of town at Pismo Pier: snap a group photo in front of the seven-foot “Pismo Beach” letters and let the kids explore the playground, with a humpback whale sculpture and clam slide. Stroll the pier and get a snack at the Airstream food truck or challenge each other at the public chess-and-checkers tables. For fishing enthusiasts, Sheldon’s Bait Shack offers gear right on the pier, and the wide, soft-sand beach nearby is wonderfully family-friendly.
Head to Shell Beach for tide pooling—check this tide chart and look for urchins and sea anemones—and don’t miss neighboring Dinosaur Cave Park. The 11-acre park (once home to a giant, unfinished dinosaur sculpture) sits on top of a bluff and still features a dino-themed play area. The park acts as a community hub too: once a month, it hosts an Art in the Park event featuring local artisans and vendors.
Families visiting Pismo can also enjoy golfing local courses, horseback riding, or even playing pickleball. South of town, the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area offers the only California state beach for ATV fun.
Wine Lovers
The rolling hills of California’s Central Coast are rich with local wine, thanks in part to a winning combination of cool temperatures, rich marine and volcanic soils, and plenty of sunshine. Pismo Beach lies in the heart of the San Luis Obispo AVA (American Viticultural Area), which stretches 15 miles from the county lines of Santa Barbara to Monterey and is flanked by the Santa Lucia Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. Among its dozens of vineyards and wineries, you’ll find great Pinot Noir and Chardonnay along with Zinfandel, Syrah, Albariño, and Riesling.
It’s easy to taste your way around the AVA with Pismo Beach acting as your “Wine and Waves” home base. Start with options such as Tolosa Winery in San Luis Obispo, which offers charcuterie boards and snacks with tastings, and Talley Vineyards in Arroyo Grande, which does seated tastings as well as jeep tours of the vineyard.
If your kids or pup are on the trip, plenty of local wineries will welcome them too (just check the websites before you arrive). Kelsey See Canyon Winery, for instance, has an outdoor picnic area and a bring-your-own food policy, and more dog-friendly wineries include Baileyana winery, Claiborne and Churchill, and Chamisal Vineyards, all in San Luis Obispo.
Hikers, Cyclists, and Wildflower Peepers
Wildflowers are popping this time of year, in the form of orange (California poppies, the state flower), blue (lupines), and yellow (mustard evening primrose). A prime spot to see them all: the 900-acre Pismo Preserve, located just east of Highway 101, with sweeping views of the ocean. Explore 10 miles of hike- and bike-friendly trails and ranch roads: Trails range from under a mile to five miles. Aside from flowers you might spot acorn woodpeckers, Pacific treefrogs, and California newts.
Another local gem is Price Historic Park, which is part of the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail. The seven-acre park has hiking and biking trails and a historic home that you can tour.
Stargazers and Space Nerds
Since Pismo Beach has both clear skies and a prime geographic location, relatively far from big cities, it’s one the best spots along the Central Coast for stargazing. On a reasonably clear night, for instance, the Milky Way and planets such as Jupiter, Mercury, and Saturn are visible to the naked eye.
The town also provides a front-row seat for rocket launches from Vandenberg Space Force Base, about 40 miles south of town. Check the Vandenberg launch schedule to find out what’s heading into space—whether it’s a satellite, a private astronaut mission, or a payload bound for the International Space Station. For a perfect viewing spot, head to Dinosaur Caves Park, where the wide grassy areas are ideal for both stargazing and watching launches light up the sky.
Surfers, Kayakers, and SUP Enthusiasts
Pismo Beach’s reliable, rolling waves mean you can enjoy kayaking or stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) in much of the waters, while surfers will find bigger (but not daunting) waves closer to the pier.
Start your outing by visiting one of the local surf shops, where you can rent or buy gear such as boards, wetsuits, leashes, and wax. At stores such as Big Kahuna Surf Shop, Pancho’s, and Pismo Beach Surf Shop, you can also rent other gear (bicycles, kayaks, and SUP boards), book surf lessons, or arrange guided kayaking tours. These local treasures also carry plenty of cool apparel and unique gifts.
Whale Fans and Wildlife Watchers
You can spot whales off the coast here year-round, but spring boosts your chances of seeing gray, blue, and humpback whales. Gray whales, which tend to stay closer to shore than the blues or humpbacks, can be seen the most from February to May. Endangered blues—recognizable by their small dorsal fin and long flippers—typically appear from March to May, then again in the summer and fall. Humpbacks, known for their distinctive spray bursts, show up from April through November.
Start your whale-gazing from the Pismo Pier, where the Whale Trail sign marks an excellent perch for spotting them. Close to shore, you can also see dolphins, harbor seals, and even porpoises. In the waters off Dinosaur Caves Park, you might spot sea otters, just below the cliffs or in the kelp beds.
On the beach itself, you might see some of the clams that made Pismo Beach famous in the early 20th century, when the bivalves and recreational “clamming” were abundant. Since the clam population has been decimated over the years, it’s now vital to rebury a clam if you see one. Pismo Beach’s stewardship program offers helpful tips on both helping Pismo clams and respecting all of the native flora and fauna.
Anyone Who Loves a Deal
Spring is the perfect time to treat yourself to a beachy hotel with all the perks—and also make the most of lower, pre-summer pricing.
Consider the Pismo Beach Club, a new boutique hotel a short walk from the beach. The all-suites hotel has retro-chic style as well as separate living rooms and fully equipped kitchens in each suite. For more options, browse Pismo Beach’s lodging specials page to find the right hotel, and deal, for you. Click the “specials” button below the hotel’s name to see its latest offers: Maybe it’s an easy 15 percent off when you book three weeks ahead, like at SeaCrest Pismo Beach, or a $50 daily dining credit when you book at the Inn at the Pier Pismo Beach.