Avila Beach is a coastal town in San Luis Obispo County. And the town has a beach. So I always…read morewondered when referring ti the beach... should it be called Avila Beach's beach. Anyway, the beach is beautiful and family friendly. It had a less commercial retail vibe than Pismo Beach and pier. The waters are a bit calmer than other coastal towns due to the beach being within the San Luis Obispo Bay. They have old fashion steel swing sets on the on the beach (right side of the pier). Speaking about the pier. The pier was originally built in 1908. It's about 1685 feet long. It has been storm damaged many times and repaired, and is still standing. Though right now the far portion of the pier is not open due to retrofitting upgrades. Lots of folks fish off of the pier and take in the sights. I got pretty close to a sea otter enjoying a meal and grooming himself. He was floating right next to the pier. Totally awesome.

I never realized just how close I was to Avila Beach each time my husband and I would take…read moreroadtrips to Santa Barbara. I'd passed Avila Beach off the 101 countless times and never knew! Actually, I had never known about Avila Beach until one night, as I was scrolling through instagram, it showed up on my feed. Someone I was following had posted a short reel and I immediately took to how pretty it was. Anyhow, fast forward to just a few days later (and this is the part that seemed 'meant to be'), we were on our way to Pismo for a little weekend trip when I see an exit for Avila Beach just shortly before Pismo. "No way!" I thought .... This whole time it was just right there? And so, as we checked into our hotel in Pismo we quickly diverted our original plan - rather than Pismo it's off to Avila we go. Just a short 10min drive and there we were. Shops, restaurants, the pier .... Just beautiful. I have to say - that little discovery really made our weekend memorable. I don't know what it was but my family and I really enjoyed the afternoon that we'd spent here. There was something for everyone. I had my jolt of much needed caffeine from Kraken coffee (located right off the beach), my daughter got ice cream (husband did as well). The whole afternoon in this little newfound escape was perfect. The beach is beautiful, there are a few shops and eateries that offer both sweet and some savory. It's a lively place to hang out and relaxing enough to bum out too.

The hike down is short and very manageable. Be sure to turn right if you're heading to the…read morecove/cave, the left trail leads to the beach. We came here for sunset, and the views were absolutely beautiful. I would definitely recommend stopping by!

Ended up taking the long route to Pirate's Cove (parked near homes and took the trail) which we…read morelater found out is the Shell Beach Bluff Trail. We enjoyed this scenic trail, which had multi-million dollar homes to our right, and the beautiful ocean to our left; and a somewhat steep incline up to the dirt parking lot and Cave Landing trailhead. Good thing the weather was perfect and there was a lovely breeze; otherwise I would've stopped walking and demanded to go back to the car. Once we got to the trail, it was a fairly easy short walk to get to the cave. After taking in the stunning views from the cave, we trekked to the cove. Be cautious going down, as it's a steep dirt path and a couple flights of stairs. Also note that clothing is optional, and you may run into people in their birthday suits on this secluded beach.

Locals call this place the Smugglers Cave. Cool name. But it's not really a cave and not near the…read moreshoreline. It's a natural carved tunnel through the a rock formation on a bluff overlooking Avila Beach and the ocean. Sadly though the cave is tagged with graffiti and folks treat the inside of the cave as a trash bin. Disheartening site to see a beautiful work of nature treated like this by those that come to view and hang out. Ironic. The hike from the parking lot is less than half mile one way. It starts at a slight incline. When you get to the point where the path splits to the right and left, turn right... the cave is to the right. You're less than halfway there at this point. The cave overlook has no guardrails, so please pay attention especially with the kiddos. The cliff has a drop. Have your wits about you and stay alert. If you have an overwhelming urge to creep close to the edge to take the perfect selfie, do so cautiously and be aware of your surroundings. Overall the views are gorgeous. But the trash bin cave vibes was a downer.

Date: Monday, July 24th, 2023 Time: around 12:45pm…read more We were at Pirate's Cove so decided to check out a cave. We actually didn't make it all the way down to the beach, but I did go into a cave and enjoy the view on the other side. Not sure if that qualifies as one of the Avila Sea Caves, but I will just assume it does. Parking was pretty easy. There is a small lot. No issues finding a spot since it was a Monday afternoon. We only walked down to the first cave, so probably spent a little more than 15 mins walking around and taking pix. If you enjoy water and a view, I'd say definitely check this spot out. REVIEW #3441

Avila Beach is special. Standing on the pier gives great views. And when waves are rolling through,…read moreit's so calming. The Boardwalk has always had beautiful people enjoying the views and vibes every time I've been here. Parking is tough but once you got a spot, you're good. One of my favorite places to get away.

I loved every moment of this trip, especially because of Avila. It's such a beautiful place, and…read morethe people are truly one of a kind. Everyone I met on the pier radiated the best vibes. If you're visiting California, make sure to carve out time for Avila--the breathtaking views are absolutely unforgettable.

Clean, grassy, and super relaxing park at the west end of Beachcomber Dr. in Shell Beach. There are…read morebenches to sit and enjoy the ocean sounds, a short 1-mile walking trail, and a staircase leading right down to the shoreline and nearby tide pools when the water is low. Just note that parking is limited to the surrounding residential streets, and there are no restrooms nearby. Overall, a wonderful, peaceful spot to visit with your pup.

