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Eldwayen Ocean Park

4.7 (23 reviews)

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Beach
Lacey T.

My husband and I stayed at a charming Airbnb maybe 10 houses east of Eldwayen Ocean Park. Once we got settled in to our cottage, though we didn't know what to expect, I grabbed my beach towel and sun hat, and we took the short walk down to the park. I did not specifically look for one, but I'm pretty sure there is no designated parking lot. Luckily, there is plenty of space along the residential streets should you require it. There are benches and walkways edging the cliffs that border and look down at the beach, and while we saw people below us on the sand, it didn't look like there was space to do much down there. One of the staircases is crumbling at the bottom, so not in use, but don't let the other, more northern one, fool you. You can get down to the beach, and yes, it's just a skinny strip of sand between the rocks and the water, but there's enough room to walk around and find a spot to relax. We laid out our beach towel and proceeded to rest our eyes (ie take a nap). Is there anything better than dozing in and out of sleep in the warm sand, with crashing waves serving as your soundtrack? Not much, and we spent a good couple hours here doing just that. At one point, a darling puppy snuck up and licked me right on my face! So it's dog friendly, and we met some friendly sweeties here! There is a section on the southern end with beautiful rock formations, and I think at low tide you'll find some small tide pools there. The sand is coarse, though not so large as to be considered pebbles. It isn't uncomfortable, but the sensation on your feet certainly differs from regular sand. Overall, perhaps due to it's limited size, Eldwayen Ocean Park is a perfect, low key and not-too-busy beach.

Sara B.

Absolutely beautiful place to have a picnic. We picked up an order to go from Splash cafe and ate on one of the picnic benches here. Not too crowded, maybe 4-5 families in the park area and like 3 families down below the cliff playing in the tide pools. Dog friendly park with a dog eater foundation. Breath taking views and no stinky ocean smell.

Paul M.

Eldwayen Ocean Park is yet a another small tidal coastal Park which boasts nice views. As can be seen with G-maps, the grassy area is small and leads to a small Penisula with a cute double scope. As you can see from that Penisula, the southern beach area that runs into Chapman Estate is basically inaccessible. If you go South along Ocean you will walk by Chapman Estate which was donated to the City but is only open for special rare events. At the very end there is a tiny Path that leads to a tiny outlook with a small bench. That is also a Cul-de-sac and does not give you access to Margo Dodd nor Dinosaur Caves [which has a play ground & restrooms near the Shell Beach Road side]. If you go North, you will first pass a closed off staircase that erosion wore away, but further down there is beach access via the Vista Del Mar Ocean staircase [right off the intersection of Ocean & Vista Del Mar]. Parking while limited extends all the way from here to near Chapman. Beach access is limited by the tides and you need to be cautious of this hazardous narrow strip of rocky beach since there are numerous choke points which can "trap" your egress at high tide. Since you will be up against either the seawalls or the buffs, a rouge wave could pull you or your kids out to sea in a rip current. Despite this, especially in the summer you will see numerous people defy the odds, common sense, & the posted warnings. Just down the stairs, is a narrow strip of beach which extends to the Penisula & the eroded stairs. The sand is abrasive and the beach is very rocky. Good tide pools are rare. Much of the water contains barely submerged twisted sedimentary rocks which while cool to look at, but are like slippy knives to try to climb on. Since there is no life guards here so please beware. The other way is right next to a seawall and does go to a little cove of a beach. Please check the Tide schedule and never turn your back on the Sea. The local papers frequently report rescues or even deaths from the many coves and waters. Most of the bluffs are composed of soft sandstone or brittle dirt, so that it is easy for it to erode from the sea or collapse under your weight if you stray over the fence. Periodic erosion and collapses are also the bane of the many Ocean front homes. Nature is sometimes slow but relentless. As with several beaches, overlooks, or parks along Shell Beach restrooms are rare and eats are even more rare. The series of ocean views here are: Dinosaur Caves, Margo Dodd, Coastal Conservancy, Eldwayen, Seacliff/ Memory, Spyglass, Spyglass to Cliffs Hotel strolling area, Paradise, Ebb Tide, South Palisades [best overall beach access, which boasts the best Tide Pools at low tide], Florin or Topaz Outlook, Shell Beach Bluff Trail, and finally Pirates Cove [which has some nudity]. Off course many of these areas are more suited to surfers/ locals/ dog walkers/ exercise buffs than to others. Many have great views and some are near free Tennis/ B-ball Courts [ "north" Palisades on Shell Beach Road] or good eats [Lido's, De Palo's grocery {gourmet take out}]. There are also a few fair to good places to grab a drink or bite along Shell Beach road more toward the Caves end....or further to downtown touristy Pismo Pier area [which has Pizza & lots more]. All in all, this beach park is a nice scenic diversion, which does have a very few picnic tables. At peak season or holidays, even this area can be packed. Curiously, almost every one of the many reviews of this & other beach park outlooks boast off the amazing views. As locals, we are fortunate to see many an amazing sunrise or sunset. It all depends upon the weather. If it is totally clear or too hazy, you will not get the amazing sunset colors. The best sunsets are when it is partly cloudy and most clouds at near the horizon and there are gaps in the linear clouds. During the best sunsets, you can see both the amazing late sunset colors fade, as the moon and stars start to become visible. Once the sun sets, it does become quite chilly, so bring a jacket. The late sunset has the most intense colors, so be patient...and use a good camera for a long exposure....not a phone.

