Thinking of getting away for the weekend or a few days?
Pismo Beach is an ideal destinations for those wanting to relax, spend time outdoors and enjoy time by the ocean. This vibrant coastal town is equally inviting for couples, single travelers and families.
On my most recent trip I stayed at the cozy Cottage Inn by the Sea, located on the cliffs of Pismo Beach overlooking the ocean.
The hotel’s buildings are in the style of story-book cottages, charming and inviting from the very first glance. All their rooms have fire-places, something I was super excited about. It cools off in this area of California in the evenings, sometimes even in the summer. A fireplace gives a totally different mood to a space, so it was extra nice to have.
They also have a beautiful outdoor area overlooking the ocean with fire pits, a garden, a pool and a hot-tub.
To get down to the beach just follow the path from the garden to the closest stairs which go down to the sand.
Cottage Inn by the Sea has just renovated their Bistro, which I am certain is the chicest in town. I got a tour of it but it was not yet open for business on my visit. I am so looking forward to trying out the food next time I’ll visit.
What to do while in Pismo Beach?
Pismo Beach has one of the most scenic beaches on the California coast so make the most of it with a morning and evening walk on the sand. Of course you can choose to spend most of your day on the beach if you want to.
The Pismo Sand Dunes are on the south end of town and a must to visit if you are in town whether you choose to ride an ATV or go for a walk in the dunes.
Pismo Beach is home to the Monarch Butterfly Reserve. During the winter month you can see thousands of them in the eucalyptus trees in the reserve. If you visit between November and February make sure to stop by the reserve.
Downtown Pismo is as busy as it can get in a small town. You’ll have plenty of choices when it comes to restaurants and gift shops but there are a couple of places that are quintessentially Pismo and you don’t want to miss. Splash Cafe, known for their excellent clam-chowder in a bread bowl and Old West Cinnamon Rolls, obviously for their variety of tasty cinnamon rolls.
The Pismo Preserve is an excellent place to get your body moving while taking in the views of the Pacific. There is a small parking lot by the trailhead and also extra parking at the bottom of the hill. The Preserve has many trails, it is a bit of a maze, so it’s good to have GPS and All Trails or some other app that shows you the trails in detail. After all the rains the Pismo Preserve was carpeted in wild flowers when I was there. Keep an eye out for rattlers though!
Walk out to the Pismo Pier. Pismo Beach has a very large pier, with air-streamers on it selling various things. It is a great place to take in the views of the hills and coast or try to spot some wildlife in the ocean. By the pier you’ll find the famous Pismo Beach sign, always full of people posing in front of it, as well as a small but cute playground for the kiddos.
Go kayaking out on the ocean. There are local companies you can go on kayaking excursions with, or if you are experienced enough you might brave it out on your own. There are a few caves you can explore along the cliffs of Pismo Beach by kayak. Hire a company if you have not been out on the ocean alone before. It is a lot different from kayaking on a lake and it can be dangerous by yourself around the caves unless you are experienced.
If you are going with kids Dinosaur Caves Park is a great place to spend a couple of hours with the littles. It’s a pretty park overlooking the ocean with a fun playground. You might spot it from the highway as you drive by and if you are on a longer road-trip with kids it is most definitely a great pit-stop to stretch your legs and let the kids run around a bit.
Go biking along the coast and around town. You can rent a regular bike or make it easy on yourself with an electric one.
As you can see it is easy to have a very busy long weekend in Pismo Beach, plus the area around has so much more to offer. If you want to take it slow and rest you’ll probably need more than just a couple of days to take advantage of everything. Or you could stay longer, or visit again.
Either way, enjoy your stay in Pismo Beach!
FYI: I was hosted by Cottage Inn by the Sea in exchange for social media coverage. All opinions are my own.
