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Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area
Rating Details »
Hwy 1
W Grand Ave
Oceano, CA 93445
(805) 473-7230
W Grand Ave
Oceano, CA 93445
(805) 473-7230
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
33 reviews for Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area
THE BEST FREAKING PLACE FOR ATV'ing!!! (Google map this place and you'll see how big this place is!)
Pros:
-The only place where you can still ride your car on the beach.
-Multiple ATV rental spots.
-The dunes are crazy and huge!
-Beach water is super cold!
-DID I MENTION THIS PLACE KICKS ASS FOR AVT'S/DIRT BIKES/TRUCKS?!
-Multiple riding areas/ or skills. If you suck, stay somewhere flat or semi flat and if you are adventurous, try the dunes that you are looking straight at to go up on.
Cons:
-Rental places stay open only until 5pm.
-Go during off seasons and Sundays for less people so you can ride reckless!
-Parking is a mess/limited.
-If you have your own helmet of any sort, bring it! Otherwise take a bandanna of some sort to line in inner helmet that they give you.
It's so much fun. I'll have to get a stronger and faster AVT for next time. I tried to go up several steep hills (almost straight up angels) but the dang ATV didn't make it. Faster and stronger is better! DON'T WORRY, if you go too fast and fall, it's only sand... but the ATV is another story... just remember to fall away from the avt if you should fall. =)
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OMG!! Just got back to our vacation rental from a 3 hour ATV ride on the sand dunes. This is by far one of the best times I have had! I have a strong passion for snowboarding in the winter and I just found my spring/summer passion...ATV'ing! This is my first time trying this and I am already thinking of buying my own gear + ATV!
This place is huge! Miles and miles of sand dunes (1400 Acres)...pretty much ride wherever you want.
With your own ATV or whatever motor vehicle you wish to drive on the beach it is only $5 per vehicle for entrance. Or rent an ATV for about $50 an hour w/ gas.
You can actually camp there too as well, but didn't experience it and don't know if I want to as I saw multiple white-trash peeps with confederate flags.
All-in-all...5 stars from me for great fun at this bmso called "beach" for a low budget too on a Memorial Day weekend.
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5 stars easily for an amazing ATV riding experience! I went here on a Sunday morning/afternoon, where everyone and their mom and in-laws happened to be despite the overcast weather. Seriously, the beach was lined with trucks, SUVs, and trailers towing their dune buggies/ATVs/dirt bikes.
Shortly after my group settled into out respective ATVs, we were on our way towards the stretch of sandy road leading to the dunes. I must say the free roaming area of the dunes was ginormous! The nerd in me says the amount of roaming space is like you're experiencing the free roam nature of Fallout 3. End nerd rant. But really there's so much ground to cover it'll be easy to get lost because the dunes almost look the same at every peak. Do keep an eye out for the highway markers to get a better idea of where you are, or even look out for foliage as a landmark.
As a warning, be careful out there. It helps to have someone who has ATV riding experience, or even someone who knows their way around the dunes to lead the group. Getting to trigger happy with the throttle could lead to serious injury or even death once you're at the top and you realize there's a sudden steep drop once you reach the peaks. As that concludes my morbid rant, there are plenty of dunes to cruise down and other places to hit the throttle at full speed while climbing up other dunes. I'll admit, as a noob I was a little petrified of the steep drop, but if you control your ATV well enough and lean back while going down, its like going down on a rollercoaster, which is a thrill you'd want to enjoy over and over again beside going full speed on even ground. With the vast amount of free roaming space, it can be easy to lose your group if you fall behind, but it also gives you incentive to go on your own adventures.
Be mindful that it can be a pain to enter or leave the beach because of the amount of traffic entering and leaving. In addition, there are a bunch of trailers and other vehicles pulling over to the side to get air in the wheels. Other than that, its worth coming out here for the all-terrain vehicle experience. $5 gets you in for the day. Go dammit!
Right on - this is as good as it gets. Where elese in the world can you drive you car on the beach - I saw plenty of 2 wheel drive cars. But I have to admit I stared in awe at all the people in the ig 4x4 having fun ... some of those rigs are HUGE.
Thank you California for keeping this park open for me to enjoy!
