Incredible Things to Do in Pismo Beach For Spring Break Family Fun!

 

It was the pictures of ATVs blasting through sand dunes that drew us to Pismo Beach for Spring Break. The images looked like characters from the Mad Max movies searching for trouble in a post-apocalyptic world. I knew our boys would love it. This particular beach, Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area, is the only beach in California where adventurous families can drive vehicles on the sand, and we were determined to try it.

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Video: Things To Do In Pismo Beach With Kids

You can watch the recap of our trip and then get the details in the article below on how to plan your own Pismo Beach trip with kids.

 

 

We joined our friends, the Millers, at the Cliffs Hotel and Spa. Overlooking the Pacific Ocean, our balcony opened to a wide view of the water. Distant cliffs dropped into the ocean as the sun danced around it. 

 

 

We had seen a few of the Millers as we checked into our room, and my two boys didn’t stay to appreciate the sun or the view after putting on their bathing suits. Instead, they told us to meet them at the pool where the three Miller boys waited.

 

 

 

We discovered the Cliffs Hotel and Spa loves children and welcomes dogs. You know how in some hotels you have to pretend your kids aren’t really kids but just miniature adults waiting for their growth spurt? Not here. As we walked along the pathways, kids appeared everywhere, some with parents, some with their pack. Screams of happiness carried in the breeze as they played games on the lawn around the hotel. Dogs led their owners on paths perched atop their namesake cliffs.

Rooms manager, Travis Domingues, later told me that the hotel’s first floor is open to guests with dogs. Though after the Thomas Fire, the Cliffs Hotel and Spa allowed dogs in all the rooms when their families had to evacuate their homes. Domingues said it was chaotic but heartwarming. 

 

 

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The adults enjoyed poolside cocktails and snacks, while the five boys invented games by the hot tub and pool. Being in the central part of the state, I expected clouds and cool conditions, but the sun shone bright, and seagulls drifted in the salty blue skies. I later learned there are 315 sunny days in Pismo Beach every year. Silly me.

 

 

Every evening, the hotel provides a wine-tasting with snacks, free for guests, in the lobby. They poured a local favorite of ours, the night we attended, a Cabernet Sauvignon from Rabble Wines. We had the good fortune of discovering the Rabble Wines tasting room called Tooth and Nail, the last time we visited the area.

 

Downtown Pismo Beach

We gathered our group to explore downtown Pismo, a network of streets lined with vintage, single-story homes that housed restaurants and specialty shops. At the crown of the town is the Pismo Beach Pier. A cobweb of boardwalks rises above the beach and extends around it.

 

 

We chose to eat dinner at Wooly’s, which offers casual deck seating looking over the ocean, the slow-setting sun, and the length of the pier. Dogs, kids, and laid-back people enjoyed creative American fare with affordable price tags. We paid $60 for drinks and food for the four of us. We felt our city tension melting into the sea and our smiles easing into our faces.

 

 

The Dunes: Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area

The next morning, we set out early to find the mythical dunes of Pismo Beach, a complicated latticework of desert that dipped and rose across the horizon, spilling onto the waves of the Pacific Ocean. There are 23-miles of coastline in Pismo Beach, and, combined with the dunes, that’s 3,500 acres of off-road vehicle fun. It’s the only beach in California that allows people to drive on it.

 

 

Our friends had made reservations at Steve’s ATV so we tagged along to their office, about a half-block from the ocean. One thing we noticed immediately was the free beach parking. Coming from Los Angeles, we’d never heard of such a thing. It appeared as if our group arrived at Steve’s ATVs at the exact same time as everyone else, but Tammi, at the front counter, was very talented and patient at juggling her customers and made sure everyone received a vehicle that fit their size and experience level.  Our group rented individual ATVs and dune buggies to ride the Sahara-like dunes of the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area (SVRA).

 

 

Next, a short yellow school bus took us deeper into Oceano Dunes SVRA, where the staff at Steve’s ATV set up a shop in a mobile unit and had us watch a safety video before we could ride off and break our necks.

That was when I realized I had forgotten my ID in my car, so I had to take the short school bus back. I thought my delay would cause me to miss the screening, as did my youngest son, Knox, who is eight. He took my hand as I got off the bus and told me it was a good thing I didn’t see the video because it was “kinda scary.” However, I had no such luck. It turns out that watching the video is a prerequisite to riding at Oceano Dunes SVRA. 

