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hit the links
There’s nothing quite like hitting the links in Nipomo Beach. Spectacular ocean views, sunny, moderate weather, pristine greens, and fantastic dining establishments where you can end your day with a glass of wine from one of the Central Coasts’ award-winning wineries – Nipomo Beach offers premier golfing and generous amenities whether you’re an avid enthusiast or a part-time enjoyer.
day fishing
Spend the
Summitting sand dunes in your own ATV may be the primary reason visitors from across the country flock to Oceano Preserve, but once you’ve arrived, you’ll find that there’s so much more to do. Say, for example, you’d like to take a bird’s eye view of this gorgeous landscape. Easy. Take a biplane flight right out of Oceano’s local airport. Hop into the seat of a 1942 WW2 Boeing Stearman or a 1947 Piper Cub PA-11 and enjoy a breathtaking tour of the coast. Operators provide leather jackets, goggles, and caps, with several flight styles to choose from to choose, from a mellow Pismo Pier Tour to the adrenaline-filled Thrill Ride.
Keeping your feet on the ground can be a rush, too, with plenty of hiking and sightseeing to do. Traversing the dunes on foot is a time-honored tradition. Both the Guiton Oceano Lagoon Trail and the Oceano Dunes Preserve Trail offer gorgeous views and the chance for some serious birding. The 1.5-mile Guiton Oceano Lagoon Trail is an easy hike that loops beside a freshwater lagoon. The more strenuous of the two, the Oceano Dunes Preserve Trail starts from an unmarked trailhead near the Grover Beach Day Use Area and winds through two miles of the stunning preserve.
The Oceano Dunes are a popular destination for surf-fishing, a unique way of catching your dinner. Even experienced anglers find surf-fishing a fun challenge. Bring your pole, bucket, and bait to catch large perch while wading in the gentle surf or nearby onshore.
Nearby Oso Flaco Lake is another ideal spot for anglers. Oso Flaco Lake sits at the base of the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes National Wildlife Refuge, the largest coastal dune system remaining in California, and offers 75 acres of largemouth bass, white perch, and striped mullet fishing.
Explore the Dunes
If you haven’t crested the peak of a giant sand dune atop an All-Terrain Vehicle with the sea air at your back, surrounded by gorgeous views of ocean and sky, some would say you haven’t lived. The native Chumash tribes and early artist colony of the Dunites revered the sacred dunes of Oceano Dunes State Vehicle Recreation Area (SVRA), located within the Natural Preserve. Today, the SVRA is one of very few beaches in California where it’s legal to drive, and anyone looking for adventure and possessing an appropriate vehicle – whether it be an ATV, dune buggy, Hummer, or dirt bike – can enjoy this one-of-a-kind experience.
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Learn | Go back to the 19th century, when ranchos populated the landscape.
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Play | Great American Melodrama offers old-timey entertainment and belly laughs.
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Explore | Traversing the dunes on horseback is a time-honored tradition
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Stay | With so much to do in Oceano and Nipomo, staying nearby is a must.
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Eat | From seafood to BBQ, Central Cost cuisine is as vibrant as the landscape itself
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Oceano offers equestrian adventure, too, as well as the best clamming in California. Sister beach Nipomo boasts a wildlife preserve and world-class golfing, along with high-end amenities, providing a haven to unwind after a long day exploring the coast. Whether you’re after surf fishing, coastal hiking, dune adventuring, or just a day at the beach a year-round moderate microclimate, discover your historic roots at these twin gems of the Central Coast. As you plan your getaway, here are a few must-dos to experience this historic area like a local.
Outdoor enthusiasts have long been drawn to California’s wide-ranging State and National Parks, but did you know some of the greatest California outdoor adventuring happens nearby on the beach? Just a short jaunt from the Bay Area down Highway 1, the Central Coast is home to two of the world’s most unique and historic beaches, Oceano and Nipomo, where towering sand dunes and dramatic coastlines are the perfect playground for people who enjoy the mix of outdoor sport and natural beauty.