The last beach open to motorized vehicles in the whole CA!! It's a drive if you come from far, but is defiantely worth it. Relaxing, enjoyable, and thrilling!!! We go every year and have a great time! The whole reason why I lifted my truck and eventually bought a toyhauler was because of this place. You will need a 4x4 if you wish to go away from the coast or if you have a 2x4 have someone with you that knows what they're doing. Follow the rules and drive/ride carefully and you will not have to worry about the Rangers (police out there). Have fun!!!
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It's like a sandbox for grownups, but instead of using our hands to make sandcastles, we use our motor vehicles to carve out our masterpieces. I love renting ATV's and just riding for hours. By the end my arms are dead sore from all the bumps you encounter, but it's well worth the money and time.
Make sure bring something to cover your face with like a bandana or something. It can get pretty windy while riding in the dunes.
There are always plenty of dirt bikers and dune buggies as well, but it's so HUGE here, that it's not like traffic on THE 405 or anything.
It's just beautiful here. I can do this all day, then camp out on the beach, and do it all day again the next day. I want to go back.
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Love this place..
But a few things you might want to do.
1. Don't camp in a tent when it's the windy season. (tent will fly away, not a pretty site.)
2. Don't go deep into the dunes without another vehicle. (getting stuck alone is no fun.)
If you follow these 2 suggestions there is no way you cannot have fun here.
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Tired of the bumper to bumper crawl of traffic on the 405 Freeway in L.A?
Sick of being stuck dead in your SUV on the 90 East on a hot afternoon?
Ironically staring at the Oil Platforms as you edge South on 101 through Santa Barbara?
Dreaming of going to the beach instead, but don't want to leave your big 4X4 SUV behind?
Well the state of California has a solution for you!
The Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area!
Pay $5 and Drive your SUV or four by four out onto the beach! Drive for miles and miles right next to the waves, in bumper to bumper traffic! Camp out in your RV overnight! Set your bonfire up, cooks some dogs and marshmallows, and take your ATV on to the sand dunes!
Pismo Beach gets all the credit, but it is really Oceano, or even Grover Beach, not Pismo as the host city for this freeway on the beach!
You thought Californians care about the environment? Thought Santa Barbarans were sensitive to oil on their beach up the coast, after the hundreds of thousands of gallons were spilled in 1967?
Nope! Not here! Bring your dune buggy, ATV, RV, SUV, Jeep, 4X4, tent, hot dogs, oil and gas can, Raiders Gear, and park on the beach!
So if you ever get tired of being bumper to bumper on the Freeway, just come here and do the same, except with a little ocean breeze!
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All of us have a part in hurting the environment. We can't escape it.
Once a year or so, I suck it up and swallow my green pride.
I pile the dirt bikes into the back of my buddies truck and become one with the dunes. I've seen Mad Max. I've seen Water World. This is just like it!!!
Everyone is raging non stop. Quads, dirt bikes, dune buggies, 4x4 trucks, EVEN my A4 Quattro made it about 500ft INSIDE the dunes to our camping site. (I'm proud of my lil red rocket!)
If you got a tent, you're good to go. If you've got a trailer, you're even more good to go! Ladies, you can have fun too. The beach is right there. You can relax, tan or roam the camp sites and make new friends if you don't feel like riding. Everyone is partying 'round the campfire red cups in hand!!
I would like to stress that I ONLY do this a few times a year. I get in, roost on some boys OR girls stuck in the dunes, do some dough nuts on the quads, get belig, wake up and go home. I try not to hurt the environment more than 24 hours at a time. *wink* I really don't like having black buggers from all the polluted air out there. hehe.
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We were there midweek, Tuesday through Thursday eve. It was such a great experience for it being our first time there, we enjoyed having the beach on one side and the dunes on the other. We camped closer to the dunes, but it was awesome having the beach as our backdrop. I love the sound of the ocean first thing in the morning. I have to warn any first timers like me, it does get cold at night. I'm not kidding, it gets COLD! I went planning for a warm summer night, and it was cold as heck, good thing we had plenty firewood, so we made the best of it. I would definitely go back, it was great fun. A few notes, the main street is right around the corner, so everything is there. There is a Von's close by for anything you might forget at home. There are a zillion different restaurants. There is basically everything you might need. Pismo is also really close by, that is a great place for clam chowder, but that's a different review. For Oceano Dunes, two thumbs up. Make sure you are reserving for the Oceano Dunes SVR campground, the other campgrounds aren't on the beach.
