For our vacation, my husband and I traveled across country to Pismo Beach, California. I had only seen pictures and read about the various activities available there. It seemed like the perfect place for us. We realized that if we did not go now, we may never go.
We set about getting ready months ahead of time and finally left for our adventure on Thursday, April 11, 2024 and arrived at Pismo Beach on Monday, April 15, 2024. (This previous blog describes our trip out to California.)
I watched a child
roll over and over
again and again
in the sand
tumbling
falling
diving
screaming for joy
lighthearted
exhilarated
filled with excitement
What is it about the beach that makes one feel carefree and relaxed? Is it being away from your job, your house chores, your responsibilities, or being too far away from your normal life that it doesn’t even seem to exist? It is just you, the sand, the water, and the sky—and time—not only to commune with nature but also time for pondering life.
Caves, Cliffs, Sand, and Butterflies
Dinosaur Caves Park
When we arrived at Pismo Beach our hotel room was not ready. So, we decided to drive around and explore the area. After driving for a while we pulled into a parking lot to turn around and head back to downtown Pismo Beach. We looked around the parking lot and discovered we had reached Dinosaur Caves Park. We had planned on visiting the park sometime, but, since we had stumbled upon it, we decided to stop.
This ocean-bluff park became our favorite place. There is a lovely trail with sitting areas along the cliffs. The park has picnic tables, benches for relaxing, and an area for children. The water fountains even have a lower fountain for dogs! We saw lots of squirrels, rabbits, and birds. The views are stunning with the cliffs and outcropping of large rocks where birds rest. It is mesmerizing to sit and watch the ocean waves and listen to their sound. To the south we could see the Santa Barbara County shoreline. To the north we could see Port San Luis Harbor and Avila Beach.
Margo Dodd Park is adjacent to Dinosaur Caves Park and has a covered gazebo—another perfect place to watch marine and bird life—and take a respite from the sun. We enjoyed watching the birds on an island and large sea stacks just offshore.
There are several rock arches and caves, but we did not explore them. You would need to go down to the beach via steep stairs during low tide. We didn’t manage to find time for this.
Dinosaur Caves Park is peaceful and serene. There were not many people there on any of the days we visited—which was every day! Several days we took cinnamon buns from Old West Cinnamon Rolls and sat at a picnic table and ate breakfast looking out over the Pacific Ocean. The cinnamon rolls are a California original—created by Betty Clemons who made the recipe over forty years ago at her home in Shell Beach, California.
On one of those mornings, Sunday, April 21, 2024, I wrote in my journal:
The Dinosaur Caves Park is our church today—and, also our perfect breakfast spot!
On our first day at Dinosaur Caves Park, we met a guy whose family had been farmers in Santa Barbara County for generations. He enjoyed talking and told us much about Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties. Interestingly, his sister had gone to college at Auburn, Alabama. He visited her and traveled around the area to Panama City Beach, a casino in Mississippi, and to New Orleans.
I should make mention of other birds we enjoyed watching at the beach and at Dinosaur Caves Park: California Brown Pelicans, Seagulls, Herons, Canada Geese, Egrets, Sand Pipers, and Sanderlings.
One day we saw these kayakers.
The Beach
The sandy beach was perfect. It was never crowded. We walked on the beach every day and I couldn’t help but pick up rocks of various sizes and colors that had washed up on the shore. We saw sea gulls searching for food and eating the small clams. And, we saw surfers paddle out into the deeper water and work to catch a wave. Many would be there all day. After a good long walk past the pier to the north of our hotel, the beach ended at an outcropping of rocks and a cliff. There was a set of steep stairs going up to the top, but we did not try them.
Monarch Butterfly Grove
From our hotel, on the beach going south, you could walk to the Monarch Butterfly Grove. One morning we did that but missed the fact you needed to go inland a bit and walk over a bridge. We ended up at a stream. We turned around, walked back to our hotel, and then drove there. The grove of eucalyptus trees was a welcome relief from the sun. The trails wound around and were cool and secluded. The towering eucalyptus trees have bark that peels off in long strips which I later learned is because the trees are fast-growing and as their outer bark becomes stretched, it is shed to expose a fresh layer of living bark underneath.
