The Nehring's Travel Blog - July 2009

When we go on vacation somewhere, I like to do research to find out what is available to do and see while we are there. This month we were able to spend a week in the Pismo/Arroyo Grande/Oceano/Avila Beach area of the Central California Coast.

In doing internet research on the area, I found that there was not really any specific site that was very helpful. I had to really dig to find much of anything. Information about the area was scattered over several different and various pages. Sure, if you wanted to know which hotels were available or where the antique stores are, there was plenty about that. So. . . I am creating my own little TRAVEL BLOG about the Central California Coast.

**Oceano

I start here, because that is where we were staying. We stayed in a beach house that was very near the beach. Oceano Beach is pretty, but it is open to traffic, so you have to be very careful. The posted speed limit is 15mph, but it is posted waaaaay off to the side at the entrance where no one sees it. Basically, if you are there to sunbathe, I would pick another beach. If you are there to ride on the dunes, this is your place! Believe me, with the State trying to close State Parks this year to save money, this is one Park they are not going to close. It makes them far too much money. The girls had fun flying kites and they found a lot of shells in the shallows of the waves.

The Oceano Train Depot
Located on Front Street, across from the fire station.
www.oceanodepot.org
This is a great place to visit, especially if you are a train or history buff, or even if you are just mildly interested. It is dated from 1904. It is still in the process of being restored, but they have so much there! They do not have "regular" hours of operation, so you have to call to get an appointment to see the place. There is no fee, but they do accept donations. The number to call (currently) is 805-489-5782 and be sure to ask for Mark Wheedon. He was a GREAT tour guide!!

There is also the Rock and Roll Diner (south of Hwy 1 and Pier Avenue). We haven't made it in there yet, but it is made from two cars from the trains that have gone through Oceano. Looks like fun and kids eat free on Monday nights. Hopefully next trip.


The Pismo Nature Center
555 Pier Avenue
Pismo State Beach
Oceano, CA
805-489-8115
www.ccnha.org/pismo-nature-center.html
Open daily (except Tues & Thurs) from 1-4pm, June thru August. (Sept-May it is open Fri, Sat & Sun, 1-4pm)
This is located inside the Pismo Beach Campground in Oceano. It is small, but jam-packed with fun things to see and do. There are displays about things you find in the ocean or on the beach (with a mystery feely box); there is a display about clamming, (with a pitchfork and clams that can be "dug"); there is a display about regional wildlife with pelts to feel, pages to stamp with animal tracks and vegetation, and a sand box where there are large animal track stamps the kids can make in the sand and match with a poster on the wall; there is a display about the Chumash indians; and there are many displays depicting the local animals and birds. The girls had a great time! There are also many different gardens surrounding the campgrounds, but we did not make it to those this time. There is no fee, but they do accept donations. Be sure to sign the logbook, as it helps them with their funding.

**Pismo
www.pismochamber.com/

The city of Pismo is very much the tourist area. There are a lot of shops and places to buy t-shirts and magnets, etc. The beach is nice, and you have to take a walk out on the Pier. We saw dolphins in the ocean while we were out on the Pier. There is plenty of Public Parking and there are lots of pretty clean Public Restrooms. Stop in at the Pismo Beach Chamber of Commerce on 581 Dolliver Street for additional ideas and information. They have a big, huge giant clam out front. You can't miss it. There are good places for fish and chips, Brad's was okay and I have had recommendations for Splash Cafe.

In the winter, Nov to Feb, be sure to visit here to see the Monarch Butterfly Grove. It is on Dolliver Street as you drive between Pismo and Grover Beach. It is amazing! There are butterflies everywhere and docents to talk about all the stages of butterfly life, their migration patterns, etc. It is wonderful!

**Shell Beach

Tide Pools

Shell Beach has good tide pools. There is a stairway down to the beach at Ocean Blvd and Pier Street. Be sure to check the tide schedule. We got a little tide chart from Moondoggies Surf Shop (781 Dolliver Street in Pismo). While we were there the low tides were still a good 1-2' above the average low tide, so we didn't get to see very much, but there were plenty of starfish, crabs, anenomes, barnacles, etc. Be careful on the slippery seaweed though, as a few of us got scrapes and bruises from slipping.

Dinosaur Caves Park
Corner of Price Street and Cliff Avenue

This is a fun park. There are no dinosaurs here (sort of). There is a gorgeous view of the bluffs and the ocean, and there is a park for the kids to play in with all different ocean animals (seals, whales, etc.) to climb on, including a dinosaur and some dinosaur eggs. There is a small ampitheater there as well and we saw some Shakespeare being acted out while we were there. There is also a Farmer's Market there on Saturdays from 8-noon (11am?) and there were some very nice booths.