It's very intimate and calm. The pebbles are so tiny. There's stairs for you to walk down and enjoy…read morethe beach. I found an area with my friends to set up and put my towels down. The water is cold but so pretty. There also a park next to it.

We had such a great time, and Ava was wonderful! The tour was fantastic, we saw so many sea otters…read moreincluding mothers with their babies, as well as sea lions and seals. Ava was incredibly knowledgeable and shared so many interesting insights about the animals, and Avila Beach in general. It was a fun and memorable experience, and we would definitely recommend this tour!

A magical way to spend a day on the Central Coast. When you rent a kayak or paddleboard, you can go…read morealong the coast to a private beach. Pull up your board and walk up the stairs to see the ocean from the Lighthouse. It is just breathtaking. There are restrooms, as well. The staff is unfailingly friendly and helpful. They have a map to highlight where you might want to look, and places to avoid. They go over the basics of kayaking and get you started. Highly recommend!

Such an idyllic park. We stopped by to give our pup some nice playtime and relaxation and were…read moregreeted with the sight of families enjoying the play structure, beautiful cave and rock formations cliffside, various coastal flora and green grass. It is called dinosaur caves park due to the caves and some dinosaur sculptures located in the play area. Apparently there use to be a big dinosaur centerfold but that was taken away. A great walk and area to coast for a bit (pun intended) but bring your own shade.

Beautiful park that sits up on a bluff offering expansive ocean views, picnic areas, playground for…read morekids and plenty of parking. We visited on a beautiful summer day and it was perfect. Park was very busy with families having a great time. In the 1940's, a large metal dinosaur was built here to attract travelers from the highway to a souvenir and tackle shop. Visitors would pay .25 to walk through the dinosaur down to the sea cave. It did not last long to the public complaining as the dinosaur was an eye sore. After many years of this space deteriorating, the city of Pismo Beach bought the land and in 2003, this park opened. If you walk down to the bluffs edge, you will be able to see one of the sea caves. Great place to enjoy a leisurely afternoon.

I like that part of the trail was paved. This hike one way takes about 20 minutes one way, so 40…read moreminutes round trip, obviously it depends on how fast you walk. If you go beyond the paved trail, it's another 20 minutes to the cave, So pave trail plus dirt trail = app. 80 minutes

The Shell Beach Bluff Trail connects up with the Cave Landing Trail that overlooks Pirate's Cove…read moreand has a "cave" with a beautiful view. The shell trail starts out paved and easy and then there is a moderate to strong grade to get to the cave trail. The shell trail is not really a trail and is a paved walkway. The cave trail is rock and dirt and more like a "trail." There is a separate and larger dirt lot for the cave trail that you need to walk through from the shell trail to access Pirate's Cove and the cave. There is a steep "natural" staircase going down to Pirate's Cove. If you are either older or afraid of heights, you might not want to go down to the cove. The cave has a beautiful view, but no guard rail on the view side. For this reason, we would recommend you not bring your kids on this trail unless they are older, mature, and well behaved. Depending on whether you say on the shell trail or go on to the cave trail, the whole thing is anywhere from 30 min to 2 hours and depending on which sights you see and how long you look at them. This is really one of nicer trails in the area, especially if you take the shell to the cave trail. Definitely recommend visiting.

My dogs had the TIME OF THEIR LIFE here. We arrived on a Friday afternoon and there were plenty of…read moredogs running around. My pups, Honey and Luna, joined in the fun and truly, I've never seen them so happy. We frequent dog parks often which is fine and dandy, however, beach life is a vibe. Even for dogs The location is easy to find and the beach itself is large enough. There are facilities for humans. Definitely a plus! The view was gorgeous with a bunch of boats in the harbor. The other owners were really nice and ultimately, we enjoyed our afternoon here. Next time we come into town, we'll be sure to bring our dogs again.

My absolute favorite dog beach in the area. My dogs live their best life every time here and we…read morealways meet the friendliest dogs and people. There is lots of space on this beach so you don't have to be too close to other groups of people. On the weekdays, it's not super busy so the perfect day to hang out all day on the beach. We enjoy walking back and forth on the beach, and bringing chairs to relax, read and snack throughout the day. :) Always have the best time when we're here. Such a gem in the area!

Spyglass Park is a clean, fun and scenic park in Pismo Beach. There is a parking lot to park in…read more This park has bathrooms, which were clean when I was there. There is a large grassy area to play on. There are a few picnic tables to eat on. There is a fantastic overlook to see the ocean. There is a semi hidden path to get down to the ocean. The playground is great. Part of the playground is in the shape of a ship. There is plenty of equipment to climb on and a few slides to enjoy. There are toddler swings but there aren't any regular swings. Part of the playground has wood chips underneath, part has soft padding. The playground has a larger and smaller playgrounds. Both playgrounds are in good condition. Have fun out there. -Dadzone

Loved this little hiding spot. It's a cute little park. My dog and boyfriend could have stayed for…read moreliteral hours!!! I loved that there was beach access too. Pretty awesome. I would love to go back for a picnic or just some relaxation! Compared to Central Valley heat, it's a real nice get away in the summer! Definitely recommend this park for families, couples, everyone!