Tide pools
Amy S.

I came here with my two toddlers to take them tide pooling. The beach was easy to access and the scenery was beautiful. We didn't see too many creatures but the kids didn't mind. We really enjoyed the experience! Check out our visit here: https://youtu.be/-0_Ag7aDliI

Lovely
Jessica Z.

Such a lovely spot offering amazing views of the sea from above. Sunset after rainfall was beautiful (also very cold in winter) here. Not much of a "park" - just a stretch of grass with a walkway, some picnic tables and benches too. Street parking is plentiful.

Old dilapidated stair case closed. No worries. Newer staircase 200 feet to the North.
Heather J.

I agree with the others. A great little beach kinda tucked away in Pismo. Even though we arrived about 5:30pm on a Sunday, there was only a handful of other visitors. It was near high tide so we didn't get to see the tide pools but if you're darinthere are rocks you can climb on & sit & just take in the view. Perfect spot for selfies or family pictures--just not the kind that require you to be clean. The sand is not smooth, it's full of tiny rocks. Thankfully we brought our aqua socks!! Aside from there being large rocks, the currents are huge so no water play! The beach is accessed by staircase only. I can imagine this beach being even prettier at sunset!!

Sandy H.

Eldwayen Ocean Park is located down the street from Margo Dodd Park and residential parking was easy to find on a Saturday afternoon. There is a flight of stairs that you can take to get to the sand and ocean. We saw people leave their shoes along the wall and we did the same. We even spotted a guy wall climbing which was cool. The view especially during sunset was absolutely gorgeous. It wasn't crowded at the time so I was able to thoroughly enjoy the peaceful sound of the waves and the beautiful sunset sky. This little park is definitely worth the visit if you're passing through the Pismo Beach/San Luis Obispo. :)

If you think the view from this park is simply priceless...come during sunset!
Charles B.

I suppose I could go into the minute facts about this hidden-gem-of-a-park such as that there's free parking, stairs to a sandy beach below, tide pools, a grassy recreation area, picnic tables with adjacent BBQ's, AND a 360 degree-rotating-high-powered binoculars that works FOR FREE. However, nothing and I mean NOTHING can compare to the majestic - I swear I'm not trying to be corny - view that this park offers you: 180 DEGREES OF PURE-PANORAMIC-CALIFORNIA-COAST-PLEASURE!!! Come for the view. Stay for the sunset. YOU WILL NOT - CANNOT - BE DISAPPOINTED!!!

West end stairs to the beach. There is another set closer to the east end.
John H.

We're travelers. Our most recent trip to Brewmania landed us on this sequestered beach, best walked during a receding tide. We had no issues finding parking on a Sunday around noon. A short walk down the stairway from the bluff ended on a narrow, coarse-sand beach with rocks and tidepools. We unleashed the dogs and let them make new friends, and checked out the shells and sea anemones along the rocky edge. If you have small kids, you'll want to keep em close, as the water can get rough! Your sixth grade science whiz, or the amateur geologist will be equally entertained checking out the face of the bluff for the serpentine ribbons of rock that swirl its entire length. If you've ever hiked at Pinnacles, you'll recognize the way volcanic activity pushed up the earth to make these crazy designs. Worth checking out!