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This was my first time ATV-ing, and this place is crazy! Even for memorial day weekend it wasn't too crowded.
You have to beware of sudden 50 foot drops, and getting stuck in the sand going uphill. Luckily people are more than willing to help those in need getting their ATVs out of the sand, like myself. haha.
The downside is that it was primarily white-trashy people when I went, there were dozens of confederate flags and it made me a little uncomfortable.
Either way, it's a great place to spend a day. We rented our ATVs from Arnie's and they had great rates: $50 a person for 2 whole hours... including gas too!
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AMAZING for $5. as cheap as you can get for an all day thing.
You have miles of beach to drive on and dunes if you want to drive with the ATVS. Just make sure you can see how deep the plunge is unless you want to risk having your truck plunge nose first into the sand. That would actually be a funny thing to see.
You'll mostly see trucks and SUVs but there is occasionally a small sedan that you'll see people trying to get unstuck.
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Sand is messy!
Godzira (my hubby's too big truck) got stuck twice, pulling other people's trucks out. And the record-setting winds (with a sandstorm to rival the one in The Mummy) was enough to keep my mind preoccupied on inside fun (shopping, wine tasting, spa...).
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Contrary to popular belief (given that I was from the country in which it originated), I never watched Mad Max 2 (which, apparently, in the northern hemisphere goes under a different name - Road Warriors).
In fact, when Mad Max 2 was released, I was barely walking.
So:
1) No one can blame me when I gave them the blank stare when they likened Oceano Dunes experience to Road Warriors.
2) Nothing prepared me for the sights that I saw within 5 minutes upon entering the beach: 4X4 trucks driving five feet away from the crashing waves along with dune buggies, ATVs and dirt bikes, AND a little Mitsubishi Lancer (NOT the Evo variety) hopelessly stuck in the sand waiting to be saved like a damsel in distress.
After driving for what seemed like eternity, we arrived at the campsite like nothing I've ever seen in my sheltered life before: numerous RVs circling a makeshift ATV track (made possible by the Kubota whose owners apparently got more use of at the beach than on the farm), scattered tents, people lounging around in plastic chairs, drinks in hand or on plastic tables, a gas bbq and most importantly 8 or so ATVs ready to go.
While I can never get used to the public toilet in a state park, I tolerated this one because it is a small price to pay for a day of going about 30 miles an hour on an ATV across miles and miles of sand dunes (only to have the pros zooming past you at 60 - but I don't care, I already was feeling like a bada$$) and a night of fireworks of Disney caliber.
And a weekend of not responding to work emails ("I'm sorry, I don't think I had blackberry reception the entire time I was there!").
We just bought a Weekend Warrior so of course we had to take it out to Oceano Dunes. My b/f goes often with his friends but I never went because I refuse to sleep in a tent again or sleep in someone elses trailer. The first time we went, I was trying to be "one of the guys" and we slept in a tent but after freezing my ass off and picking sand out of places that sand should never be in, I was like fuck it. I'm NOT one of the guys. I want a real bed and some heat damn it!! But now that we have our own RV, I don't mind going.
Don't count on getting any sleep while you're there. People ride their bikes at ALL hours of the day and night. Some asshole next to us had a pimped out Rhino that had huge speakers all over it and thought it was cool to blast "Lowrider" at 4am. I didn't appreciate it.
The dunes are huge and look never ending. You can ride for hours. As far as I know, this is the only beach in CA where you can drive your vehicle out on to the beach. On a holiday weekend, the beach looks like a freeway....an endless stream of trucks. Just watch out for the assholes trying to show off. And don't worry about getting stuck. There are so many trucks out there, someone will help. Last time, my daughter's ATV flipped over (luckily she was okay) and since she was in the back of the pack, no one in the group saw her. There was a guy riding behind her and stopped to help her with her ATV. People are basically courteous and friendly when you're out there.
Even in the Summer, it gets windy and cold so don't think you're gonna walk around in your bikini. Bring gloves (to prevent blisters while riding) and goggles (to keep the sand out of your eyes). If you forget something, they have a little trailer on the beach that sells stuff like oil, masks, goggles, gloves and some food items but you'll pay twice as much.
