San Luis Obispo & Pismo
Beach
San Luis Obispo County is underrated as a
vacation destination, and that's too bad, for this
part of the central coast offers much in the way of
sightseeing and relaxed recreation.
Halfway between L.A. and San Francisco, the
city of San Luis Obispo and its seaside neighbor, Pismo
Beach, provide launching points for day trips to Morro
Bay and Hearst Castle (to the northeast) in
addition to the wine country and other attractions of the
Santa Barbara area (to the south). The county is home to
two of the famed Spanish missions: in the city of San
Luis Obispo (Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa) and in
San Miguel (Mission San Miguel Arcangel). They were the
fifth and sixth in the network of twenty-one Franciscan
missions.
What to See & Do
In San Luis Obispo
Slightly inland, on Highway 101, San Luis
Obispo is a university and college town (Cal Poly &
Cuesta College) with a lively cultural program including
the San Luis Obispo Art Center and the county's
Historical Museum. Founded in 1772, the mission is
surrounded by a beautiful plaza, which has long been the
focal point of city life. There are 40 wineries in the
area -- in the Paso Robles region (north of San
Luis Obispo) and the Edna Valley/Arroyo Grande
wine region (south of town) offering more than a day's
traveling and tasting in hill country.
On Thursday evenings, the downtown area
comes to life as several streets are blocked off for the
weekly and very festive farmers' market. The market is
one of the places in the region where you can find the
famous barbecued ribs that have become a prime attraction
in several communities. The rib dinners are catered by
local non-profit societies. The city is close to an
amazing range of recreational attractions including
Lake Nacimiento, Laguna Lake and Lopez
Lake. Morro Bay Estuary (on the coast) is a
birdwatchers' paradise. Montana de Oro State Park
is one of California's finest.
Avila Beach, north of Pismo Beach
off Hwy. 101 via a sideroad has a fine beach and the hot
springs that attracted tourists in the 1800s are still
used to feed mineral spas.
In Pismo Beach
Just one of a string of fine beaches along
the central coast, Pismo Beach sticks in the mind as the
butt of a continuing joke on the old Jack Benny Show. But
Pismo is no joke! This seaside resort town, in the middle
of 23 miles of expansive white sand beach, has long been
a center for inexpensive family vacations. The new
Pismo Beach Pier is a popular fishing and
strolling spot.
Just south of the town is the one beach in
California that is still open to motorists wishing to
drive along the shore. While Pismo State Beach
stretches 23 miles along the coast, most of the action is
in the eight-mile section on which cars are permitted
including the off-road excitement at Pismo Dunes State
Vehicular Recreation Area. The dunes are deposited in
waves beside the ocean with various parts of the beach
accessible to cars, motorcycles, bicycles and horses.
Cars and RVs are permitted on the northern section of the
state beach while off-road vehicles use the southern
dunes area (SVRA). Camping is permitted in parts of the
dunes area. The gates for vehicle access to the beach are
found in the communities of Grover City and Oceano.
Pismo Beach -- the town -- has several golf
courses, and a large flock of monarch butterflies spends
its winters here.
Camping
There are many state parks which have camping
including Pismo State Beach at Oceano. Private RV parks
include Oceano Dunes Resort, 2220 Cienaga St. (Hwy. 1)
with 140 sites (805-481-3225) and Sand & Surf RV
Park, also in Oceano, with 232 spaces (805-489-2384).
Avila Hot Springs Spa & RV Park has full hookups and
tent sites with hot-spring baths for good measure
(805-595-2359).