Hubby and I stopped here on our way to Big Sur for our 6 year anniversary. It was tucked away, quaint and not overcrowded we loved it.
Chris P.

Hubby and I were in our way to Big sur for 6 yr anniversary and stopped here. Quaint, quiet and not crowded. We loved it.

Joe P.

Great beach to visit during the day but the natives get restless at times during the evening. ..... enjoy

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9 months ago

Such a cute walk! My pup enjoyed the scenery while I enjoyed the beautiful views and homes!

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7 years ago

Just a lovely beach off the beaten path with great tide pools and pretty sand. A gem.

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Review Highlights - Eldwayen Ocean Park

Not too crowded, maybe 4-5 families in the park area and like 3 families down below the cliff playing in the tide pools.

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Chumash Park - To Bee or not to Honey Bee. Bee on Park flower

Chumash Park

4.2(13 reviews)
3.3 mi

Beautiful clean park amazing structures. Went to a birthday party loved zip line adults can have…read morefun to

A cute little hidden neighborhood Park, named after the Chumash, with some nice surprises!…read more If you are looking for a serene break from the madness of the across the 101 Pismo Outlet complex & have kids who need to burn some energy, this is a great safe spot [but beware of POISON OAK & the hidden POND(s)]. Likewise, if you are older, the 1 mile dirt valley hiking trail uphill is a nice diversion. Fortunately for all, the Bathrooms are decent, and there are picnic tables too. The playground is far nicer than what you would expect and have floor cushions all the way around. There is the usual Jungle Gym theme plus some swings. All seems to be designed for safety, but just outside there are warning signs for Poison Oak, and the land dips into a small stream, a marsh, and a pond.... so you still have to keep an eye on little ones. There is no fence to prevent wandering here. The hiking trail is quite modest, but since it is uphill & about a mile, you can get your cardio. This is a valley, so it can be prone to some flooding in the wet season. The trail is verdant & it is super-nice until you hit an abrupt end at a private ranch...but fear not...use your Goggle & you can see a plethora of other "local's only" Parks & much longer hiking trails in or near this area. As you head down this trail during the late afternoon, you can see the sparkling Pacific over the Pismo Outlet stores. This hidden Park is an ideal get away from the mad crowds of the Outlet stores. Next to the Outlet stores is an open mall with a great Bagel shop, a Pie shop, a Pizza shop, & the Cal-Fresh Supermarket has decent take out meals/sandwiches/food bar. You then, just have to drive just across the overpass, make a left onto Jamesway, and on your immediate right, you can find this Picnic & kid friendly park. Since it is rather hidden, it is so easy to miss, so look at your GPS map. This idea is a far nicer & healthier choice than to join the multitude at the crappy fast-food places next to the Outlet stores. Of course, you can also get take out junk food & bring that here, but please do not litter. I have no clue as to why I missed reviewing this place years ago, but here it is. If you are curious & into local history, you can also explore the side streets, for the even more hidden, Price House & "Historical Price House Park". You can look at both the Yelp Park listing & "Anniversary Price House" listing for my pics & details. Visits to inside the restored Price House happen from time to time, but you need to be either a donor, get emails, or check out facebook to be aware. While I lucked out & had a short personal tour for helping out, the house itself is not open to the public. The Park is open and is quite quiet, but there are no facilities. It does have nice wildflowers in the Spring. All of these local Parks are surrounded by rampant over-development....some of which polluted the local streams & marshes beyond repair. Anyway, this is a quiet neighborhood park, so please be good citizens. Thanks & enjoy!

Photos
Chumash Park - Whisps...along short but nice hiking trail.

Whisps...along short but nice hiking trail.

Chumash Park - NY Bagel & Lox [from Broadway Bagel just across the 101] in the park 's Picnic area.

NY Bagel & Lox [from Broadway Bagel just across the 101] in the park 's Picnic area.

Chumash Park - No trespassing...end of Park's short but sweet hiking trail.

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No trespassing...end of Park's short but sweet hiking trail.

Eldwayen Ocean Park - parks - Updated May 2026

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