Pismo Beach, CA Travel, Photos Information and News
Does anybody not love Pismo Beach? It is the premier vacation and beach destination in a stretch of coast between Santa Barbara and Monterey on California's Central Coast. Wine tasting and wine trails are just minutes from the beach, while the sand paradise provides something like no other beach in all of California--dunes where you can rent and take ATV rides (all terrain vehicles).
Pismo Beach has a charming wood pier where you can fish free, sit and watch the surfers in the Classic California experience, or people watch as others from Bakersfield, San Diego, and San Jose come to visit and enjoy its small town charms.
Pismo Beach was named for the Pismo clam which once was plentiful at its beaches. An annual event pays homage to the clam, and several restaurants in town serve popular clam chowder. Among the favorites is Splash Cafe. It is located just a block from the beach, and serves up hearty soup that has won awards year after year. People line up outside the restaurant adorned on its exterior with surf themes, murals, and signage. Be sure to save time for dining in Pismo Beach.
Some of the city highlights include an annual Classic Car Show, Pumpkins on the Pier, Holiday Tree Lighting on the Pier, and the big Pismo Beach Clam Festival. When you arrive in town you may notice the giant clam statue in the middle of the road greeting guests. The happy, fun image summarizes what Pismo Beach is about.
Hotels overlook or are on the beach, providing the best beach accommodations for hundreds of miles either direction. The water temperatures in the Pacific Ocean are slightly cooler than Southern California because of the Alaskan ocean current that flows south and still provides influence in this portion of California. The good news is that this very current blows cool air on shore, and is what makes the grapes so perfect for wines.
Cities Within 10 Miles of Pismo Beach
Arroyo GrandeAvila Beach
Grover Beach
Oceano
Pismo Beach
San Luis Obispo
Shell Beach