If adventure is your reason for visiting the central California coast, we have your perfect itinerary planned! With so many excellent outdoor experiences available in San Luis Obispo County, you have various activities to choose from on your next visit including ocean view hiking trails, OHV parks, extreme water sports and ziplining tours. Take on some of these epic bucket list items during your next trip to Pismo Beach:
Pismo Preserve by The Land Conservancy, Pismo Beach: At 880 acres, the Pismo Preserve offers truly exceptional and diverse recreational opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts. Visitors will enjoy over 11 miles of trail traversing serene oak woodlands and coastal ridgelines with stunning panoramic vistas of the Pacific Ocean stretching from the Irish Hills to Point Sal. Guests can hike, mountain bike, equestrian riding and trail run with the dogs on this impressive set of trails good for all levels of enthusiasts. The Land Conservancy has transformed an 880-acre private ranch above Pismo Beach into a public preserve for outdoor recreation and community enjoyment. Unique events like Art Walk at the Pismo Preserve offer a three-part series class in spring where kids can learn watercolor techniques at this youth-focused outdoor class! Volunteer Camille will lead a small group on a 1.5-mile trail walk and teach basic watercolor and painting in nature techniques.
Oceano Dunes SVRA & Pacific Adventure Tours, Oceano: This off-highway vehicle enthusiast paradise offers a wide variety of beach activities that include off-road adventures, camping, kite surfing and fishing in a dynamic coastal dune environment. The Oceano Dunes SVRA is open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. for vehicle day use. Day use passes are sold on a first come first serve basis at the beach entry kiosks at Grand Avenue and Pier Avenue. Day use passes are $5 per vehicle. Pacific Adventure Tours and Xtreme Hummer Adventure the largest Humvee tour company in the Nation, where you can experience the wild terrain of the Oceano Dunes State Recreation Area. Fly over the top of dunes, hang sideways, and enjoy the wild ride with trained drivers. From Mild to Wild, it's "Wheels In The Air" EXCITEMENT riding in a real USMC Humvee.
Sea Cave Kayaking Tour with Central Coast Kayaks, Shell Beach: The Cave Excursion Tour by Central Coast Kayaks is their most exciting and rewarding tour with a series of arches, caves, and rock gardens that are only accessible from the water and your kayak. This tour is exhilarating and at times can be strenuous, depending on the season and weather conditions. Your guide will help you launch right off the beach where after a short paddle, you’ll begin to venture along spectacular coastal vistas, grottoes, arches, kelp forests, and protected coves to the Dinosaur Caves. These caves are both intriguing and challenging, so you choose how much adventure you can handle. Their guides teach you the basic strokes and show you some of the best caves in our area. Central Coast Kayaks has offered this tour longer than any other. Be careful, you might get hooked!
Kite & Hydrofoil Board Pismo State Beach: Guests can book private lessons with California Waterman water sports professionals, offering classes on surfing, kiteboarding, lift and wing hyrdofoiling, and paddle boarding. They provide all the high-quality gear needed for your experience as well as dedicated instruction to learn how to catch the most epic waves on California’s Central Coast. Watch for dolphins and whales as you explore the coastline along Pismo State Beach.
Ontario Ridge Trail, Shell Beach & Avila Beach: The Ontario Ridge Trail in Shell Beach and Avila Beach is a 3–4.4 mile, often challenging hike known for its steep, rugged terrain, stunning panoramic ocean views, and popular tree swings. It rises to about 700 feet, offering a scenic coastal workout, with access points near Sycamore Springs and Cave Landing.
Biplane Rides with Banner Airways, Oceano: Guests can enjoy a fun scenic flight over the blue Pacific Ocean for 1 or 2 passengers with options flying over Pismo Per and Oceano Dunes and can add a thrill-seeking experience. Fly north to view Pismo Beach’s diamond-shaped pier which extends 1,100 feet into the ocean. Watch surfers ride the waves near the pier. A nice, fun, scenic flight for all ages, young or old. Then they make the world famous 180-degree turn and fly south to the spectacular Oceano Dunes and watch the four-wheeling action from above. Then they head back over the Pacific Ocean towards home base on Oceano. Keep your eyes open for whales, dolphins, and sharks while flying over the clear blue waters.
Avila Beach Whale Watching: Avila Beach Whale Watching has been providing safe, educational boating adventures on San Luis Bay since 2012, and in that time, they have taken over 26,000 guests out to see the whales and other animals that live in the Pacific waters off the central coast. Their small tours are unique in that they only take six passengers at a time, which ensures that everyone can enjoy an unobstructed view of the whales and other wildlife that they encounter on their adventure out to sea. They also have the advantage of being able to move quickly to a new location if they see something exciting going on, getting guests up close and personal to these majestic animals of the ocean. An abundance of wildlife with daily sightings of whales, dolphins, porpoises, sea lions, sea otters, harbor seals and a variety of sea birds on their whale-watching trips is very common. San Luis Bay really is a hidden gem on the central coast of California and one of the premiere places to see whales on the west coast, year-round.
Lopez Lake Recreation Area, Arroyo Grande – Located just ten miles east of Arroyo Grande, Lopez Lake Recreation Area offers 22 miles of shoreline and summer lake temperatures around 70°F, where there is something for everyone; fishing, boating, picnicking, hiking and equestrian trails, mountain biking, ziplining, birdwatching and so much more. The warm climate of the Central Coast makes Lopez Lake the ideal, year-round recreational destination. Once covered by the sea, the surrounding hills of Lopez Lake are rich with relics from ancient days and studded with oak trees. Over 175 species of flowering plants, and more than 150 species of birds have been identified within the park. The naturally beautiful canyons were once hunting and fishing grounds for the Chumash Indians. Later, homesteaders and ranchers inhabited the area and harvested grain crops for Mission San Luis Obispo.
Vista Lago Adventure Park and Mustang Waterpark, Arroyo Grande: Located at Lopez Lake Recreation Area, these adventure parks are a short drive from Pismo Beach and offer a unique setting in the oak studded hills. At Vista Lago Adventure Park, you can zipline over the lake and take on 40 aerial obstacles designed for every level of adventure on their ropes course. Vista Lago is all about fresh air, big laughs, and unforgettable moments. From first-timers to fearless thrill-seekers, they’re aiming to create experiences that get you outside, out of your comfort zone, and into the fun! At Mustang Waterpark, also offering excellent lake views, they have two 600-foot curving waterslides joined by a 38-foot half-pipe Stampede perfect for thrill-seekers. The parks are nestled in the hills overlooking beautiful Lopez Lake and they offer affordable adventure experiences for all ages.
Margarita Adventures, Santa Margarita Ranch: Experience California’s most widely acclaimed zipline tour—the ultimate thrill ride for all ages, delivering an adventure you’ll never forget. Embark on six distinct ziplines starting with an epic valley crossing and finishing with a breathtaking flight right over a Pinot Noir vineyard. Your tour also includes a walk on the wild side across a 300-foot suspension bridge and a final landing into a replica gold mining camp. Along the way, you will learn about Santa Margarita Ranch’s sustainable winegrowing practices and its role as part of California’s famed Mission Trail. They also offer an Escape Room experience, e-bike tours and nature tours, as well as packages such as the Zip ‘N Sip Tasting, Sunset Sensations and the Seasonal “Glow Zip” Tour offering nighttime adventures under the stars.
San Luis Obispo County has plenty to offer for the thrill seekers in your family and friends, book your stay now in Pismo Beach for your next big adventure.