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Love, Love, Love it here! My Boyfriend and I took our dog here this past Saturday. We were able to drive our SUV right up on the sand, open up the back and just sit and enjoy the water, breeze and watch all the kite boarders.
Keep in mind the sand is clean and really soft, which means you may get stuck, we saw a few people run into this problem. So if you are going to drive down to the water make sure you are in a vehicle that can hack it.
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This beach is unique. It is one of two that you can drive onto in California (the other is for launching a boat). It's the only one where you can drive ATV's on the dunes. Now that you know this it would be good to adjust your mind if you decide to visit. There are vehicles all over the place. It's not a beach to visit for a picnic or any quiet activity.
The place is an education. There is a subculture that frequents the place. To sit and watch it is a blast. Better yet, rent an ATV and go out and be a part of it. It is fun to drive on sand dunes. Walking on them would be dangerous unless you attach a tall flag to your body to avoid being hit.
Camp over night right on the dunes. Bring your off road vehicle and try your ability to drive on the sand. There is a local tow service if you get into the soft spots (it will cost you), or you will experience part of the culture and someone will help. The type of human that visits this beach tends to love vehicles and know a great deal about them. My suggestion is to rent something so the service is part of the rental.
There are portable potties in hidden places all over the beach on weekends. Otherwise use the bathroom by the entrance before going out on the dunes. Bring water, sunglasses, a hat, snacks, and an open mind if you decide to have an adventure here, and wear your sunscreen. There is a yellow truck called the "Pit Stop" if you need to buy something. It's in the middle of the campers.
It's not a great beach to do the usual beach activities at. It is an outstanding beach if you ever want to play in the sand with a vehicle of your own choice.
It is a pretty cool adventure if you're in the market for one.
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Confederate flags
Wave as ATV's whizz round
Misguided folk here
I was not very good at driving the dune buggy, and the regular patrons here didn't get the memo about the Civil War being over a few years ago. When the 90 minutes' paid time was up, I walked away with sand in unpleasant regions and an unexpected sunburn.
Three stars for novelty's sake -- it *is* the only beach in California where you can run wild with motorized vehicles.
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I love this place...I've been here for the past 3 years straight and will likely become my annual ritual...
I drive a Nissan Titan, and like dogs, it likes to get dirty once in a while...Pismo Beach does the job because you can drive on the beach along with dirt bikes and ATV's.
In addition, after a day at the beach...nothing hits the spot like Cracked Crab....
Only draw backs is that you are exposed to carbon monoxide and your vehicle might get stuck in the waters...
This review is from a when we went to the dunes a year ago... that said, they probably haven't changed much on a "high level" in the past year. So here goes.
I love sand dunes - I think it has to do from when I was a kid and we went to the dunes near Florence Oregon and ran down the dunes into a lake. Anyway. We saw and heard of these dunes in Oceano, and drove out to try and find them.
So we didn't want to take the car on the beach, so we parked it in the lot and decided to walk. I think the only useful part of this review is this: it's a fairly longish walk from the parking lot to the dunes, so wear sunblock and plan to spend some time walkin (at least an hour or two round trip and to see the dunes), and you will need to cross a creek on the way there so wear shorts or capris or pants you can roll up.
Oh yeah, and look for a somewhat direct route into the dunes - we took a really roundabout route. We pretty much got lost and ended up going up and down dunes covered in scruffy bushes and stuff in order to get to the nice sand ones - so it was pretty exhausting. If you look for a route from the beach first you'll save yourself some trouble - we found a really great direct one on the way back which was totally obvious if we just scoped a little before heading into the pre-dune area. We felt dumb.
OR of course, take a dune buggy tour thingie.
That said, our walk was a very enjoyable and memorable one - peaceful and private (like... the only people actually on foot for miles). The beach and views were spectacular. Seeing all the motorhomes on the beach was cool. Seeing all the 4x4s and massive trucks speed by was really cool. Being like the ONLY people actually walking and not driving was also really neat. And walking up to the top of a massive dune and seeing 360 degree views for miles was positively awesome.
Another thing - remember your camera. I forgot mine in the car and only had the phone camera which sucked big time because the views and day was just... spectacular. How many descriptive words can I put in a single semi-useless review? Lots. AWESOME.
