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THINGS
TO DO IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA |
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Oceano Dunes
Central
Coast California
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Oceano California
is a small town that is included in the Five Cities region
of the Central Coast of California. Pismo Beach, Arroyo
Grande, Shell Beach, and Grover Beach make up the other
four towns. Oceano is a beautiful area to take a day trip,
go camping, fishing, shopping, or a vacation.
Many people make the trip to Oceano for one reason, the
dunes. This is the only place in California where it is
legal to drive your vehicle on the beach. At one time
you could drive for miles along the beach from Pismo Pier
to Oceano and even further. Today the drivable area is
much smaller. There are two entrance points to the beach
one at the end of Grand Avenue in Grover Beach and the
other on Pier Avenue in Oceano.
Driving on the beach is possible with just about any vehicle
especially at low tide. There is usually soft sand at
the bottom of the ramp so if your in a two wheel dive
vehicle you must put the pedal to the metal to get to
the hard sand along the waters edge.
Four wheel drive should not have any problem driving on
the soft sand. Be warned people do get stuck, and it will
cost you a couple of hundred dollars to get towed out
of the sand. If your not sure your vehicle can make it
don't try it. Rent an ATV or take a guided tour.
During the summer and holiday weekends thousands of people
converge on the Oceano dunes to drive dune buggy's up
and down the sand dunes. Groups of people circle there
vehicles like the wagon trains of the old west and set
up camps along the beach. Other times of the year the
beach can be a peaceful place to take a walk or try your
luck at surf fishing.
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Oceano Dunes |
The first known inhabitants
of Oceano were the Native Americans who were seen by explorers
in the early 1700’s. In 1726, the explorer Portolo
and his men killed “un oso flaco,” meaning
“skinny bear”, and is now the name of the
lake at the southern tip of the Oceano Dunes area. The
dunes are so vast that travelers and vagrants made their
homes there for decades before this became a controlled
area.
An interesting story is of the “Dunites,”
a group of mystics, nudists, artists, writers, and hermits
who made the dunes their home in the 30’s and 40’s.
They believed this area was the center of creative energy
in California. As different people “felt”
this creative energy and naturalists began to see the
many natural wonders of this land, it became a protected
area for many birds and species.
People are no longer allowed to live on the land permanently
but camping is allowed in specified areas. The beach is
one of the only places in the country where you can drive
your car out onto the beach, get your tires wet, go camping,
take your four wheel drive out on the dunes, or just have
a great day on the beach at Oceano.
Pismo dunes are a very popular destination for ATVs and
dune buggies. There are multiple places where you can
rent one of these vehicles. Another fun activity is to
take the biplane. Most days this little plane can be seen
giving people the rare opportunity to ride open air in
a plane and take a very unique tour of the Five Cities
area. The cost is not outrageous and the ride is unforgettable.
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Oceano
Dunes ATV |
Oceano Dunes Camping |
One more unforgettable
experience, and one for when you want to go indoors, is
the Great American Melodrama and Vaudeville. Sit and enjoy
some dinner while watching a great performance on the stage.
The shows are normally themed around the season of the year
and are always enjoyable for all ages.
The Pacific Dunes Riding Center offers horseback riding
with tours for those who want to see the dunes that way.
There are many trails to explore as well as some for privately
owned horses.
Enjoy the small town atmosphere of Oceano and the unbeatable
weather that the Central Coast ofers.
Oceano Dunes are about 12 miles south of San Luis Obispo,
three miles south of Pismo Beach. Oceano Dunes SVRA 928
Pacific Avenue Oceano CA 93445. Pismo
Beach Area Hotels
Oceano
Dunes SVRA Camping Reservations- Ocean Dune
State Vehicular Recreation Area has 1,500 acres, featuring
beach and sand dune riding. Thousands of off-highway vehicle
enthusiasts enjoy the beach dunes of this SVRA most weekends
during the summer.
Pismo
Beach State Beach Camping Reservations - Pismo
State Beach offers all kinds of attractions: hiking, swimming
and surf fishing and the annual winter migration of millions
of monarch butterflies. Tree-lined beach is also popular
with bird watchers |
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Hearst
Castle should
be the top of list for every central coast visitor. |
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Oceano
Dunes Drive and camp on the beach minutes
from Pismo. |
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Morro
Bay fishing trips,
kayaks and harbor tours. 25 miles toPismo. |
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