How have I never been here!!?!? This place is spectacular! 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. read more

See all

I went to La Pasadita Oaxaquena to get nachos and wanted to eat it at the beach. This beach looked like 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! read more

Rancho Guadalupe Dunes - Beaches Near Me - Guadalupe, California

See all

The Rancho Guadalupe Dunes County Park is one of the beaches closest to Santa Maria and is likely popular on those warm summer days when a clear beach is a welcome sight. I visited the beach on a cold and cloudy winter day, but was still impressed by the desolate beauty of the park. Access is through a long and winding road from Guadalupe that is often covered in sand. Parking was easy on a slow day, but it looks like the place can easily fill up on busy weekends. The main parking area is central to the wide beach and dunes. There is no shade anywhere except for a few structures near the parking lot. Finding the actual parking spaces can be a challenge due to the blowing sand dunes. The water is cold and rough, and there is no lifeguard. I did see a sand wheelchair available for disabled visitors which was nice. I enjoyed my brief walk along the Pacific Ocean at the Rancho Guadalupe Dunes County Park. There is not much else, although the wildlife displays and preserves are pretty cool. Pismo and Santa Barbara have much more stuff and pretty people, but there is a nice quiet solace about this place. read more

Rancho Guadalupe Dunes - Fence Near Parking Lot - Beaches Near Me - Guadalupe, California

Some updates on the recovery process from the "ancient" old movie set from "THE TEN COMMANDMENTS" that have been buried over 90 years ago. Who would have thought we would have a dig for pseudo-ancient Egypt artifacts in this area? Some articles: DIGGING HISTORY December 3rd, 2017 http://www.foxnews.com/science/2017/12/03/sphinx-from-set-1923-film-ten-commandments-unearthed-in-california.html "Sphinx from set of 1923 film 'The Ten Commandments' unearthed in California... It's not quite ancient history, but it's still a blast from the past. A plaster sphinx has been dug up by archaeologists in the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes in California, KETY reports. It was part of an Egyptian movie set built for Hollywood director Cecil B. DeMille's 1923 film, "The Ten Commandments." "The piece is unlike anything found on previous digs," Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Center executive director Doug Jenzen told the station. "The majority of it is preserved by sand with the original paint still intact. This is significant, and shows that we're still learning unexpected facets to film historical movie production, such as the fact that objects in black and white films were actually painted extremely intense colors." The 300-pound sphinx is the second recovered from the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes, the station reports. The movie set included more than 20 sphinxes. After filming, DeMille ordered everything buried in the dunes..." ~~~~~~~~ Much more history & "ancient" details.... https://www.outsideonline.com/2023921/cursed-buried-city-may-never-see-light-day "The Cursed, Buried City That May Never See The Light of Day David Ferry Oct 8, 2015 It was the biggest set ever built for a Hollywood film in the 1920s, and then it was buried in the sands of the California Coast. The real story begins when a young filmmaker embarks on a decades-long attempt to excavate it. "Thirty-three years ago, Peter Brosnan heard a story that seemed too crazy to be true: buried somewhere along California's rugged Central Coast, beneath acres of sand dunes, lay the remains of a lost city. According to his friend at New York University's film school, the remains of a massive Egyptian temple, a dozen plaster sphinxes, eight mammoth lions, and four 40-ton statues of Ramses II were all supposedly entombed in the sands 150 some-odd miles north of Los Angeles. "It was an absolutely cockamamie story," Brosnan says. "I thought he was nuts." The ruins weren't authentic Egyptian ones, of course. They were the 60-year-old remains of a massive Hollywood set--the biggest, most expensive one ever built at the time. The faux Egyptian scenery had played the role of the City of the Pharaoh in one of Hollywood's first true epics, Cecil B DeMille's 1923 film The Ten Commandments. The set had required more than 1,500 carpenters to build and used over 25,000 pounds of nails. The production nearly ruined DeMille and his studio."...." ~~~~~~~~~~~~ https://www.kcet.org/shows/artbound/excavating-the-ten-commandments-in-the-guadalupe-nipomo-dunes "Excavating the 'Ten Commandments' in the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Sarah Linn June 9, 2013 "If 1,000 years from now, archaeologists happen to dig beneath the sands of Guadalupe, I hope they will not rush into print with the amazing news that Egyptian civilization, far from being confined to the valley of the Nile, extended all the way to the Pacific coast of North America." -- "The Autobiography of Cecil B. DeMille," 1959 For 90 years, the shifting sands of the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes have concealed a secret: the remains of a massive movie set and tent city constructed for one of Hollywood's most influential filmmakers. Part of an 18-mile stretch of California's Central Coast, the site just south of the border between San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties served as a key location in Cecil B. DeMille's 1923 film "The Ten Commandments." But as memories of the production faded, DeMille's plaster-and-concrete metropolis vanished. "DeMille buried a virtual cinema museum in the Guadalupe Dunes, and we've just begun mining that treasure," said Los Angeles filmmaker Peter Brosnan, whose upcoming documentary, tentatively titled "The Lost City of Cecil B. DeMille," details his decades-long quest to locate and excavate the remains of the "Ten Commandments" set. Now some of those long-lost treasures will be displayed for the first time at the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Center in Guadalupe...." ~~~~~~~~ BUY THE 1923 MOVIE! You can also buy the original silent movie at Amazon & watch via Amazon Prime for $12.99...it is quite long... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DQJGZZQ or 2017's Brosnan's Movie on the recovery effort "The Lost City..." WHICH I NOW WATCHED TWICE & IS EXCELLENT!!! https://www.amazon.com/Lost-City-Cecil-B-Demille/dp/B0762BYSGM read more