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If you've been an ATV racer since the age of 4, or own a RV with a confederate and/or pirate flag, please disregard this review.
Rolled up to the Dunes after a full day of wine tasting, expecting to find a nice spot to chill on the beach and set up tent.
Pretty sure this is one of the only beaches in CA that allows cars, trucks, monster-trucks, ATVs, RVs, Monster truck ATRVS, semis, or other off-road vehicle looking creatures on the premises all day, everyday. Cool for them, but sucked for us. We set up some chairs and tried to enjoy some wine and cheese watching the sunset, which was lovely, minus the constant flow of cars between us and the water.
We opted to park about 1/4 a mile away from where we were supposed to camp, in attempt to lessen the noise and safety issues caused by the ATVs circling every square mile of the area. Maybe they mistook me for playing a game of chicken with them as I tried to sit and eat my prosciutto and goat cheese hors d'oeuvre plate. Although I do admit, I can be quite aggressive and territorial when it comes to killing a plate of goat cheese.
Instead of moving south to ATV land after the non-camping curfew at 11pm, we just set up our tent and crashed there, only to be woken up to the bright magnum lights of some bitchy ranger insisting that we move. Since we were about 500 yards in the wrong area, and drunk off almost 3 bottles of vino, we figured it'd be best to stay. Too bad she had another idea, and reminded us we "were lucky" we had a camping permit else it'd be 300 bucks. I apologized for disturbing the peace in my best woken-up-from-a-dead-drunk-sleep-at-1AM sarcastic tone, as a 10-year-old ATV driver almost took us all out. So we conceded to the ranger, taking pity on her and the fact the last time she'd probably been laid was in a trailer she was ticketing.
After a restful night of 5 hours, we woke up to discover that in a drunken haze, we had moved our camp to the center of STEVE'S ATV RENTALS loading and check-out area. Super. My favorite part of the morning was the guy laughing and taking pictures of us as I attempted to move our stuff. Meanwhile, my boyfriend repeatedly declared "I am NOT moving" from inside the tent. After some debate and the sweet sounds of crashing trucks, we packed up our stuff and found a tent-only campsite in Los Padres/Cerro Alta national park.
So we learned our lesson, learned what a Vehicular State park meant, and learned that we would never, ever have reason to rent from Steve. Or reason to have any sympathy for the sad, lonely, perhaps mostly celibate life of a certain female dune ranger.
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Yo! Yelp DYK Peeps! Ya gotta do at least two overnighters here for sure and party hard! Um, but please make sure you have a sand wind screen and a powerful handheld vacumn cleaner for your tent and for your car because I have the Oceano Sand Dunes built in my car to this very day of writing my review.
I went to Oceano Dunes to camp overnight en route to go work in LA. I felt this place was a better place to chill for the night rather than camping at the other two Pismo Beach State Parks. Oceano Dunes felt I had more room with a view and very tranquil verses observing another camper breathing down my back six feet from my tent with their unfriendly dogs growling at me for no reason.
I truly enjoyed four-wheeling in my Toyota 4 WD 4-Runner! Driving on the Dunes was a BLAST! O=:-D Waaaa-hooo! The only drawback camping at Oceano Dunes in a tent is that you will hear all sorts of 4-wheelers kickin' it 24-7! Quite noisy at times, but overall I find camping here well worth it . . . Bring your earplugs!
Check out the pics I took with my Nokia 6260 Camera Phone! Then-go to http://www.reserveamer... and reserve a place for you to zoooom and get your groove on!
Haha, I lost my virginity here many, many moons ago.
And once, I almost flipped my Jeep over--my "friends" vacated the car before I trudged back down the ridge I was on, but we were OK in the end.
Minus a star for the rednecks and the wrecking of the snowy plover's habitat.
Holy Crap I'm driving my minivan on the beach! What the hell is going on here? This shouldn't be legal, but it is. You can drive whatever the F**K you want here, but you can't fly a kite. That's a no-no. It might fall down and be a hazard to an ATVer. The whole time I was worried that I would get stuck out there, or that my kids would get run over by an ATVer. Sand will get everywhere, don't even worry about that. It's fun driving on the dunes, but again kind of crazy. (No, I didn't drive my minivan on the dunes. I'm not that stupid.) People ARE crazy there. Lots of people with lots of toys and drunkeness. If it's your thing then you go for it. Me, it might be a once in a lifetime event to drive on the beach. Weird man, weird.
