How have I never been here!!?!? This place is spectacular!…read more I was driving home from Pismo by myself and decided to take the scenic route. When I saw a sign that said Dunes open, I immediately was intrigued. It's a little off the beaten path but so worth it. I drove past the gate and down a windy road that was narrowed by the sand blowing onto the blacktop road. The sand was untouched. Crisp ripples of waves made of sand for miles. Then a parking lot overlooking a turbulent ocean and pristine beaches. Not a soul on the beach. I took my shoes off and made fresh footprints in the sand all the way to the water's edge. It was glorious! Back in the parking lot I read several placards of information and history about the area scattered around the parking lot as several other cars came and parked. There are several picnic benches and what looked to be a few pot toilets available. A fairly decent parking lot and handicap parking spots available. Grab a picnic and enjoy the day.

I went to La Pasadita Oaxaquena to get nachos and wanted to eat it at the beach. This beach looked…read morelike the best one that was closest. As I approached the entrance, I saw a board of rules (very helpful before you enter the preserve). Also, there is a little booth where someone will greet you. I was greeted by Megan, the Ranger. She was very friendly and greeted me with a great big smile! That was a good sign prior to entering the place :) On my way to the beach, I saw a bunch of cows that stared me down as I slowly drove down the road. I know they were staring because they were curious versus wanting to trample me to death...I think. The whole preserve is kept soooo cleeeean! I'm glad that it hasn't been bombarded like the other beaches. Overall, mind-blowing experience. Can't wait to come back. Would I recommend? Absolutely! Will I be back? Yup!

Gorgeous, pristine, stunning. Arrive early if you'd like a parking spot near the beach, as the…read morelocal fisherpeople rise with the sun. Keep an eye out for the endangered snowy plovers; they are protected within a fenced area half of the year but they can escape and roam free. Super adorable and endangered, give them a wide berth. Great place for long walks by the beach.

Beautiful and unique large dunes beach and shore bird sanctuary. Lots of pelicans hanging out and…read moreflying closely overhead. Not crowded, we went on a Monday late morning. A few folks fishing from shore. It was a windy February day, not great weather but overall a nice trip to see the ocean and check out the scenery.

Very unique beach, insanely hilly and steep till you get near the water. Awesome view.read more

Minuteman Beach is a true gem. When the tide is out, it's spectacular. It's a real beautiful way to…read moreend the day at Vandenberg AFB

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.

While visiting SLO, I was looking for an ocean hike to complete and found this hike on All Trails…read moreso I went for it. I took the long way traversing through a million dollar neighborhood of gorgeous homes lining the street. Once I was in the dirt I could see the cove from above. The beach is beautiful and not crowded. Of course, clothing is optional but I didn't come for the beach. I came to see the cove. You have to hike down to the cove as it sits on the water, but no biggie. Hiking back up and out for some may be challenging for some so just go at your own pace. When I arrived there was a guy playing a guitar so that was nice, not too many peeps around which allowed me to take a couple of pics. The cove itself is picturesque but the graffiti sucks!! Why must people have to paint on rocks in nature?? I just don't get it!! Go paint on abandoned buildings etc. I stayed for a few minutes then I walked out on the rocks and took in the views of the mighty Pacific Ocean. So gorgeous! I could have sat there all day. You can also access this cove and beach by driving directly to it and then following the path down to it, but I preferred the mini hike instead. Remember to Leave No Trace always.

It is a good place to see SpaceX Falcon 9 lanuches during the morning or night! I only seen them…read morefrom my house in San Diego CA but when I move out in a few years I will go their to see it