Came here Morning of 08/17/17 Great little drive down to the beach. Off the beaten path and no real tourists in sight. Imagine that lol Great fishing spot- observed several people there fishing Grounds were clean and maintained by park ranger. Very impressed with the cleanliness of the place. Took several photos. Not the most ideal place for a beach walk given the incline between the wave breakpoint and shoreline. I would recommend this place if you need some alone time. Great place to go dig your feet in the sand and contemplate. No BBQ grills. There are picnic tables and trash/recycle receptacles. Restrooms were super clean! Parking area is large enough to accommodate visitors. read more

See all

This is a beautiful place. I've visited 3 times in as many weeks I love it so much. Deserted place with only a few persons fishing. The power of nature is overwhelming in a positive way. The ocean, beach & huge dunes are so beautiful & awe inspiring you have to see it yourself. This is a wildlife & nature preserve so certain restrictions apply. After Pismo, Avila & Shell beaches Guadalupe Dunes Preserve is a breath of fresh air. There are few visitors which is part of the charm. Helpful rangers particularly a ranger named Melissa who was very informative about the flora & fauna. She took the time to find a beautiful aromatic native plant, the dune mint for us to see, very helpful. If you enjoyed the dunes here, you'll also like nearby Oso Flaco lake & beach. One tip both places are quite often overcast & windy. read more

See all

I went here to stop by and see the dunes but it was closed off for the birds to migrate. But you can still go on the beach. This place is nice to visit and it's free. I would definitely come back here. read more

I couldn't believe that these dunes existed so close to Los Angeles. I've lived in LA for my entire life and haven't ever heard of this place. The wind blew so hard that the beaches looked blurry, the tourists snapped pictures and struggled to keep balance and the sound of sand hitting the car resembled the sound of rain. The most amazing part was that a small river flows through the dunes, creating a small valley of lush foliage. These dunes are where they filmed The 10 Comandments movie, as well as Pirates...there are supposedly a bunch of styrofoam pieces of the set from The 10 Comandments half buried in the sand but I didn't venture out far enough into the wind to check it out. Next time. I'll definitely be back. read more

I came here on a week day and was surprised to have the beach to myself. It is so very beautiful. This is worth a visit and I highly recommend it if you are anywhere in the area. read more

Rancho Guadalupe Dunes - I can't believe I had the beach to myself - Beaches Near Me - Guadalupe, California

Guadalupe Dunes County Park is a remote, underappreciated place. From the parking lot, it's mysterious barrens capture the southern vista leading up to Point Sal, bordering the ultra secretive Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB). If you are in the area, it is worth a stop, if only to experience a place truly unique to California. J. Smeaton Chase once trapsed through this area in his 1913 book, "California Coast Trails: a Horseback Ride from Mexico to Oregon," and he gave poetic descriptions of the area. If the fog is hiding the view, as it frequently does, you may still fancy a walk down the remote stretch of beach. The remoteness of the area will not be lost on you. It is a true nature preserve, and literally only walking is allowed: no camping, 4-wheeling, or absurd RV driving around here. Nope. Just you, and all the melancholy solace you can take. It is usually best to come here in the fall months, as there will be less chance of fog. If the sun is out you are in luck. On a clear day you can see the dunes to the south and walk right to them. Be prepared because it is a long walk, and the park closes promptly at sunset (usually). The large dunes are about 3 miles south of the parking lot. If you make it as far as you can go on the flat sand you will encounter some interesting rock formations, and odd plants eeking life out in the sand. You are allowed to walk up the dunes. If you go too far south you will encounter some cliff areas that can be dangerous, and beyond that is VAFB. (Don't cross the VAFB's boundary.) My favorite thing about this place was the feeling of truly being in an unspoiled beach. The smells, shell covered sand, and huge flocks of birds all make this place unique. Don't come here expecting Yosemite, but keep and open mind and you'll be surprised at what you find. PLEASE NOTE: DO NOT ENTER THE WATER. This particular stretch of beach is dangerous, and people have drowned here. The strong waves break close to the shore (shorebreak), and due to the nature of steeply sloping sand where the water meets the beach, if you get knocked down by a wave, chances are you will quickly lose your footing and be swept out in 50 degree, vicious ocean current. There are no lifeguards here. read more