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We love this beach -- it has pure white sand, the dunes are amazing, and -- best of all -- you can drive your car right onto the beach!
My word of warning: Make sure your car is sand-worthy -- 4-wheel-drive are recommended, however we always drive a passenger car and have only had problems once. Unfortunately, there are no signs at the entrance to warn you that if you get stuck, or (as in my case) your battery dies, AAA is not licensed to rescue you. However, the brother-in-law of the park ranger (I'm guessing) does have a contract to help stranded motorists -- for a small fee of $100 just to stop by and see what you need (credit cards accepted). WTF!?! This seems like such a rip-off. We were fortunate to have some good Samaritans who actually not only had jumper cables, but also one of those self-contained power-charging units, drive by, see our distress, and give us a jump, which got us off the beach without having to be nicked by the $100 fee. These guys were so cool -- I tried to give them some cash for beer or coffee, but they wouldn't even accept it -- said they just liked to help. (Bless them!)
Anyway, now you are forewarned!
Also, no bathroom facilities once you're down on the beach -- you can either hike or drive back up the steep hill, or do what most folks do, find a secluded dune and use the plentiful sand to bury all evidence.
In the summer, you can stay on the beach until 11 pm. Here is the number for the ranger station (805) 473-7220 (please don't tell him I told you I think his brother-in-law has the sweetheart deal on the beach rescue contract). They also have a Recorded Park Information Line: (805) 473-7223.
You can rent off-road vehicles from a number of vendors (likely the ranger's cousins), for cruising the massive dunes. Friends have done it and loved it -- I've not given it a whirl yet, because I always prefer to spend time in the water.
There is a campsite not too far from the dunes. If you don't have a car, you can always hop on Amtrak, get off at the Grover Beach Station, and walk to the dunes, about 1/4 mile. Amazing!
There's a little fish cafe up above the dunes, right before you reach the park entrance, and if you just continue going northeast on W. Grand Ave, you'll be in a commercial area that has lots of grocery stores, shops, restaurants, etc.
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Here is the info from the official State Parks website:
This sand dune complex is geologically unique and also provides an impressive playground for off-highway enthusiasts from throughout the United States. One of several OHV areas administered by the California Department of Parks and Recreation, Oceano Dunes also offers visitors other recreational activities such as swimming, surfing, surf fishing, camping, and hiking.
This off road area is among the most popular and unique of California State Parks. The 5 miles of beach open for vehicle use and the sand dunes available for off highway motor vehicle recreation are attractions for visitors from throughout the United States.
Oceano Dunes is the only California State Park where vehicles may be driven on the beach. Passenger cars can easily drive on the northern portion of the beach.
Four wheel drive vehicles are recommended for driving to the camping and off highway vehicle use areas in the park.
Beach wheelchairs are available for loan at the Pier and Grand Avenue entrances to the beach.
Surfing, swimming, surf fishing, horseback riding and bird watching are popular activities.
Location/Directions
The recreation area is located in Oceano, three miles south of Pismo Beach off Highway 1.
One mile south of the Pier Avenue beach ramp is Post 2, a post on the beach which marks the beginning of the off-highway vehicle riding and camping area.
OHV's must be transported to this point before unloading. Any areas on the beach or in the dunes that are fenced or signed are closed to vehicular use because they either contain sensitive plant and animal life or are private property.
Seasons/Climate/Recommended clothing
Summer temperatures - Highs: 60's and 70's; Lows: 50's; Dense morning fog
Winter temperatures - Highs: 50's and 60's; Lows: 40's; high winds in Spring
The weather is often quite changeable, layered clothing is recommended.
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For more info, see this website: http://ohv.parks.ca.go...