Local Serendipitous Take: Surprise, there is yet another attraction that kind of complements the…read moretrip to Surf Beach, which is Ocean Beach Park. For some reason, the little road that goes there called my name & I turned onto it. Low & behold, at the end of that road is this rather interesting Park, which even has a path under the railroad tracks. While you can have a nice walk on the beach at Surf Beach, during Snowy Plower nesting time you do not have beach access at Ocean Beach during Spring & Summer months....but all the more reason to savor what we have & come again. I am not sure where all the angst is coming from...or the vague pseudo-historical references, which I did try to confirm on Lompoc's Historical website. All they had, was a reference to a failed attempt at a development at a so-called "Aloha Beach", which predated anyone alive, & was more of a get rich scam in the pre-great-depression era, which was more centered at Surf Beach which used to have a grocery & even a post-office at one time. In any case, you have a nice estuary, a decent little playground, restrooms, little boardwalk with a bird observation area & even several BBQ's matched to solid picnic tables. It is more for locals, than for tourists. In fact, if you go out under the train tracks, you will then emerge on the oceanside & have a nice view. While the path to the ocean will be blocked certain months, you can always hike the sand toward Surf Beach parallel to the tracks & then get to the ocean...or simply drive there. Of course, since almost everywhere you look is owned or supervised by the military...it is after all our military & let them keep everyone safe, including the birds. I think according to the Lompoc's historical records, the military gradually accumulated close to 100K acres of land in the area. Most of it is still pristine & off limits to most. Between Ocean Park & Surf Beach, we felt we had a nice visit on the drive here, which is also quite nice for seeing all the wonderful farms. On the way back, I did turn down one of the many farm roads nearby to see if there were any random Farm Stands. Funny enough, we were then flagged down by another visiting car going the other way, who wanted directions to "The Flower Fields". They were a nice couple visiting their family up here for Mother's Day, but all I saw was some Lavender. Later, I looked it up, & indeed, Lompoc recommends that you cruise most of these farm roads in one's search for flower beds...which is kind of amusing.

IMO the most under rated beach destination in California. There is something for all recreational…read morevisitors. From Monarch Butterfly migration to hiking, biking, swimming, surfing, camping, sand dune atv riding sight seeing, I could go on and on. Miles of beaches including the drive on beach. There are all of the usual things you would find in a beach/tourist area. Great family owned restaurants with 50 year histories, shops and lodging. This is a great starting point to explore Avilla Beach, Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo and local wineries. California sunsets and sunrises without all the smog blurring the skyline.

Pismo beach is nice, very convenient especially if you live in the Central Valley. Clean, waters…read moreare calm. The pier is walkable . Restrooms located right on the boardwalk. Parking lot nearby , pay to park! Everything is walking distance to restaurants,, bars and hotels.

On A mini vacation to Cambria with my family. This was a beautiful walk on the boardwalk. Great…read moreviews of the ocean and surroundings. Easy pathway for everyone, even good for strollers and wheelchairs. The beach has stone sand and it so colorful. Beautiful pieces to look at. I had lots of fun walking on the beach and looking at the stones. It's a lovely place to be. Part of why I love living in California. So many beautiful beaches and small towns.

My family loves this beach. The parking lot is small, but we usually are able to find a spot…read more There's a public restroom connected to the parking lot. I've never needed it, but I'm glad it is there. Beach access is down some stairs that can be hard if you have mobility or balance issues. They are sturdy, and if you are able to navigate them slowly, it is worth it. The beach itself has driftwood that has washed up, and other beach-goers have fashioned into makeshift structures that are fun to explore. The sand is soft, and has tons of rocks and pebbles to investigate. As the name suggests, there are moonstones to find, if you have a bit of luck. Several times when I've visited, I've found these transparent clear and purplish/blue velella velella all over the shore. Other wildlife seen at this beach include moon jellyfish, sea lions (off shore), pelicans, seagulls, cormorants, and cottontail bunnies along the cliffs. There is a creek outlet that washes into the sea that can be a bit stinky, and tends to make traversing the beach hard past that point. Also along the water's edge, there can be some unstable sand areas, so tread carefully. This beach tends to have a nice breeze, and is refreshing even on hot days. If you are in the area and you can find parking, check it out!

We had a great stay in the seagull cabin. Overall very clean and perfect for two!…read more Thankful for the store that seems to literally have everything

Annual visit. Great little hideaway. Beach vibe. We stay away from humans and simply park and spend…read moretime on the beach so it's PERFECTO!!

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

Found this little gem of a spot along our road trip up the West Coast ... the caves were…read moreincredible, that breeze and the view... so beautiful