I enjoyed standing still and listening to the sounds of the birds. The monarch season is from November to March. We saw three or four monarch butterflies flitting around—still there in April!
For this is the real nature of California and the secret of its fascination; this untamed, undomesticated, aloof, prehistoric landscape which relentlessly reminds the traveler of his human condition and the circumstances of his tenure upon the earth.
— Christopher Isherwood (1904-1986) Anglo-American novelist, playwright, screenwriter, autobiographer, and diarist
Pismo Pier, Promenade, and Boardwalk
Pismo Pier
Every afternoon we walked out on the Pismo Pier (over 1,200 feet long). There was a nice breeze and places to sit all along. We saw sea gulls stop and land on the railings—perhaps looking for food. As we progressed down the pier, we were able to look out over the surfers trying again and again to catch a wave. It took a lot of patience for them to paddle out, coordinate timing and momentum with the waves and then time their takeoff just right. It was fascinating to watch them from above and see how quickly their hips needed to move and change direction in order to stay surfing on the wave. When we walked out to the end of the pier it felt like we were in the middle of the ocean. Such amazing views and scenery!
Pismo Promenade
Our hotel is near the promenade. We could just go out the door of our hotel onto the boardwalk and walk about 700 feet north on the boardwalk to the promenade.
The promenade is right next to the pier. It has a children’s play area (designed by Danish playground designers Monstrum), sand showers, drinking fountains, benches, and rest rooms. We enjoyed the places to sit—especially the ones with shade coverings. Several restaurants border the promenade and there are a number of restaurants within walking distance.
Several afternoons we saw street musicians on the promenade. One day there was a guy playing a banjo, pan flute, and tambourine (on his foot). He effortlessly played them all at the same time!
And, of course, we had to take pictures of the seven-foot-tall Pismo Beach sign in the middle of the area!
Ticks, Rattlesnakes, and Mountain Lions, Oh My! (and snails)
Pismo Preserve
Pismo Preserve has 880 acres of beautiful and diverse landscapes with eleven miles of hiking trials. It is located on a mountain range across Highway 101 from the Dinosaur Caves Park. The eight walking trails—of various lengths and difficulty—are used by both hikers and bikers.
I wasn’t sure we would go there, as we are not much for hiking. The easier trail looked fun, so we decided to go and take a look. After we parked, we immediately saw this sign warning of ticks, rattlesnakes, and a mountain lion that had been seen that very day—April 18!
We decided to walk up the mountain and take a picture of the ocean from that vantage point. It was rather steep and I was determined to stay in the very middle of the not very wide trail to keep away from ticks. A bicycler was coming down and he said to watch out for rattlesnakes. That was enough . . . we hurriedly made it to the top and took a few pictures, although it was foggy that day and the scene was not as spectacular as it would have been on a sunny day.
On the way back to our car, we saw lots of snails all along the edge of the parking lot!
Cambria, Morro Bay, and San Luis Obispo Port
Pismo Beach is halfway between Monterey and Los Angeles. It makes a great place to stay and take day trips. One morning we drove up to Cambria. It was very cold and windy so we did not stay on the beach long, but we did see lots of birds and got this great video of pelicans.
When we left Cambria, we drove down to Morro Bay and had lunch. I had researched places to eat and we decided to eat at Thai Elephant. It is a small, low-key restaurant located downtown nestled between chic boutiques and bohemian shops. The food was delicious!
After lunch we drove to Morro Bay Rock and walked around. We saw lots of otters and squirrels. I believe sometimes you can see whales, but we did not see any.
One day we drove a little north of Dinosaur Caves Park and ended up at Avila Beach and San Luis Obispo Port. It was a lovely drive, however, all the parking was taken near the water and we did not get out.