So, I watched the video by myself, and I totally understood why Knox had gotten spooked by it. They showed visitors who thought there was nothing to fear barreling over dunes, flying in a way that they lost control of their vehicles, and suffered broken body parts as a result.

After the video, I wasn’t as keen to ride either, but I told myself I was in complete control of how fast I was going and that I had nothing to prove, which, I think, is something with which I sometimes grapple. However, the video did scare off the youngest member of our group, seven-year-old Camden, who decided the risks weren’t worth the rewards. The rest of the group set off.

 

 

The first part of our ride consisted of a brief lesson on how to actually control the bikes. Steve’s ATV designed a track to help new riders feel comfortable riding the bikes. This was welcome practice after the horror the video had put into our heads. The practice course made us all more comfortable.

 

 

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I’m not going to lie. There were many stops for boys who hit their accelerators too slowly during take-off, which sank their back tires deep into the sand. There were many times when I had to get off my bike to execute the little lift the video taught to extract those bikes from the clutches of said sand. Many, many stops. But honestly, after seeing an ambulance off in the distance rescuing another rider and later, a boy at our hotel wearing a new arm cast, I was glad they were being cautious.

We rode through various areas that seemed safe for our skill level, ascending tall dunes and riding along closed-off hills.   At one point, I lost the group. For a few, too brief, moments, I sailed across the beach, ocean water breaking to my right, the quiet dunes to my left. RVs and tents sat along the water in makeshift campsites. I felt the breeze graze my arms and spirit. It’s nice to ride free on occasion. Later, the boys declared the ride was their favorite part of the trip.

 

Family Night in Pismo Beach

On our last night, we decided to split up and have family dinners on our own. 

 

 

Our family chose the oceanfront Ventana Grill, which has many personalities. This upscale oyster bar is a great option for date night or a girl’s night out, but since this was neither, we enjoyed the perfectly crusted calamari and clam chowder, which was so fresh we could taste the flavor of every individual ingredient. It wasn’t over-cooked like many of these creamy sea soups. The drinks were wonderfully mixed and festive. My garlic black-tiger shrimp had the right blend of garlic and pepper, a savory dinner with a delightful crunch. 

 

 

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More Things To Do In Pismo Beach

 

We couldn’t say goodbye to Pismo Beach without spending more time exploring. After breakfast at Penny’s All-American Cafe, which had great service and is ideal for those wanting a traditional American breakfast (my husband walked down the street to find an organic smoothie place), we wandered toward the ocean. We passed a storefront called Mike’s Ideal Barber Shop, and the boys decided to get haircuts. This wasn’t the strip mall, discount hair shop that they were used to. This was an experience. Zack and Zeak styled them with a sharp flourish and left them feeling dapper.    

We continued our way toward the pier on Pomeroy Avenue, the main street lined with shops and restaurants in Downtown Pismo Beach. Although it was a Thursday, it felt like a Sunday with so many meandering families exploring the shops, eating candied apples, and lining up to sample the “Best Clam Chowder In the World” in various locations. We walked along the raised boardwalk, watched dogs playing in the sand, and enjoyed feeling away from the regular rush of our lives.

 

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We didn’t hurry home. After driving for about an hour, we stopped at Bob’s Well Bread in Los Olivos for a late lunch because we had heard how incredible this place is. We had heard right. The cashier told us they close when they run out of food, and by about 2 pm that afternoon, it looked like they would close. The boys really enjoyed the exotic loaves of bread and sandwiches, which is not a little deal.

We highly recommend stopping here if you’re in the area. The town looks like what would happen to any thriving town in the wake of an apocalypse, with this modern bakery serving as the template to build again and build well.

 

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When You Go

 

 

Getting To Pismo Beach From LA

Pismo Beach is about 176 miles, or a three-hour drive along US 101 N (traffic-dependent) from Los Angeles. Those visiting from San Francisco, coming from the opposite direction, will drive approximately 244 miles, or just under 4 hours, depending on conditions.

 

Where To Stay In Pismo Beach

We loved our stay at the Cliff’s Hotel and Spa, but we’ve also stayed right off the Pismo Beach boardwalk at Vespera Resort on Pismo Beach, Autograph Collection, which was great, a true beach cottage resort. Use this map to see other options, but we couldn’t have been happier with both our stays.

 

 

 

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