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At Pismo, the beach is king. This is a city that offers more ways to enjoy its gorgeous, wide, sandy beaches than just about anywhere else in the world. There are, of course, the usual favorites of tidepooling, shell collecting, kite flying, and sandcastle building (for inspiration, visitors may first want to make the hour’s drive north to visit California’s spectacularly beautiful and majestic genuine castle, Hearst Castle at San Simeon). There’s surf fishing. And there’s surfing, body boarding, and banana beach biking; equipment is available for rent next to the pier. A beach wheelchair is also available (rent-free) for visitors with mobility challenges. But Pismo offers several less-conventional ways of enjoying the sand and the surf. On horseback is one of these ways—an exciting means of traversing the tideline. Well-trained horses suitable for all levels of riding expertise are available at the local livery stable. Clamming is another relatively rare opportunity on California beaches. Pismo State Beach has historically been known as the “Clam Capital of the World.” Clamming is best at minus tides (tide schedules are available at www.ClassicCalifornia.com). A California fishing license is required; limit is 10, each at least 4.5” in diameter. Unfortunately, the resident otters appreciate the shellfish also, so legal clams are now rare. But the decrease in clams has not decreased their popularity. Now held annually in November (Veteran’s weekend), under warm Indian summer skies, the three-day Pismo Clam Festival includes live entertainment, a parade, a marching band review, a clam chowder cook-off, wine tasting, clam digging for the kids, and a celebration to honor the nation’s veterans. Pismo visitors can even drive themselves right along the water’s edge—Pismo Beach itself is California’s last remaining legally driveable beach. Access for vehicles is available at Grover Beach and Oceano. Fishing is also legal from the 1,200- foot-long Pismo Pier, generally yielding red snapper or ling cod. No fishing license is required, and fishing gear can be rented. The city’s clean ocean air lends a refreshing dimension to golf at Pismo’s own 9-hole beach course and putting green or any of three nearby championship courses. Pismo Beach is also a shopper’s paradise. Charming boutiques, galleries displaying local art, and shops selling authentic antiques beckon shoppers. The Prime Outlet Center gathers more than 40 favorite retail stores for a great shopping experience. The highlight of Pismo’s watchable wildlife is the thousands of monarch butterflies who migrate here November through February, clustering in California’s largest populated grove—a sight not to be missed. Docents are available for free educational tours daily. Other wildlife includes dolphins, sea otters, California brown pelicans, migrating whales, and peregrine falcons. Visitors can travel along beautiful scenic coastal roads to enjoy and taste award-winning wines, grown next door in Arroyo Grande and San Luis Obispo. For a bird’s-eye view, bi-plane or helicopter tours take customers over the rolling hills, shoreline, historical lighthouse, and ever-changing sand dunes. All-terrain
vehicles (ATVs) can be rented to go four-wheeling on the seemingly
endless dunes of the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area,
just south of town. Visitors can also take guided driven tours of
the dunes—in HumVees, no less.
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