Restaurants at Pismo Beach
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention some of the great restaurants. Our favorite was probably Ventana Grill. It is located on a cliff overlooking the ocean and provides a wonderful view while enjoying a delicious meal. I particularly enjoyed the penne pasta with seafood (scallops, clams, shrimp, and several kinds of fish).
There are many restaurants within walking distance of our hotel. We enjoyed Cool Cat Café located about a block from Pismo Pier. They have great salads, ice cream, and milk shakes. Across the street is Brad’s Restaurant. We ate at Brad’s several times where I enjoyed the clam chowder and fried shrimp.
Several blocks away is Giuseppe’s Cucina Italiana which offers wonderful locally sourced food. They were an early advocate of the farm-to-fork philosophy. Giuseppe’s gets its vegetables and fruits from the owner’s working farm in nearby Edna Valley. Everything from figs and olives to [San Marzano] tomatoes and Meyer lemons are produced at the farm. The atmosphere is bright and relaxing. We enjoyed the Caesar salads with anchovies. At one meal I had the pasta dinner with prawns and other seafood. On our second visit we ordered pizza. Everything was delicious!
Wild West Cinnamon Buns has scrumptious, large cinnamon buns. We would get them and drive up to Dinosaur Caves Park and sit at a picnic table overlooking the Pacific Ocean and have breakfast. The buns come with a large container of icing to pour over them!
One morning, we drove down Hwy. 101 a short distance to California Market, a locally sourced grocery store. We bought strawberries from nearby Santa Maria and Ojai Pixie Tangerines. The Ojai Pixie Tangerines are grown only on small family farms and are sweet, seedless, and easy to peel. We particularly enjoyed a trip to Ojai twenty years ago—this made finding these tangerines even more special.
Well, my thoughts about California are kind of mythological. To me, as well as being a real place, it’s a place where people go to find something – to find happiness or to realize their dreams. So it has that kind of quality of heroism and heartache, and Australia has that, as well.
— Colin Hay (b. 1953) Scottish-Australian musician, singer, songwriter, and actor
Our Last Day at Pismo Beach
Journal entry from Monday, April 22, 2024:
Today was our last day at Pismo Beach. We ate breakfast at the Breezeway Café—waffles and a side of bacon. Then we walked down to the pier and walked on the beach to the outcropping of rocks. It was a lovely day, even if foggy or overcast. I found some rocks and a few shells to pick up as souvenirs. We walked back and sat on a bench at the pier for a bit. Then we drove to the Shell station and put gas in the car—and also got water and drinks for the trip home tomorrow. We ate lunch at Ventana Grill. I had the same thing I had the first time there—seafood penne pasta. Then we went to the Dinosaur Caves Park, walked around, and sat for a while.
Many locals walk their dogs at the park. We met a man from Grover Beach whose dogs are Ziggy and Marley and talked with him a bit. We met another man from Santa Maria with two small dogs. He asked if we had seen any whales. They migrate through here, but they are usually far out on the ocean. He said they mostly can be seen at Morro Bay.I said goodbye in my heart to Dinosaur Caves Park. It is a wonderful, peaceful place. Gary would like to come out and stay a month and rent a house. Not sure I could get that much time off from work. Maybe when we retire!
We came back to our room, took a nap, then walked to Brad’s Restaurant and had dinner. After dinner we walked out on the pier. It was rather cold and windy. We savored every moment and every view.
We went back to our hotel and got our luggage ready for our trip home and watched our last sunset from our balcony.
Final Thoughts
Time slowed down
No alarm clock, no schedule, no place to be
No deadlines, no chores
Days flowed seamlessly and effortlessly
The days took a form all their own
Of walking and watching the world and people
And listening to our hearts and souls
Time to reflect
To examine
To ponder
. . .
This morning I saw a coyote walking through the sagebrush right at the very edge of the ocean ― next stop China. The coyote was acting like he was in New Mexico or Wyoming, except that there were whales passing below. That’s what this country does for you. Come down to Big Sur and let your soul have some room to get outside its marrow.
― Richard Brautigan (1935-1984) American novelist, poet, and short story writer
from A Confederate General from Big Sur
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