Pismo Beach is a small Pacific Ocean beach town in Central California, just south of San Luis Obispo, framed by dramatic cliffs to the north and high dunes to the south. In the center of town, pelicans rest on the wooden rails of the iconic Pismo Beach Pier, set on tall stilts, which visitors can explore, stopping for views of the palm-lined waterfront and Spanish-style homes covering the hills to the east. Mackerel and jacksmelt bring fishers to the pier during the day, and you can spot surfers riding the moonlit waves by night.

On the 17-mile Pismo State Beach to the south, the wind has blown the fluffy white sand into high dunes. The South Palisades Park offers walking trails and picnic tables with unobstructed ocean views, and its small tide pools collect marine life from limpets to sea stars. Just to the east of town, the Edna Valley wine region is home to dozens of small wineries, famous for their chardonnays and pinot grigios.

Like many towns along the Central Coast, Pismo Beach is pleasant to visit year round. Winters are cool, slightly humid, and yet rarely rain-drenched or frigid. Thousands of butterflies visit the Pismo Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove from December to February, taking shelter in the grove’s eucalyptuses to escape the colder north.

Spring is warm during the day and pleasantly cool at night, and the region’s dry summers heat up considerably, tempered by the Pacific Ocean. The weekly farmers’ market begins in spring and goes on through fall, with vendors lined up along the pier selling produce, local coffee, and specialty snacks. In October, the town’s annual Clam Festival celebrates the native Pismo clam with chowder cook-offs and a clam parade.

Pismo Preserve

The 900-acre Pismo Preserve sits on the coast where San Luis Obispo Bay and the Pacific Ocean meet. The preserve’s five hiking trails stretch across grass-covered hills, and lookout points at each summit offer wonderful views of the palm-tree-lined beach and nearby coves. The five-mile Discovery Trail offers panoramic views of the wine valley inland as well as Pismo Beach to the west; time your hike right, and you can arrive at Lover’s Point to bask in the spectacular sunset.

Oceano Dunes

The Oceano Dunes, three miles south of town, are the most extensive dunes preserved on the California coast. You can visit the 600-acre Oceano Dunes Natural Preserve and hike the grassy meadows until you reach the dunes. Alternatively, you can drive to the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area, where ATVs and cars are permitted on the sandy mounds. End your exploration at the wide beach along the Pacific Ocean, where you can swim and surf.

Eldwayen Ocean Park

The Pacific’s crashing waves form small tide pools along the rocky coastline of the one-mile Eldwayen Ocean Park. You can descend the wooden stairs to the tide pools among the moss-covered rocks — waterproof shoes with good treads are useful here — and search for brightly colored sea stars, prickly sea urchins, small crabs, and sea anemones clinging to the rocks.