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LOVE LOVE LOVE it. I've gotta say, all the bruises, scrapes and soreness after riding ATV's for a few hours is definitely worth it. Been coming here for years, and it never seems to fail us. Usually we camp out on the beach for the weekend, do nothing but drink, eat, board, ride, bonfire,eat, drink, drink, eat. That's the high life right there!
i took my friend here for his b-day since he loves offroading, & it was amaaaazing!!!!
on saturday, we drove down the 1 from SF, ate breakfast in monterey (first awakening), drove thru carmel, big sur (checked out some campsites since we've thoroughly explored big sur), walked on tide pools in cambria, visited the elephant seals in san simeon, then ate @ the cracked crab in pismo beach before soaking in our hotel's heated pool & hot tub.
on sunday, we hit the dunes in our ATVs & were blown away by the stunningly endless sandscape. the views are amazing, & it's so cool to ride an ATV! he also enjoyed driving his SUV over the sand. i feel like i'm part of the offroading subculture (& there truly is one). the ATVs were easy enough that we could master them within the day, & there was all sort of terrain to test our vehicles on. i felt so free flying across the sand & maneuvering over bumpy dunes & down steep dune faces.
SUPERLY FUNNEST FANTASTICALLY WONDERFULLEST OFFROADING EXPERIENCE EVER!!!
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"Love this PLACE!! We come here every year and it gets better and better. Just to warn you.. there is no showers and only porta potty.. But the fun is well worth the troubles. We usually rent our ATV's from Angello's -- its $100 total per couple for 2 hours!
I agree with Brittany H's comment.
"You have to beware of sudden 50 foot drops, and getting stuck in the sand going uphill. Luckily people are more than willing to help those in need getting their ATVs out of the sand, like myself. haha. "
And if you're planning on taking a 2 wheel car out here... good luck. But people here are extremely friendly, I'm sure someone will help attempt to pull you out. Don't forget to release some of the tire pressure.
Just came back from the Dunes @ Pismo Beach. I'm pretty surprised that my 2WD Truck didn't get stuck in the sand, especially towing a trailer. Note to self: turn off the traction control. I only got to ride the ATV once, because It was pretty damn windy yesterday. Most of the trip was spent on the Rhino (no not the animal) or my buddy's Tundra. The bathrooms weren't as bad as I expected, but thank God one of my friends drove took his toy hauler. The rangers were on top of things there making sure people weren't being stupid out in the dunes. The most amazing part was seeing a few ambulances with off road suspension.
My friends and I went down for our first-time ATVing. It's kind of like riding a bike on sand!
What to Wear:
-Ski Googles to keep Sand out of your eyes
-It's cold and windy. I saw folks wearing down jackets
-Wear Gloves
-Wear sneakers/boots, no open-toes
-Don't bring heavy backpacks, etc
Things to keep in mind:
-2-3 hrs is enough for newbies (your thumbs will get tired!)
-Try to go in the morning when it's less windy
-ATVs kinda work like manual cars
-Go with strong people to help pull you out of the sand
-You'll be out there with pickup trucks, hummers, so be careful
-There is a 'Sand Highway'. The easiest way to get to it is to find Marker 10 and drive behind it, away from the ocean. Then you'll see Marker 11, turn right and keep going parallel to the ocean.
If you don't know how to ride stick:
-Practice reversing with the teacher
-Practice going up gears - going faster and slower
Kids: I saw a few kids out there, but I wouldn't take my kids there - there are too many people and they're going pretty fast.
Enjoy yourself!
sand dunes!!! pismo is probably the best place ever to go atving.. it's my new addiction!! the best thing about pismo beach is that it's open all the time so you can go riding at night! there are usually tons of people on 3 day weekends with trucks, trailers, atvs, dirt bikes, dune buggies, rhinos.. camping out here is awesome! bonfires, beer, bbq food, riding! i was able to get some air on a few of my jumps! be careful because the bathrooms are basically septic tanks and sometimes there is no toilet paper! definitely a place you want to check out if you are into atving or dirt biking!
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for this place, the vehicle that you're in will definitely make a difference in terms of your enjoyment and what you're able to accomplish in the dunes. my gf's mom has a 2007 Jeep Rubicon, with these fancy air suspension thingies that raise or lower depending on your needs and these ginormous 37" wheels...this made for fun times and near death experiences, where it felt like we were gonna flip over. but it's all part of the fun if you like that type of thing.
these dunes are absolutely gorgeous, just miles and milies of sand and ocean.
watch out for the people and atv's when you're in a car, they're all over the place.
good times!