This is one of my favorite beaches because a) it's only 10-15 minutes away b) it's rarely crowded c) you can fish right off the shoreline and d) we see dolphins swimming in the waves from time to time. This is not a tourist attraction. There are public bathrooms and a parking lot and that's it. read more

Rancho Guadalupe Dunes - Locals come to fish here often. - Beaches Near Me - Guadalupe, California

Stretches of beautiful beach for miles. The drive to this beach is also beautiful, you may think you are driving to no where, but then you get a glimpse of ocean, deserted beach and an amazing view of Point Sal. Very pristine stretch of our California coastline. read more

Rancho Guadalupe Dunes - No crowds - Beaches Near Me - Guadalupe, California

We had a really bad experience at this place. My daughter went in and the current is too strong. We were not advise of that. The waves almost drown her!! It is a beautiful place to observe but not to swim. read more

To get here from Santa Maria you drive through farm fields and people working their ass off in fields. I like those sorts of drives; make you appreciate what you have. A really beautiful view here. Worth the few minutes it took to get from Santa Maria to to the beach. I would love to visit it during the summer, but boy oh boy did I luck out for a December day! On my way out I saw a buck and doe crossing the river that leads out to the ocean. I posed the pictures of them too. If you have an hour to spare, make it out this way and enjoy some solice and serenity. read more

See all

Beautiful beach. The dunes are stunning. Not too many people here, mainly surfers and fishermen on the day we went. A good place to go if you want to avoid crowds. read more

Nice and clean for taking walks. Kids disappointed with not being allowed to pick up rocks and seashells. Park rules which makes sense.

FYI...due to the extreme rains in December 2010 the Rancho Guadalupe Dunes are now closed indefinitely. The river is 15 ft. from the entrance road and it may be washed away soon. I hope that the County of Santa Barbara can cut through the red tape and get this park back open. It is an absolute treasure, not only to a local like me, but to travelers from all over the world. These are the "tallest" sand dunes, at 500 feet, in the lower 48's and many movies have been filmed here. ***The Cecil B. DeMille "Ten Commandments" site is closed to the public. Do not attempt to hike up there or you will be hit with a hefty fine.*** read more

One of the most breathtaking beaches in Southern California. Clean water, blue skies and natural sand dunes give you the solitude from daily hustle and bustle. Take a long walk on the beach and you may not encounter anybody else. The only reason I didn't give this beautiful beach five stars is because the water is too cold for my taste to swim in. read more

If you tire of the Pismo, Shell and even Avila crowds, if you want to entirely avoid the ATVs and dune buggies that infest Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area, but still want to experience surreal dunes landscapes, wildlife and the rawness of rip-currents and sheer power of the Pacific, head over to Rancho Guadalupe County park. From Guadalupe take West Main street all the way to the park entrance (about 5 miles). Important: from March to September the dunes are nesting ground for protected birds, so humans are off limits. You can still enjoy the beach and take in the beauty. read more

Had a very special walk on the beach here with my wife on a weekend morning. If you go far enough south you find some enormous dunes (about a mile from the lot). We walked up into them and them to ourselves. Felt like we were on another planet. Easy drive from Santa Maria. The parking lot was mainly locals shore casting. read more

This beach offers breathtaking views and a sense of serenity, as long as you stay on the sand! The waves are so very powerful and I understand have taken many lives. So enjoy the views and be safe. read more

This is a nice beach, it was not as crowded as other nearby beaches on the 4th of July. But too bad I couldn't bring my dog here or go into the water due to the high tides. It was still very relaxing here. read more

The parking lot and beach were definitely not deserted on Labor Day weekend, but luckily we found a spot (in fact the park ranger pointed out where an empty space was - such a nice gesture). The rangers were discussing a dog someone had smuggled onto the beach and how to find the owner. No dogs allowed, what a relief (I don't mean to offend dog lovers, just comment from the point of view of a preschooler's mom who sometimes has to fend them off). No cars allowed on the beach! Relief! Grover Beach is our closest access point to a beach and we have never taken my child to play there because playing in the sand and vehicles on the sand do not mix. No cost to go to this beach! Relief! People's houses, shops, and metered parking are far, far away from this beach. Finally, a place to take the petite one to play in the sand in peace! This is how the beach should be (but is not throughout much of the county we live in). This county park - bliss. read more