**Avila Beach

Avila Valley Barn
560 Avila Beach Drive
805-595-2810
www.avilavalleybarn.com
Open 9am-6pm May-Oct, and 9am-5pm Nov-Apr
Do NOT miss this one!! There are no signs on the road to warn you that it is coming up, so watch for the RV Park at the corner of Ontario Road and then it is the next driveway as the road curves to the right. This place is great!! There is a fantastic fresh-picked fruit and vegetable stand, and the gift shops with all kinds of fun goodies. They have baked goods (be SURE to get an Olallieberry pie!! Sooooo good!) They will give you a bag of greens to feed the goats, sheep, cows, and other animals around the barn. There is a sweet shop with really good salt water taffy (we didn't try the homemade ice cream this time). You can go out and pick your own fruits and berries too, which is a lot of fun. Check online for their seasonal U-pick calendar. We picked apricots and olallieberries. We were all covered in dark red juice and we had a great time! There is a hay ride that will take you out to the orchards on the weekends, but it is not too far to walk if you are there on a weekday. We went back there twice while we were in the area!

Avila Beach/Pier
This is a very nice beach, and less crowded than Pismo. There are some fun swings and slides for the kids as well. The Pier is smaller, but we saw a lot of seals while we were out there. Some swam right up to the pier!

A little bit north of Avila Beach is the San Luis Port. There is a really good fish and chips place there called Fat Cats Cafe. We liked this one better than Brad's. Less greasy, bigger pieces, more sauces and curly fries!!

Avila Beach Fish and Farmer's Market
Avila Beach Promenade
www.visitavilabeach.com
Every Friday 4-8pm
I found this one online, and it had a nice, colorful flier advertising fresh produce, local seafood, food booths, family fun and live entertainment. The band was good, there was one booth with seafood and one booth with produce and all the rest were kettlecorn and food. So, not exactly what it was billed as, especially since we weren't there for the food booths.

**Arroyo Grande

Arroyo Grande is the community of the area. There are lots of shopping centers with Kmart, Wal-mart, etc. (if you want Costco, you have to go to San Luis Obisbo). There is also a LOT of history.

Museums of the South County Historical Society
805-473-5077
www.southcountyhistory.org
Downtown Arroyo Grande, between Branch and Nelson Streets and Mason Street and Traffic Way.

Santa Manuela School
Hours, Sat 12-3pm, Sun 1-4pm
This is a one-room schoolhouse that was in use until 1857. It was a lot of fun for the girls to get to see this. They sat in the desks and enjoyed seeing all the things that are different than in their modern classrooms.

The Barn
Hours, Sat 12-3pm, Sun 1-4pm
This is filled with all kinds of fun stuff. There is a player piano, an old printing press, lots of house and farm implements, some old vehicles and tractors, including fire fighting equipment that was used to help in the 1906 San Francisco fire. The docents here were wonderful, showing the girls all kinds of fun stuff, like how heavy the old irons were, etc.

Heritage House Museum
Hours, Sat 12-3pm, Sun 1-4pm
This is a beautiful house with some great displays in it. Lots of old clothes and furniture, a full kitchen with antique refrigerators, washers, butter churns, etc., and more pianos and organs than I think I have ever seen in a heritage museum of this size. One of the docents even played the pump organ for us. It was really fun!

The Swinging Bridge
Right next to the Schoolhouse is the Swinging Bridge, which is one of it's kind in California. It has been reconstructed, as the original, built in 1875, was destroyed in a storm when a tree fell on it. As you walk across the bridge, the whole thing shakes and sways, so the girls enjoyed running across it.

There is also the Pauling History House (Open the 1st Sat of the month from 12-3pm), Ruby's House (Open weekdays 1-4pm) and the Historic Hall (Open Fri & Sat 12-5pm), but we did not get to these on this trip.

The Pismo Beach Historical Park
Hidden way back where you almost can't find it is a historical park that is in the process of being restored. Take Highland Drive up the hill and then go left, down Pismo "something" Drive. (It's not even on my map, so I can't remember the name of the street, but it is in an undeveloped residential area at the bottom of the hill.) There are two historical landmarks, the Price house and the Meherin house, and a Chumash Indian village being constructed. The houses are surrounded by a fence, and there is a box that advertises newsletters put out by The Friends of the Price House, Inc., but the box was empty when we were there. You can walk up to the indian village. It is pretty neat.

Arroyo Grande Library
If you need access to a computer, or a good book, the Arroyo Grande Library is located on Branch Street, right next door to the Arroyo Grande Chamber of Commerce. It is a very nice library.

Klondike Cafe
104 Bridge Street, Arroyo Grande
805-481-5288
www.klondikepizza.com
A really fun place to go for something to eat in Arroyo Grande is Klondike Pizza. They have an Alaska theme and there are peanuts on the tables and shells all over the floors. The pizza is really good, and it is a lot of fun! They have an All-You-Can-Eat on Tuesday nights from 5-9pm.

We had a wonderful time on our vacation and can't wait to come back again to visit and explore some more!