Just south of Pismo, Oceano Beach has one of the few California beaches on which it is legal to drive, drawing four-wheeler, dune buggy, and dirt bike enthusiasts from around the world.
History and outdoor adventure converge at these Central Coast beach towns
Oceano & Nipomo
But you don’t need an ATV to enjoy the dunes. A hike across the varied trails of Oceano or Nipomo can be just as rewarding, with wildlife, peaceful lagoons, abundant native plants, and views of the Pacific coastline. Start with a visit to the Oceano Dunes District Visitor Center to learn all you need to know about state park’s flora and fauna, then head out on the trails or along the soft white sands of the coastline.
Oceano Dunes
Natural Preserve
By StoryStudio on March 23, 2022 9:27 AM
Two locales, Blacklake and Monarch Dunes Golf Resorts, offer the best in Nipomo Beach golfing.
Blacklake Golf Resort is a local hotspot. With its relaxed vibe and three nine-hole courses providing a mix of par 3, 4, and 5 holes, you can easily curate your own experience. Navigating sparkling lakes, manicured greens, and meticulous fairways while surrounded by live oaks and scenic coastal hills brings both serenity and an element of gamesmanship.
Monarch Golf Course, with its Scottish links-style course, is a must-play for those seeking a challenging yet friendly golf adventure. This award-winning golf resort was designed by renowned architect Damiam Pascuzzo and PGA Professional Steve Pate and boasts views of windswept dunes, eucalyptus trees, coastal vistas, and amber-colored hillsides.
Discovering your historical roots is a big part of the Oceano and Nipomo experience. The history of the Central Coast is tied to a Mexican land grant called Rancho Nipomo, which is comprised of 38,000 acres of rolling, oak-dotted hillocks awarded to an American sea captain from Boston in 1828. A visit to the Dana Adobe, the home of Captain William Dana and his wife, the daughter of Carlos Antonio Carrillo, Governor of Alta California, brings you back to the 19th century, when vaqueros ruled and ranchos populated the landscape.
Now recognized on the National Register of Historic Places, as well as a California Historical Landmark in 2001, the Dana Adobe is the oldest home in the country, built in 1851 to house Dana, his wife, and 16 (!) children.
The entertainment of the 18th and 19th centuries still thrives in Oceano, as well. Tucked amidst Oceano’s historic storefronts and authentic Mexican restaurants, the Great American Melodrama brings old-timey entertainment and belly laughs to visitors of all ages. Styled after the great theatrical tradition of melodrama – where audience participation in the form of boos, hisses, cheers, and laughs is encouraged – a night at the Great American Melodrama is a rousing good time, filled with song, dance, and plenty of, you guessed it, melodrama. Costumed actors enter the audience experience, ushering guests to their seats, taking orders at the snack bar, and serving grub.
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local history
With so much to do in Oceano and Nipomo Beaches, staying nearby is a must. Plenty of reservation-required camping exists at Oceano Dunes Nature Preserve and Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes, but those looking for more traditional lodging will be pleased to find there are plenty of hotels and vacation rentals available.
As for dining, Oceano and Nipomo is overflowing with delicious options. From delectable local seafood and farm to table fare to traditional Santa Maria Style BBQ, tri-tip and fresh-caught rock cod, Central Coast cuisine is as vibrant and exhilarating as the landscape itself.
The overall vibe is town is casual; dining out in these sister cities is about unwinding. Enjoy a cocktail or glass of local wine on a patio while gazing out at the view. Or party inside Old Juan’s Cantina. There’s a good time around every dune. Authentic Mexican cuisine, zesty Thai, and fresh sushi round out the varied options on offer.
This spring, discover your historic roots and indulge your outdoor adventurous spirit without sacrificing your comfort in the historic heart of California’s Central Coast, Oceano and Nipomo Beaches. At just a half-day jaunt away from the Bay Area, you’re afforded extra time on the dunes, on the links, or wiling away an afternoon drinking wine in the sunshine.
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